SHERMAN OAKS : Israeli Chief Rabbi Visits Valley Students

One of the highest figures in the Jewish religion awed a group of junior high students when he visited their Sherman Oaks school Thursday.

Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, chosen in February as one of Israel’s two chief rabbis, spoke to students in grades six through eight at Emek Hebrew Academy, the oldest and largest Orthodox Jewish day school in the San Fernando Valley.

Bakshi-Doron stopped at the school during the first day of his visit to Los Angeles. Earlier this year, he was elected chief rabbi for the Sephardic Jews of Israel, whose roots are in North Africa and Spain.

“For the school, it’s a tremendous honor,” said Joshua Bittan, whose four children attend the academy, and who helped organize the chief rabbi’s visit. “And for him to get to know the community is also an important thing.”

The junior high girls awaiting Bakshi-Doron’s arrival sat stiffly and looked nervous until the door opened and the chief rabbi walked into the classroom trailer wearing a royal blue turban and a long black robe with gold embroidery.

Speaking to the girls first--Orthodox Jewish students are seated separately by gender--the chief rabbi said in Hebrew he believed it is important for him to visit Los Angeles because of the 600,000 Jews living in Southern California.

But he questioned how many strictly practice their religion.

‘Are they really Jews?” he asked. “Are they behaving like Jews? Are they keeping the Sabbath, are they learning the Torah, are they keeping kosher? Are they keeping the Jewish heritage?”

The soft-spoken chief rabbi looked out at the girls in their school uniforms and sneakers.

“I can already see the answer in this room,” he said.

After Bakshi-Doron spoke briefly on the importance of a Hebrew education, he allowed the students to ask questions.

Shy at first, they soon started raising their hands.

Rina Raphael began her question in English, but some of the academy’s rabbis loudly urged her to speak Hebrew.

“I’m nervous,” the 12-year-old said.

But mustering her courage, Rina asked the chief rabbi in Hebrew whether Israel should give up the Golan Heights to Palestinians to secure peace.

He answered only that it was a difficult decision because so many Jews have invested their lives there. The students should pray for a solution, he said.

Bakshi-Doron answered a few more students’ inquiries and then posed a question of his own.

“Which ones of you would like to go up to Israel?”

All the girls raised their hands as Bakshi-Doron walked out of the room to speak to the boys’ classes.

As the door shut, the girls leaped from their seats to talk about the chief rabbi’s visit.

“It was very special,” said Hamutal Sheetrit, 11.