Chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt

Currently the largest public figure representing the Jewish community of Russia on the world political field is Pinchas Goldschmidt. The story of his life and formed the basis of this article. As President of the conference of European rabbis which unites the representatives of more than forty States, it makes every effort to eradicate anti-Semitism – hideous relic of past centuries.

Son of the venerable Solomon Goldschmidt

21 Jul 1963 in Zurich, in a family of religious Jews, the followers of one of the most common Jewish currents – of Hasidism, was born the future chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt. In this Swiss city, the family had deep roots. And the boy's parents was already in its fourth generation. His father – Solomon Goldschmidt. He always commanded respect, and was known as a successful and energetic entrepreneur.

Father's Ancestors settled in Switzerland in the years of the First world war, having arrived there from France. Relatives of the same maternal line lived in Austria. After her capture by Germany they were in a concentration camp, from which they were never to return. The only exception was the grandmother of Pinchas who became ill on tuberculosis. In 1938 she was a few weeks before the invasion of Hitler came for treatment in Switzerland, and was forced to remain.

The Current head of the Jewish community of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt by chance chose the path of life Jewish spiritual leader. It not only comes from a deeply religious family, but the great-grandson of the chief Rabbi of Denmark, who headed then the Rabbinate of Zurich. The same path was chosen and his younger brother, who is now a Rabbi in South Africa.

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Years of study of the future Rabbi

Contrary to popular belief, in Judaism, a Rabbi is not a priest. The word itself translates as “teacher”. And whoever has received this award, is intended to be a guide and interpreter of the sacred books of the Torah and Talmud. In addition, he is obliged in every situation to give wise and prudent advice for everyone who turns to him for help. Therefore, he must be a person deeply educated and erudite.

Pinchas Goldschmidt, like no other, meets these demanding requirements. Behind him the years in the two largest yeshivas (Jewish religious schools) of Israel and America. The result of training was rabbinic smicha – diploma, giving the right to lead the community, teach in the yeshiva and to be a member of a religious court. In addition to traditional Jewish, he also received a higher secular education, graduating from University in Baltimore.

Criteria

Their activities Pinchas Goldschmidt began in 1987 as a member of the Rabbinate of the Israeli city of Nazareth Illit. Two years later, as a representative of the world Jewish Congress and the chief Rabbinate of Israel, he was sent to Moscow. In that period at the Academy of Sciences of the USSR was created by the Institute for the study of Judaism, headed by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. Help him required a qualified person who is able to take on the duties of a lecturer.

Arriving in the capital and started to fulfill their duties, is still very young in those years, Pinchas Goldschmidt received from the chief Rabbi of Russia Adolf Shaevich the offer to head the rabbinical court. The competence of this body includes such issues as Jewish weddings, divorces, proof of Jews to emigrate to Israel, etc.

On the road to revival of national traditions

Showing in this post, high organizational skills, and discretion in decision-making, and in 1993 he received the chief Rabbi of Moscow. Thanks to its active work in Russia at the beginning implemented a program developed by the Israeli foreign Ministry, aimed at the return of the Jews to their national roots.

These were the years when fresh perestroika developments have created a favorable atmosphere for the revival of national consciousness of many peoples, primarily Russian. From the faceless internationalism of the Soviet period, people turned to their old traditions. It then began the process of returning of the Russian Church taken away from her temples, the creation of new Orthodox communities. Not remained aloof from the General movement and representatives of other nationalities inhabiting the country, including the Jews.

The Initiative, accepted part of society

In the early nineties the chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt has launched a wide range of work on creation and development of various Jewish social agencies, and day schools, colleges, nurseries and even the yeshiva. In this he relied on the support of the Congress of Jewish organizations and associations of Russia. Unfortunately, his work has found understanding not all layers of Russian society.

The Result of the misunderstanding was the treatment of five hundred citizens, among them artists, editors of some Newspapers and nineteen deputies, sent in 2005 to the Prosecutor General of Russia Vladimir Ustinov. It contained a demand to banthe territory of the Russian Federation the activities of all Jewish national associations, recognizing them as extremist. In support of their claims individuals who sent the letter, cited tendentiously selected quotes from Jewish code “Kitsur Shulchan Aruch" published shortly before in the Russian language.

Despite the fact that the appeal was sharply condemned by many leading politicians such as Gennady Zyuganov, Dmitry Rogozin, Heydar Jemal and others, as the Russian foreign Ministry issued a statement that it has nothing to do with the position of the government, Pinchas Goldschmidt was deported from the country. His work as chief Rabbi and President of the Jewish court of Moscow, he continued in 2011.

A Fighter against anti-Semitism

In our days, Pinchas Goldschmidt, a photo of which is presented in the article, is one of the leaders of the anti-Semitism that is deployed in the world. This burning issue he repeatedly raised in his speeches in the U.S. Senate, the Council of Europe, European Parliament, Oxford University and many other influential public organizations. In his work he is supported by many progressive politicians.