YEREVAN, Armenia – This week, Armenia hosted a visit by Chief Rabbi of Israel Yonah Metzger. This is the first visit of an Israeli Chief Rabbi to Armenia in the entire history of relations between the two countries. The delegation’s visit was prompted by an invitation from the Head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II. The Christian leader had visited Israel last summer, when he invited Rabbi Metzger to pay a visit to his country.
The Chief Rabbi of Israel was greeted by Rabbi Gershon Meir Burshtein, the Chief Rabbi of Armenia and a Chabad Lubavitch emissary, who, apart from taking part in all official meetings scheduled during this visit arranging also arranged kosher food for the whole delegation.
On the first day, Rabbi Metzger and members of the delegation met with the Catholicos. One of the topics discussed concerned the fact that Jerusalem is home to an Armenian Diaspora of about 2000 members, having historically owned land in Jerusalem even before the modern Israeli state came into being. During the discussion, Rabbi Metzger emphasized how, for these two Diaspora peoples – Armenians and Jews – a historical homeland holds a special meaning and attraction. The parties also noted the great importance of inter-religious meetings, as a way to rise generations in the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect.
On the second day of the visit, the delegation began with a prayer in the Synagogue at the ‘Mordechai Navi’ Community Center, after which the Armenian and Jewish delegates headed to the ‘Tsitsernakaberd’ Memorial Complex, which commemorates victims of the 1915 genocide against Armenians. There, participants took part in an excursion at the museum, laid flowers and planted a fir tree in the Alley of Memory.
That evening, the Catholicos hosted the guests for a festive dinner, involving ministers, the National Parliament’s Vice-Speaker, the Mayor of Yerevan, the President of Armenia’s Academy of Sciences, and well-known personalities in the fields of science, business and culture. The Jewish delegation was accommodated with kosher meals, prepared under the supervision and direct participation of Mrs. Leah Burshtein. The Chief Rabbi of Israel also took this opportunity to meet with the Prime-Minister of Armenia, Andranik Markaryan. At a ceremony that wrapped up their itinerary, the leaders of both delegations presented gifts to one another.
As a result of the visit, plans were agreed to begin construction of the Mikvah, to be erected in Yerevan for the first time in 90 years, with participation of international and local donors. This announcement was met with great enthusiasm by Rabbi Metzger, Rabbi Burshtein and members of Armenian Jewish community.
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