By COLlive reporter
Photos by Mendy Hechtman
Chabad Rabbi Shlomo Bistritzky was inaugurated Monday, January 16, as the new Chief Rabbi of Hamburg, the second to largest city in Germany, after the position has been vacant for 3 years.
The ceremony at the Hohe Weide Synagogue was attended by hundreds of members of the local Jewish community and Bernard Effertz, chairman of the board of the Hamburg Jewish Community.
A rabbinical delegation included Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger, Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE), Germany’s Head Shliach Rabbi Yisroel Diskin and other Shluchim.
Representing Lubavitch World Headquarters was Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Vice Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch.
For the new rabbi, the position has “a double meaning” and inspires a great deal of emotion, Chabad.org reported.
Bistritzky’s grandfather, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Bistritsky who was present at the event, left his native Hamburg for New York in 1937.
He and his Frankfurt-born wife have been living in Jerusalem for the past 15 years. “We are proud that our grandchild reached such a position,” he said after hearing about the nomination in November 2011.
Shlomo Bistritzky’s father was the late Rabbi Levi Bistritzky, Chief Rabbi of the city of Tzfas and a respected author and authority on halacha and kashrus.
I am an old resident of Hamburg. Mazaltov Tov to the new chief Rabbi. I remember the old Shul in Bornstrasse and going there with my beloved grandmother so very long ago. I hope that Rabbi bistritsky will always be so well liked in Hamburg.as for me,I’m glad to live in the usa. I am a lucky survivor, spent ten years inthe U.K. Before coming to America. I do remember though, a veryhappychildhoodin Hamburg before the Nazis came. What a pity, that they had the chance to murder so many of our people before they were beaten. I would not… Read more »
i’m so proud of you
a 2nd cousin
To me as a person born in Hamburg and remembering the Bornplatz Synagogue as well as Rabbi Carlebach, this is the most amazing event I can think of! We are looking forward to seeing you and your family next week when we can give you personal Mazal Tov, David and Johanna Neumann
It was an amazing evening, I am very happy to see that Hamburg received such A GREAT RABBI, my wish to you is; you should have a successfully life with your whole Family until 120 years with much health and happiness.
What an amazing event! May you lead the community to only good forever, MOSHIACH NOW!!!!!!!
Your aussie cousins are so proud of you and wish we were there!
With hatzlacha rabbah!! Your dear father, of blessed memory, was our mashpia and m’sader haKiddushin in Tzfat….much gratitude to him and zechus to you!!
Hearty mazal tov to our dear friends Reb Laibel and his eishes chayil and the entire Bistritzky family. May your nachas increase from all your wonderful family.
Mazal tov!! We are so proud! much nachas! Surely your dear father is shepping much nachas from you
Good to see you. You don’t look a year older b”h. Keep up your amazing shlichus.
we are all so proud of you. Much Hatzlacha!
Ur New York cousins
amazing
The picture of his grandpa holding his Hand is priceless. Lots of nahas and mazal