Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Shmuel Ben Shmuel has put on Tefillin in honour of the victims of the recent terrorist attack on a synagogue in Har Nof, Jerusalem.
Deputy Chief of Mission Meir Yitzchaki also put on tefillin at a minyan at the Embassy of Israel organised by Rabbi Shmueli Feldman, Chabad’s representative to Canberra.
Rabbi Feldman moved to Australia’s capital city in early 2013 to run Chabad of the ACT and to serve as the only Rabbi at that time in the ACT and surrounding area.
At the embassy ceremony, Kaddish was said for the victims of the terror attack and an additional prayer recited for the wounded.
Rabbi Feldman was accompanied by Rabbi Mendel Raskin from Chabad of Bentleigh in Melbourne in Canberra for the Brit of his newborn grandson.
His son Rabbi Schneur Zalman Raskin together with his wife Rebbetzin Feige Raskin, recently moved to Canberra with their family becoming involved members of Chabad ACT’s growing Jewish community in Australia’s Capital. Rabbi Mendel Raskin performed the Brit for his grandson who was named Sholom Dov-Ber.
The Ambassador and other Embassy staff were visibly moved when it was explained that this minyan was a response to those who wished to stop our prayers in Jerusalem. Rabbi Shmueli Feldman said “The terrorists stopped our minyan in Jerusalem last week. Our answer is that we will pray with even more determination and cause as many others to put on tallitot and tefillin and pray as well. We will not be stopped nor will we be deterred from practising our Jewish faith freely wherever we may be in the world. The message His Excellency the Ambassador is showing the world is, that we will continue stronger than ever.”
The Deputy Ambassador pointed out that the slaughter in Jerusalem took place whilst the Jews in the synagogue were reciting the most important prayer of Shema Yisrael. Ambassador Shmuel Ben Shmuel led the Shema Yisrael wrapped in his Tallit and wearing Tefillin,