A historic visit took place this week in Kazakhstan: a government delegation from Israel, led by the Minister for Regional Cooperation, Dudi Amsalem, conducted an official visit to Chabad centres in Astana and Almaty. The highlight of the trip: davening at the holy Ohel of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok in Almaty.

The historic visit took place this week in Kazakhstan: the Israeli government delegation led by the Minister for Regional Cooperation, Dudi Amsalem, made an official visit to Chabad centres in Astana and Almaty.

The delegation was headed by the Director-General of the Ministry for Regional Cooperation, Gilad Shadmon, and Eli Hakuk. They were joined by other senior officials from government ministries, the Director-General of the Government Companies Authority, Roee Kahlon, and business-sector leaders in Israel. The visit was accompanied by the Israeli Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Yoav Bistritsky, along with the Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan and Chabad shliach, Rabbi Yeshaya Elazar Cohen.

The visit began in the capital, Astana, where the Israeli delegation met with senior figures from the Kazakh government and representatives of the local business community. The delegation held a series of working meetings with ministers in the Kazakh government, during which new cooperation agreements were signed in the fields of economy, energy and innovation – a move expected to contribute to the prosperity of both nations and strengthen the bilateral relationship.

Minister Amsalem – who sees utmost importance in strengthening the local Jewish communities – opened his visit at the Jewish Centre Beit Rachel – Chabad-Lubavitch in Astana, where he was welcomed by the city’s rabbi and Chabad shliach, Rabbi Shmuel Karnauch.

The visit took place on 20 Cheshvan – the birthday of the Rebbe Rashab and the first yahrzeit of the holy shliach Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a”h. During the evening tefila held at the location, the Minister lit a memorial candle in memory of Rabbi Kogan, and the service was dedicated to his elevation. In his words of blessing, the Minister said: “The people of Israel are the eternal people, unafraid of the long road, but advancing on it in faith and in Jewish pride.”

Following the tefila, a warm and impressive reception was held for Minister Amsalem at the synagogue, with the participation of shluchim Rabbi Asher Tomerkin (Chabad shliach in Karaganda) and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Zelmanov, Chabad shliach in Kostanay, who were on their way to the Worldwide Chabad Shluchim Conference in New York. The Minister expressed deep admiration for the grand building and the shluchim who work resolutely to spread the light of Judaism in the heart of Kazakhstan.

At the conclusion of the visit, Rabbi Shmuel Karnauch was awarded a special certificate of recognition for his many years of work advancing Jewish life, education, and the Jewish community in Kazakhstan, and for his devoted accompaniment of the Israeli delegation’s visit.

From there, the delegation continued to the city of Almaty, where the delegation members met with the Mayor of Almaty, Darhan Amangeldyuly Satybaldy. During the meeting, Minister Amsalem and the Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan expressed their deep appreciation for the mayor’s close cooperation with the local Jewish community and for the respectful and warm attitude the city grants to the Chabad activities in the city.

They particularly noted the high esteem the authorities manifest toward the figure and legacy of the honoured Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson – the father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe – who is buried in Almaty. They thanked the mayor for the great honour the city grants to the holy kever and the memory of the righteous one whose sanctity protects the city.

From there the delegation continued to daven at the holy Ohel of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, the father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who was exiled to this place for spreading Judaism under the communist regime.

The Ohel, which has been recognised as a heritage site by the governments of the United States and Kazakhstan, draws thousands of visitors each year and constitutes an important spiritual centre for world Jewry.

During the visit to Almaty, Minister Amsalem met with the Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan, the city rabbi and head of the Chabad community of Almaty, Rabbi Elchanan Cohen, and with other Chabad shluchim active across the country.

At the Chabad centers, the delegation was received by representatives of the Jewish community, including the head of the “Chesed” organisation in Kazakhstan, Alexander Baron.

The Jewish community in Kazakhstan is enjoying unprecedented flourishing, with eight active Chabad centres in various cities, operated by the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s “army of shluchim”.

Following the Abraham Accords signed in 2020 between Israel and Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, Israel has recently expanded its foreign policy with Kazakhstan – a Muslim nation and long-standing partner of Israel – and strengthened its ties with Jerusalem in the areas of economy, energy, health, agriculture and education.

The visit of Minister Amsalem represents a direct continuation of the “Expanding Regional Peace” policy, and reflects the renewed connection between the State of Israel and a Muslim country that encourages peace, tolerance and cooperation with the Jewish people.

During the discussions surrounding the visit, the matter of renewing direct flights between Israel and Kazakhstan also came up – an especially exciting development for Chabad chassidim and the Jewish people as a whole.

The move is expected to enable the wider public to more easily reach the holy Ohel of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok and stay at the adjacent Chabad guest-house in Kazakhstan, which offers lodging, davening and study services for all who come to prostrate and receive blessing in this holy place.