As part of her official visit to Cyprus, Israeli Minister of Transport and Road Safety, Mrs. Miri Regev, paid a special and emotional visit to the Jewish Community Centre and Chabad of Cyprus in Larnaca, under the leadership of the Chief Rabbi of Cyprus, Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin.
The Minister was accompanied by Israel’s Ambassador to Cyprus, Mr. Oren Anolik, along with embassy staff and representatives from the Ministry of Transport.
Minister Regev was warmly received by members of the community and the Chabad staff and expressed her deep appreciation for the devoted and continuous work carried out there throughout the year — both for the Jews of Cyprus and the tens of thousands of Israelis who visit the island annually.
During Operation “Am KeLavi,” when Israel’s skies were closed and many Israelis were left stranded abroad, the Jewish community and Chabad of Cyprus provided emergency assistance to around 20,000 Israeli citizens. The Minister thanked Rabbi Raskin and his team for their substantial assistance — materially, logistically, and emotionally.
“Chabad here is not just a home — it is a mission,” the Minister said. “It is open to every Jew, in any situation and at any time — and that is what makes Chabad and this community so unique.”
During the visit, the Minister toured Jewish Museum of Cyprus original Nissen Hut exhibit. The historic refugee barrack (Nissen Hut) stands on site where the future Jewish Museum of Cyprus will be established, where she was warmly welcomed by Chief Rabbi Raskin and his wife, Rebbetzin Sheindel Raskin. The tour was led by the community institutions’ director and Chabad emissary, Rabbi Levi Yudkin — brother of the late Captain Israel Yudkin, who fell in the recent war.
The Minister praised the community for its many charitable initiatives operating across Cyprus for the benefit of all residents. In particular, she noted The Friendship Circle, which supports children with special needs and families in need, and The European Chesed Centre, which provides free medical equipment loans throughout Cyprus.
Mr. Yaron Zeloof, President of the Jewish Community of Cyprusfriends’ association, addressed the Minister with a request to bring to the attention of the Government of Israel the extensive activity of the community in serving every Jew traveling to and from Israel, and the need for government support for this nationally and spiritually mission-driven community.
Later, the Minister also visited Cyprus’s air traffic control towers, met with local partners who assisted Israelis during the war, and thanked them for their exceptional cooperation and their love for Israel and the Jewish people.