Just days before the Jewish New Year holiday of Rosh Hashanah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the inauguration of a new school in Migdal HaEmek, a city in northern Israel. The event featured remarks from Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman, the city’s long-serving Chief Rabbi, who has played a central role in transforming Migdal HaEmek over the past 55 years.
Rabbi Grossman, an Israel Prize recipient and member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, emphasized the importance of unity among the Jewish people during his speech. He highlighted that distinctions between secular and religious Jews, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, should not divide the community, which he described as one family. “Our job is to accept the other person even when he thinks differently from us,” he said, underscoring diversity as a source of strength for the nation.
Rabbi Grossman’s involvement with Migdal HaEmek began in the years following the Six-Day War in 1967 when his mentor, the Lelover Rebbe, asked him to visit the town and assess the needs of its youth. At the time, the town struggled with poverty, crime, and a lack of educational and religious infrastructure. He found many young people idle on the streets, some entangled in substance abuse or criminal activity, and numerous families affected by incarceration.
Motivated by this reality, Grossman decided to remain in Migdal HaEmek to establish educational and social programs. His efforts began in 1972 with 18 children and grew to serve diverse populations, including religious and secular Israelis, immigrants, and longtime residents. Over the decades, he has become a mentor and father figure to many local youth.
His initiatives have expanded far beyond the initial programs, encompassing prisoner rehabilitation, educational support for young people who left the haredi school system, and adult academic courses tailored to working families. One notable project is Ohr Yisraeli, a youth movement with 160 clubs across Israel, aimed primarily at secular youth and focused on fostering Jewish identity and tradition. Additionally, Rabbi Grossman has coordinated large-scale food distributions to ensure no child goes hungry during holiday periods.
Rabbi Grossman’s call for unity has gained increased resonance amid recent societal tensions in Israel. Even before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, he warned that internal discord could weaken the nation’s fabric, referencing traditional teachings that internal conflict can be perilous, especially during times of war. Since then, he has actively visited military bases, hospitals, and families affected by the conflict, consistently advocating for cohesion and mutual respect.
He stressed that survival as a people depends on unity and mutual blessing, noting that Israel’s strength in overcoming challenges arises from standing together. Despite the profound changes in Migdal HaEmek and Israeli society at large during his five decades of work, Rabbi Grossman maintains that bridging divisions and recognizing shared identity remain essential for building a secure future.