Brooklyn Lawyer Unexpectedly Becomes Organizer of Rabbi Yitzhak Gabra Pilgrimage in Ajjur
In Brooklyn, attorney Roni Paluch was approached by a stranger who asked why the annual pilgrimage (hilula) of Rabbi Yitzhak Gabra was not held the previous year. Paluch initially attributed the cancellation to budget issues, but the stranger immediately offered to cover the high costs, unexpectedly making Paluch the official organizer of the event.
Rabbi Yitzhak Gabra, the 17th generation in a distinguished rabbinic lineage from Yemen and a former rabbi of the city of As-Suwayd, was among the first settlers of the moshav Ajjur in Israel. Before his death, he requested to be buried on a hill facing his home, where he was interred with an inscription noting his reputation for miracles during his life and after death. After the original Yemenite residents left Ajjur due to attacks, Kurdish immigrants took their place, unaware of the grave's significance. Attempts to move the grave were met with mysterious failures, and the site remained neglected until the 1970s when a local woman reported a dream in which the rabbi asked her to clear the grave site, resulting in a blessing of children for her family.
Despite his usual skepticism toward such stories, Paluch found himself drawn to the pilgrimage, which took place recently on the eve of Sunday. Thousands of Jewish pilgrims gathered at the site, creating an atmosphere of unity and sanctity. The article connects this event to the weekly Torah portion "Matot-Masei," which recounts the Israelites' journeys, emphasizing that every stage, even difficult ones, contains a divine spark. Paluch's transformation from a pragmatic lawyer to a promoter of the rabbi's legacy symbolizes the ongoing spiritual journey of the Jewish people.
The pilgrimage continues to be maintained by the rabbi's descendants, including a son named Yitzhak who lives nearby and cares for the site. The article concludes with a teaching from Pirkei Avot, highlighting that every person and every thing has its time and place, underscoring the meaningfulness of the pilgrimage and its preservation.
