The Chief Rabbi of Tunisia, HaRav Chaim Bitan, paid a special
visit recently to the homes of maranan and rabbonon
gedolei Yisroel, a visit that was organized by HaRav
Chaim Cohen, the rosh hayeshiva of Yeshivat Orchos
Moshe in Moshav Berachiya. The Chief Rabbi summarized the
visit, saying: "Today was like a chag for me."
The Chief Rabbi of Tunisia came in Teves for a visit in
Israel. Immediately after he got off the plane he became a
source of great interest in light of the fact he serves as
the Chief Rabbi of an Arab state that doesn't have diplomatic
relations with Israel.
HaRav Chaim Bitan is known as an honorable and important
rav, who leads the small Jewish community left behind
in Tunisia, and guides the community in pure Torah
hashkofoh. He enjoys complete support from the ruling
authorities, due in large part to his special personality,
and is able to direct all the religious affairs throughout
the country without any interference from the authorities.
The rov of Tunisia came to Israel in order to visit
the homes of maranan and rabbonon, amongst
other things, and to present to them a report about the
wonderful Torah developments that the Tunisian Jewish
community has enjoyed in the past years. Rav Chaim Cohen, the
rosh hayeshiva of Orchos Moshe in Moshav Berachiya,
hosted him and arranged for his visits in the homes of
maranan and rabbonon.
Yeshivas Orchos Moshe in Moshav Berachiya has enjoyed great
success, and attention was directed towards it on the
occasion of the recent visit of HaRav Aharon Leib Steinman.
The rov of Tunisia solicited the help of Rav Chaim
Cohen, as an expert in chinuch, in order to help him
on his visit to Eretz Yisroel, and the two of them arrived at
the homes of gedolei Yisroel in order to discuss all
the issues connected to religious life in Tunisia.
The visit began with HaRav Aharon Leib Steinman, who sat with
the rov of Tunisia for an hour, showed interest in
each detail of the religious life of Tunisia, and expressed
his opinion on various issues raised by HaRav Bitan. HaRav
Bitan explained that all the Jewish educational institutions
in Tunisia teach only al taharas hakodesh, and have no
secular studies.
"In the talmud Torah there are 150 students, learning
in loshon hakodesh. They learn alef-beis from
the sefer Hamesorah, as the children do in talmudei
Torah in Eretz Yisroel. They learn only limudei
kodesh, and in yeshiva ketanoh they learn
according to the Tunisian traditions in iyun—the
analytic approach—Rashi and Tosafos with the Maharsha,
as we've been accustomed to do all the generations in
Tunisia. We accept students in the yeshivos ketanos
only on condition that they will not learn secular
studies in the local schools, and we're very particular about
this condition," HaRav Bitan said.
A central point of the discussion was the issue of a Bais
Yaakov for girls who have completed their elementary school
education. Rav Bitan sought advice from HaRav Steinman about
whether to establish a Bais Yaakov high school. There is a
serious problem in the community, he said, because when the
girls finish elementary school they have nowhere to go and
the fear is that they'll go to the local schools.
HaRav Aharon Leib Steinman expressed his opinion in great
detail about this issue, and guided HaRav Bitan in the
principles upon which he should base the chinuch for
the girls in order that it will be al taharas hakodesh.
He advised Rav Bitan to take an older couple from Europe
or Israel who no longer have children living at home to
implement this important undertaking.
He further proposed that Rav Bitan should consult with
organizations familiar with the field of chinuch, such
as Lev L'Achim, in order to learn practical techniques of
opening the new school and so that they'll be able to advise
him in future developments. At the conclusion of the meeting
Rav Bitan asked for a brochoh for himself and the
entire Tunisian Jewish community that they should be able to
continue to strengthen themselves in Torah and yiras
Shomayim.
Next, HaRav Bitan visited HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, and
told him at length about all the Torah developments and
events of the Tunisian Jewish community, which doesn't
include even one non-religious Jew, in the merit of an
educational system that operates entirely on the principles
of al taharas hakodesh. HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz
expressed his amazement about the pure Torah education that
the Jewish children of Tunisia receive, and warmly encouraged
Rav Bitan to continue in his holy work with Tunisian
Jewry.
HaRav Bitan spoke about one of his visits to Israel, when he
witnessed the special initiative of Ovos UBonim and how he
brought the idea to his unique community in Tunisia. In his
conversation with HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz he mentioned
the extra stringency his community keeps in all matters of
tznius.
For example, the Jewish Agency recently brought a group of
Jews from Tunisia to Israel to check the possibility of
making aliyah, and HaRav Bitan was successful in
insisting that the participants in the trip be only families
and not singles. Lately, a group of 100 families arrived and
examined the communities in Ashkelon and Netivot as
possibilities for settling in Israel.
The visit ended in the home of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, who
encouraged HaRav Bitan and blessed him and the entire
Tunisian Jewish community very warmly. After the visit with
the gedolim, Rav Bitan toured Bnei Brak briefly. He
showered praises upon Rav Chaim Cohen, in whose merit he was
able to enter the homes of maranan and rabbonon
gedolei Yisroel and seek their advice.
