Aruba – Aruban Prime Minister Welcomes Rabbis By Putting Tefflin

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    Aruban Prime Minister Mike Eman, the country’s fifth since gaining constitutional independence from the Netherlands, dons the Jewish prayer boxes known as tefillin with a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbinical student who travelled to the Caribbean island as part of the “Roving Rabbis” program.Aruba – Jewish residents of Aruba, including Prime Minister Mike Eman, welcomed two Chabad-Lubavitch rabbinical students to their Caribbean island, using the opportunity to talk about spiritual matters and lead the visitors on a tour of the country.

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    Dovid Kotlarsky and Shua Greenspan travelled to the Netherlands realm last week as part of a swing through the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. They were among 400 students sent to communities around the world by Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of Chabad-Lubavitch, and its colloquially-known “Roving Rabbis” program.

    With a Jewish history going back more than two centuries, Aruba today is home to an estimated 35 Jews. Its Jewish prime minister leads the Aruban People’s Party.


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    16 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    it is clearly forbiden to put on tfillin on a non jew. what a desecration of the holy tfillin.

    Longwave
    Longwave
    13 years ago

    If you read the article, it mentions twice that the Prime minister is Jewish.

    What disturbs me if that he left his watch on. Does that mean that time means nothing to him? That he can doven Shema after Chatzot??

    Lakewooder
    Lakewooder
    13 years ago

    Hats off to these Lubavs…they will stop at nothing to bring Yidden closer to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

    Way to go Chabad!

    sumgai
    sumgai
    13 years ago

    To 2:
    a man can put on tefillin until shkiah. he must say shema with them on for the mitzvah to have been performed properly.

    ActualJew
    ActualJew
    13 years ago

    when i was in Aruba, taxi driver correctly guessed that we were Jewish and offered to show us the shul (beautiful) in the Jewish neighborhood (doctors and lawyers, he said). most stores had mezuzot and the hotel developers were closed on Saturdays. i was told that there were over 100 Jews in the island, but that was 15 years ago.

    ShlomoA
    ShlomoA
    13 years ago

    The prime minister is Not Jewish.
    His mother the former Ms Harthough was not Jewish, His father was of Jewish ancestory.

    ShlomoA
    ShlomoA
    13 years ago

    Unfortunatly, the prime-minister is not (according to Halacha) Jewish.
    His mother, the former Ms Hartough was not Jewish.
    His father, the former prime-minister was Jewish .

    13 years ago

    I am sure that the bochrim did not know that he is not jewish.

    13 years ago

    His father is actually Catholic and his mother is Jewish.

    shliachnh
    shliachnh
    13 years ago

    Posted: Aug 18, 2010
    I’m so happy I saw this post!!!!!
    As a TV producer and consultant – I lived in Aruba for 2 years and worked for Mike Eman when he ran the local television station. (ATV)
    This was back in 1999, when his older brother was Prime Minister.
    When I was hired, I asked Mike if I can leave early every Friday for Shabbat services at the island’s little synagogue.
    He said “of course, my mom would kill me if I made you work on Shabbas.”
    That’s how I learned he was Jewish.
    For the next two years, I went to shul every Friday night and sat right near the Prime Minister’s mother,
    She was an incredible woman and inspired me to keep kosher and become more observant.
    I’d love to share the whole story with you one day.
    Long story short – from Aruba I moved to Honolulu to LA to Portland to New York and now Hoboken.
    I’ve been with Chabad in all those places.
    But it was that time in Aruba that had the greatest impact on my Judaism.
    It makes me so happy to see Chabad making an impact in Aruba!
    Great work guys!!!

    Posted By Seth Feldman, Hoboken, NJ

    shliachnh
    shliachnh
    13 years ago

    on what basis are you saying that his mother is not jewish and his father is?

    13 years ago

    To # 8 and 9.

    I happened to know that his father isn’t Jewish and his mother is Jewish and comes from Suriname. He has many relatives that live there that are also Jewish and know that Mike Eman is Jewish.

    13 years ago

    Some of you just need to give it up – y’all sound so lame and the kvecthing is soooo old already.
    Kudos to Chabad totally insane after all these years with no rebbe beguf, the inspiration and dedication is ongoing non-stop just totally nuts. I’m embarrassed to vacation in the summer while obviously all of these guys spend their time seeking lost jews or the like.
    Why don’t some of you just think about that – before posting your nonsense. Like what time it is, shkia here shkia that , and if he’s Jewish. If you think a Chbadnik doesn’t know how to figure that out by now and I mean each and every one , then you really need a reality check.
    I highly suggest you learn or read abit more IN DEPTH (I know that’s tough for some of you lol) and perhaps even spend a few minutes or up to 6 hours to watch the Chabad Telethon tomm nite – you might undertstand a bit better.
    Gyt Voch to ALL 🙂

    reb-velvel
    reb-velvel
    9 years ago

    And now there’s a Chabad house!