Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christina Brewer | NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (May 2, 2023) Rabbi Adam Raskin, a guest of Jewish Welfare...... read more read more
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Rabbi Adam Raskin joined retired Navy Capt. Rabbi Irving Elson on a recent weeklong visit to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain, May 1-6, 2023. The visit was part of a trial of the “Scholar in Residence Program” which brings rabbis to overseas communities, re-energizing Jewish communities and deepening their faith. Throughout the week, the rabbis hosted multiple events and services including a naming ceremony, Shabbat, coffee with the Rabbis, and a community-wide “Jews in Spain” seminar.
Elson serves as the director of Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) Jewish Chaplain Council whose mission is “supporting diverse Jewish communities and building Jewish identity.” This is not his first time in Rota; he brought the Torah to the Rota Jewish Community during a visit in July 2019.
“One of the things that we feel is very important is that even smaller Jewish communities – such as the one in Rota – should get to know, get to hear, and get to learn and be part of some really great Jewish scholars,” explained Elson. “When I thought about this program, I thought it was time for Rota to get a really great rabbi to come and spend some days with the community.”
Elson immediately thought of Raskin.
“He is a great teacher,” said Elson when meeting with the Jewish community for the first time during this visit. “I think you’re going to learn a lot from him over the next couple of days and I hope you just enjoy having him as your rabbi.”
The Rota Jewish Community - under the leadership of lay leader Amanda Gipson – is a tight-knit group or people who support each other in the growth of their faith. However, without a rabbi, there are gaps within the community.
“This rabbinical visit was really important for me as the lay leader because Rabbis Irv and Adam were able to lead a ceremony that only a rabbi would normally lead,” she said, referencing Kriyat Hashem, or naming ceremony.
On the evening of May 2, members gathered for Kriyat Hashem and to celebrate the seven children within their community receiving their Hebrew name.
Raskin described its importance to the children by telling them the story of how their ancestors had been in Egypt for over 200 years and the way they remembered they were Jewish was by their Hebrew name.
That’s a really powerful idea, right?” he said. “You guys are far away from places that you are from and sometimes it might be hard remember…but always remember your Hebrew name, where you came from, and who you are.”
He then described how each Hebrew name a story was linking them to their ancestors – and in some cases, family members – before calling up the first child to receive their name. After each presentation of name, the families were invited to explain its significance.
For Gipson, this event was the best part of the visit.
“All the families are so involved in the community, and as lay leaders, Deborah and I feel like the kids are our adopted nieces and nephews, so for us to be part of this kind of ceremony is super meaningful,” said Gipson. “It also helped strengthen the community because now many families have shared one single event that ties them for life.”
Throughout the week, the community gathered multiple times to learn, socialize and deepen their faith together.
Raskin took advantage of the installation’s location on the Iberian Peninsula to provide an educational lunchtime seminar on Jews in Spain. He delved deeper into history, using famous and lesser known Jews, while weaving an engaging dialogue on their influence and position within Spain's history. The insightful dialogue ended with questions and answers on anything with the rabbis.
Ultimately, the intent of the visit by Elson to re-energize and deepen faith was achieved with the insightful and thoughtful discussions and services that he and Raskin led.
“We here in Rota had the great fortune to be the trial program,” said Gipson, “and it was a great success!”
As the "Gateway to the Mediterranean," NAVSTA Rota provides U.S, NATO and allied forces a strategic hub for operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. NAVSTA Rota is a force multiplier, capable of promptly deploying and supporting combat-ready forces through land, air and sea, enabling warfighters and their families, sustaining the fleet and fostering the U.S. and Spanish partnership.
| Date Taken: | 05.25.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.25.2023 03:34 |
| Story ID: | 445500 |
| Location: | ES |
| Web Views: | 130 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Rota Jewish Community Welcomes Rabbis for Weeklong Visit, by Courtney Pollock, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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