Rabbi’s royal reception
Rabbi Yaakov Glasman drank a l'chaim to Her Majesty at a celebration for the Queen's jubilee.
Queen Elizabeth wasn’t the only one celebrating her Platinum Jubilee last week. On Thursday, president of the Rabbinical Association of Australasia Rabbi Yaakov Glasman drank a l’chaim to Her Majesty at a celebration of the 70th year of her reign hosted by the Governor of Victoria, Linda Dessau.
“It’s always such a delight to visit the magnificent Government House and to meet with our Governor who I admire and respect greatly.” the St Kilda Shule rabbi told The AJN.
He added, “Judaism places great emphasis on respect for royalty and indeed, there is a special blessing we make in Hebrew when we encounter a king or a queen. It is also the custom of many shules, including my own, to recite a blessing on Shabbat for the Royal Family.”
The celebration brought back memories of a royal encounter the rabbi had in 2012. “I was particularly inspired by the fact that the Jubilee reception took place in the Government House ballroom, the very same room in which I met Her Majesty the Queen exactly 10 years ago during her most recent visit to Australia – it was a day I’ll remember forever”.