In celebration of 400 years since the passing of Chief Rabbi of Prague Judah Loew ben Bezalel known as the Maharal, the Chabad Society had the honour of hosting Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the UK His Excellency Michael Zantovsky, who is also former Czech Ambassador to Israel and the United States.
The subject of his talk was Czech and Israel Relations and over a traditional Shabbat dinner for about seventy students he explained the history of Jews in Czech Republic and thereby explaining one of the reasons for the strong support of the State of Israel.
Jews in the Czech Republic are predominantly Ashkenazic Jews, and the current Jewish population is only a fraction of the First republic's Jewish population. As of 2005, there were approximately 4,000 Jews living in the Czech Republic.
As part of the original Czechoslovakia, and before that the Austro-Hungarian Empire the Jews had a long association with this part of Europe. According to the 1930 census, Czechoslovakia had a Jewish population of 356,830.
Jews are believed to have settled in Prague as early as the 10th century. The 16th century was a golden age for Jewry in Prague. One of the famous Jewish scholars of the time was Judah Loew ben Bezalel known as the Maharal, who served as a leading rabbi in Prague for most of his life. He is buried at the Old Jewish Cemetery in Josefov, and his grave with its tombstone intact, can still be visited.
It is said that the body of Golem (created by Maharal) lies in the attic of the Old New Synagogue where the genizah of Prague's community is kept. In 1708, Jews accounted for one-quarter of Prague’s population.
The Ambassador proudly pointed out that Jewish history of the Czech Republic is part of the identity of the country and the great Chief Rabbi Loew is considered a national figure and protector of the country as well as a Jewish leader.
Rabbi Eli Brackman gave an in depth talk on the philosophy of Rabbi Loew regarding the Song at the Sea and his all embracing attitude towards the Jewish people as a whole. Being Jewish and very familiar with the study of the Talmud and Jewish tradition, Mr. Zantovsky felt at home at the Chabad Society, together with his nephew who is also studying at Oxford.