IDE Awards Honorary Membership to Rabbi Lau

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau: "The blessing for diamantaires is for all the Jewish people. You are the display window for Israel all over the world."

The Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) today (Sunday) at a festive ceremony attended by senior management in the diamond industry and board members awarded honorary membership to the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv - Jaffa and former Chief Rabbi of Israel - Rabbi Israel Meir Lau.

IDE General Manager Moti Besser spoke of Rabbi Lau's many years of work and said, "In May 2013 the IDE decided towards Rosh Hashana to give honorary membership in the Israel Diamond Exchange to Rabbi Israel Meir Lau for his work and contribution to the IDE and its institutions, and for his being a true friend of the diamond industry. Rabbi Israel Meir Lau is a central figure and a respected personality in Israeli society and serves as an example of a rapprochement between religious and secular Jews in Israel and the Diaspora and between Judaism and other religions."

IDE President Yair Sahar greeted Rabbi Lau and said, "Rabbi Lau in his book, Lay not your hand upon the child, tells how a diamond saved his life, and how with a diamond in his possession he managed to buy his life. The deep connection between Rabbi Lau and the IDE seems to be written down. I wish us all that we can enjoy you for many years. Happy holiday."

Rabbi Lau thanked the participants and said: "My heartfelt thanks to the President and members of the IDE management. Not many people know this, but the word 'diamond' is an acronym for Rabbi Israel Meir Lau. "Later Rabbi Lau told of his deep roots planted in the Israeli diamond industry and told of his election as chief rabbi of Netanya which was known many years ago as the diamond capital of Israel.

At the end of the ceremony, participants moved to a ceremony in the trading hall for the blessings for the new year. Lau seasoned blessing with a story of early Israel and the importance of the Days of Awe as a bridge to create accord and unity among the Jewish people. "The blessing diamond dealers is the blessing for the Jewish people as a whole. The name of the diamond exchange and of Israel are attributed respect, fame and glory all over the world and open for us the gates of heaven. I wish you prosperity, growth, success, good living and as the High Priest says on Yom Kippur: 'We should not be at the mercy of strangers, and with God's help we will have a year of abundance and all good things."