News & Events
6th Annual Mizrachi Sukkot Luncheon and Tallit & Tefillin Ceremony
On the 3rd day of Chol Hamoed Succot (Monday October 3rd), over 200 people from Israel, and around the world, packed the succah of the Renaissance hotel, for the 6th annual World Mizrachi luncheon. Our dear friends, Mr. Arieh and Mrs. Hava Halpern, and Mr. Sam and Mrs. Gladys Halpern, once again hosted the luncheon.
The luncheon has become an annual meeting place for the leaders of the movement from Israeland abroad. It is an opportunity for them to meet in an informal setting and exchange ideas and help determine the future direction of the Movement.
Mr. Solly Sacks chaired the luncheon, which was addressed by: Mr. Arieh Halpern, Mr. Kurt Rothschild, MK Harav Yitzchak Levy, Harav Shaar Yeshuv Hacohen and Harav Yosef Glicksberg.
The unique dimension of this year’s luncheon was the first distribution ceremony of sets of tallit & tefillin to bar-mitzva boys and students unable to acquire them. World Mizrachi has been running a yearlong campaign to gather funds from throughout the world to purchase these sets. The sets were distributed to needy students from: Emunah and Amit educational institutions, OU (Makom B’Lev), the Schachar foundation and the ConversionSchoolof the Jewish Agency.
During Chol Hamoed, further distribution ceremonies took place at Beit Hanassi – the Presidents Residence, where Movement leaders and the Bar-Miztva boys joined President Moshe Katsav for Tefilla. At the end of the service the President presented the sets of Tallit & Tefillin to the bra-miztva boys.
Thanks were given to all those that had contributed, both those present and not, by a student from Emunah, a student from the conversion school, Mrs. Jan Schechter (President, Amit women) and Mr. Menachem Persoff (Director, OU Israel). After the distribution ceremony, festive dancing took place.
People still wishing to contribute to the ongoing Tallit and Tefillin campaign, can do so by sending a check to World Mizarchi. The costs per set is $US 180.
Mr. Solly Sacks (Director-General, World Mizrachi) adressing the Succot luncheon
Mr. Arieh & Mrs. Gladys Halpern
L-R: Harav Norman Lamm (President, Yeshiva University), Mr. Kurt Rothschild (World Chairman, World Mizrachi) and Harav Yechiel Wasserman (Head, Dept. of Spiritual Resources, WZO)
Mr. Kurt Rothschild (World Chairman, World Mizrachi)
L-R: Mr. Solly Sacks, Mr. Sam Halpern, Minister Zevulun Orlev and Mr. Arieh Halpern
L-R: Bar-Mitzva boys, MK Harv Yitzchak Levy (Co-President, World Mizrachi), Mr. Menachem Persoff (Director, Israel Center, OU)
L-R: Mrs. Jan Schechter (President, AMIT women), Bar-Mitzva boy, Mrs. Evelyn Blachor (Past-President, AMIT women)
L-R: Mr. Sam Halpern, Bar-Mitzva students at the Machon Giur, WZO, Mr. Jack Nagel
Mr. Sam Halpern and Bar-Miztva boy
The presentation ceremony
President Moshe Katsav
L-R: Mrs. Jan Schechter (President, AMIT women), Mr. Solly Sacks (Director-General, World Mizrachi), President Moshe Katsav, Bar-Mitzva boys and fathers, Mr. Daniel Meyer (Programs director, World Mizrachi), Mrs. Heddy Klein (President, Emunah America) after tefilla and presentation at Beit Hanassi
L-R: MK Harav Yitzchak Levy, President Moshe Katsav, Mr. Arieh Halpern, Mr. Solly Sacks, Mr. Kurt Rothschild, Mr. Daniel Meyer, Mr. Doron Zilbershatz and Bar-Mitzva boys after tefilla and presentation at Beit Hanassi