Last night Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto concluded his historic visit to Argentina. Rabbi Pinto stayed in Buenos Aires for over 10 days, together with his sons, Rabbi Yoel Moshe Pinto -- his eldest son and successor -- and his son Rabbi Meir Eliyahu Pinto.
The Jewish community in Argentina welcomed Rabbi Pinto with great honor and fanfare and thousands participated in the inspiring Torah talks that he gave throughout the capital city. Afterwards, he held receptions for the participants that lasted for many hours, during which he gave blessings and counseled members of the Jewish community, including rabbis, heads of yeshivahs, politicians, diplomats, businessmen and many others.
The main reception took place in the Shuva Israel Torah institutions in Buenos Aires. About a thousand students of the institutions, teens and children, welcomed Rabbi Pinto in their Shabbat finery with enthusiastic singing.
In the beginning of his visit, Rabbi Pinto spoke inspiring words to hundreds of Chazon Ovadia Talmud Torah students and then to hundreds of Maor Avraham yeshiva students. Rabbi Pinto was accompanied by the rabbi of the community Rabbi Eliyahu Masri; the president of the community, Rabbi Avraham Entebbe; and Rabbi Yitzchak Salmon.
Rabbi Pinto also had a special meeting with the head of the Chafetz Chaim yeshiva, Rabbi Shmuel Aryeh Levin - who is the spiritual leader of Latin American Jewry. The rabbis talked for a long time on Torah topics and also raised current issues relevant to the Jewish community in Argentina.
Rabbi Pinto also met with Rabbi Eliyahu Hamra, the Chief Rabbi of AMIA - the umbrella organization of the Jewish community in Argentina. Rabbi Hamra reviewed with Rabbi Pinto the challenges of the Jewish community in particular in the current period.
An exciting moment in which a circle achieved closure was recorded during Rabbi Pinto's visit to the Peleh Yoetz central food kitchen in the city. About twenty years ago, during one of Rabbi Pinto's visits to Buenos Aires, he urged his followers to establish a special food kitchen that would help low-income families. This week, he visited the place and was moved to see that twenty years later, the food kitchen was abuzz with activity, helping thousands of needy families.
Also, during Rabbi Pinto's special visit, he laid the foundations for a new Shuva Yisrael study hall which is expected to open in the coming days. A group of premier married scholars will engage full time in the study of Torah and extensive charity activities for the needy in Argentina in the new study hall.
As mentioned, Rabbi Pinto finished his historic visit last night, with the Rabbi's followers accompanying him to the airport.
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel