Bulgaria – The Bulgarian city of Silistra will turn this week into one of the centers of Israel’s economy with the arrival of a large group of tycoons and opinion shapers from the Jewish state in the prayers for the Jewish New Year.
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The guests include businessmen Ilan Ben-Dov, Jacky Ben-Zaken and Rami Levy, as well as American Jewish billionaire Jay Schottenstein. They will be accompanying Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, 38, of Ashdod, who is known to have a great amount of influence on Israeli celebrities and has even been referred to as “the seculars’ Rebbe”.
Pinto has made it a habit to visit the grave of Rabbi Eliezer Papo, named the “wonder advisor” after his book which gives advice on how to behave as a Jew in many aspects of life.
One of the events slated to take place this year during the trip is the first haircut (also known as “halake”) of the rabbi’s three-year-old son. This ceremony is causing great excitement among the Hasidim, as the son’s birth followed a long series of treatments and prayers by thousands of people across Israel.
The airport in the nearby city of Varna will be closed ahead of Rabbi Pinto’s arrival.
i dont believe these astute business men are “falling” for him, rather followingg him has become a social statement and stature.
Another one of these “cult” pilgrimages. Where do frum yidden go to get away from their families to party over rosh hashana? Ukraine, Bulgaria etc. Anywhere but home. Its much too hard to stay with your family, help your wife prepare for yom tov for a change, do some serious tsh’vuah and if you really feel the urge, visit one of the hundreds of kevorim of tzadikim conveniently located thoughout EY.
The guy is like a rock star
It is easy to say Rock Star or Cult. I have met him and I am not wealthy. His handlers kept hinting that I was not money and he was ignoring them. His full attention was to me and my situation.
It would be unfair to malign this Rabbi, his handlers might be deserving of criticism. They have in some way been part of raising funds for mitzvahs. Maybe good things that come from bad is like the saying mitzvah habo…
this doesn’t sound so bad to me.