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5 Av 5761 - July 25, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
French Yom HaTorah in Israel
by Betzalel Kahn

In light of the success of the Torah Day held every two years in France for French Jewry and the success of a similar event held last year in Jerusalem, a special daylong event will also be held this year for French speakers living in Israel. The events were organized at the initiative of HaRav Yosef Sitruk, the chief rabbi of France.

The Yom HaTorah attracts tens of thousands of French Jewish residents: religious and non-religious alike. Various stands set up by religious organizations offer information at the event. In light of its success in France, it was decided to hold a similar event in Jerusalem last year.

Rabbi Yaakov Sitruk, son of France's chief rabbi and head of the Elef LiDorot organization as well as head of a kollel for French-speaking avreichim in Jerusalem's Shaarei Chessed neighborhood, organized the large event. Held in Binyanei Ha'Uma in Jerusalem, it was attended by thousands of French-speakers living in Israel. Since it was so successful, a similar event will be held this year on the 17th of Elul.

HaRav Yaakov Sitruk believes that the situation in Israel calls for a central Torah event for all local French speakers. "It's a pity that the French-speaking communities in Israel lack a permanent connection with Torah centers. Most of this sector is either religious or chareidi. However unlike in France, where the majority of the Jewish community occasionally attends synagogue and religious events, in Israel one who is not religious has no connection to religious institutions," he said.

Many organizations will participate in Yom HaTorah in Israel, which will be attended by Rav Yosef Sitruk. This year's theme is aliyah. Stalls of organizations offering communal services will be on display, manned by people ready to answer questions of new immigrants.

Among the stalls will be those presenting information on Jewish institutions, botei medrash, synagogues and organizations. This purpose of these displays will be to connect between these institutions and the French speaking community in Israel. Kountrass, the chareidi journal for French speakers, will publish a special edition in honor of the event. The organizers hope that this event will be of great benefit to Israel's French-speaking community.

 

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