Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi David Lau met Archbishop Georgios at his palace in Nicosia on Wednesday with Chief Rabbi of Cyprus Arie Zeev Raskin, Israeli Ambassador Oren Anolik, and a rabbinical delegation.
The Rabbis and the Archbishop spoke about the commonality of Judeo-Christian values and the importance of mutual respect towards all people of all religions.
The Rabbis mentioned the challenges faced by the Jewish community of Cyprus, such as the incorporation of Jewish marriage into national law, the availability of Kosher food, and the much-needed support for the Jewish Museum of Cyprus project.
At the end of the meeting, Rabbi Lau gave the Archbishop a special edition of postage stamps with portraits of all former Chief Rabbis of Israel printed in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. The Archbishop gave the Chief Rabbi a special silver plate engraved with the full map of Cyprus and expressed hope for the Island's reunification.
The meeting was concurrent to the Rabbinical Conference of the Jewish communities of Cyprus in which Chief Rabbi Lau delivered important Torah lecturs to Rabbis and Jewish leaders from all over Cyprus. Chief Rabbi Lau also visited the Jewish school in Larnaca, the temporary Jewish Museum of Cyprus, and attended a special welcome reception ceremony arranged by the Jewish community of Cyprus, now reperesenting over 3,000 families across the island.
