My Impossible Journey From Death Camps to Chief Rabbi of Israel (ft. Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau)

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, born on June 1, 1937, in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland, is a prominent Jewish religious leader and Holocaust survivor. At a young age, he survived the Buchenwald concentration camp, an experience that profoundly influenced his life and work. After immigrating to Israel in 1945, Rabbi Lau dedicated himself to religious studies and rabbinical leadership. He was appointed as the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv in 1985, a position he held with distinction. In 1993, Rabbi Lau reached a pinnacle of religious leadership by becoming the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, a role he served until 2003. His tenure was marked by efforts to bridge gaps between secular and religious communities in Israel and to promote Jewish unity. Rabbi Lau's legacy is one of resilience, spiritual leadership, and commitment to the Jewish people and their heritage. Time Stamps: 00:00 Coming Up 00:18 Podcast Ep. Intro 01:44 Rabbi Lau's Most Haunting Memory 6:36 Surviving Buchenwald 9:24 Discovering the Gas Chambers + Eretz Yisrael 14:06 Ads Break 17:32 Why I Became a Rabbi 19:40 Becoming Chief Rabbi of Israel 23:39 The Teachers Who Shaped Him 28:38 Ads Break 33:39 Biggest Challenge as Chief Rabbi 37:57 Is October 7th like the Holocaust? 42:57 When Will There be Peace? 45:16 How to Get Closer to Hashem 47:09 Podcast Ep. Outro Follow Shloime Zionce's EPIC Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ShloimeZionceInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chusidel/ Thumbnail Photo: Martin Schoeller ✬ Donate and Inspire Millions (Tax-Deductible) ✬ Your generous donation enables us at Living Lchaim to share uplifting messages globally, enrich lives, and foster positive change worldwide! Thank you! 🙏 ➡️ https://www.livinglchaim.com/donate ____________________________________ ✬ SPONSOR OF THIS EPISODE ✬ ____________________________________ ► MOISAICAPRESS: The Warmth & Radiance of Gedolei Yisroel Travel into the world of books. This week, we're talking about a book that will give you a first hand experience with some of our greatest leaders. + 18% OFF with code word: LCHAIM Visit → https://mosaicapress.com/product/the-warmth-and-radiance-of-gedolei-yisroel/ ► TWILLORY: The Air Suit Changes EVERYTHING Get $18 OFF your 1st purchase of comfortable clothing for today's casual professional look. → Use promo code INSPIRE for $18 OFF at https://Twillory.com/ Limited Time Offer. On a $139 Purchase. ► Colel Chabad: Helping Israel's Neediest Please help Israel as they need all the help they can get! Donate here → https://colelchabad.org/living-lchaim ► Amudim: Take a stand. Stand up. Stand strong. Amudim is there for Am Yisrael in times of crisis: Addiction. Abuse. Mental health challenges. We stand on the front lines every day, supporting victims and their families, stepping up in the face of unfathomable pain and unrelenting challenges. Watch a epic 36 hour event and support their important work. Donate here → https://unitetoheal.com/ ____________________________________ ✬ IN MEMORY OF ✬ ____________________________________ This episode is in memory of: • Shimon Dovid ben Yaakov Shloima • Miriam Sarah bas Yaakov Moshe Help Support our Episodes with Dedicating an Episode in Memory of a Loved One or As a Zechus for a Refuah Shleima! ► Here: https://www.livinglchaim.com/in-memory ____________________________________ Follow us on social media for more content: • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@livinglchaim • IG - https://www.instagram.com/livinglchaim/ • FB - https://www.facebook.com/livinglchaim • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-lchaim • Website - https://www.livinglchaim.com/ Our free call-in-to-listen feature is here: • USA: (605) 477-2100 • UK: 0333-366-0154 • ISRAEL: 079-579-5088 Have a specific question? email us hi@livinglchaim.com WhatsApp us feedback and get first access to episodes: 914-222-5513 Lchaim.