Tomorrow is the day. Hundreds of people from all around the country with the family name "Karo" have been invited to a special, first-of-its-kind gathering in the northern city of Biriya, near Tzfat, to commemorate the saintly scholar, Rabbi Yosef Karo. Rabbi Karo authored Judaism's most central law code, the Shulchan Arukh.
The idea for the gathering was that of Rabbi Eliyahu Biton, rabbi of Biriya. "The Shulchan Arukh was completed in Biriya," Rabbi Biton said, "and in recognition of Rabbi Karo's unique contribution to Jewish Law, we decided to bring together his descendants throughout the country for a family/Torah gathering. If it is successful, the next step will be an international gathering for Rabbi Karo, one of the most important Kabbalists in Jewish history."
The gathering will take place in the Beit Yosef Cultural Center, which was named after another of Rabbi Karo's famous works. The event will begin with a family gathering of the various generations, followed by a short film on Rabbi Karo and a panel discussion on Torah issues associated with him.
Rabbi Karo was born in Spain in 1488, and moved to Tzfat in the Holy Land when he was 48 years old. His gravesite in the ancient cemetery of Tzfat is visited by tens of thousands of visitors each year.
The idea for the gathering was that of Rabbi Eliyahu Biton, rabbi of Biriya. "The Shulchan Arukh was completed in Biriya," Rabbi Biton said, "and in recognition of Rabbi Karo's unique contribution to Jewish Law, we decided to bring together his descendants throughout the country for a family/Torah gathering. If it is successful, the next step will be an international gathering for Rabbi Karo, one of the most important Kabbalists in Jewish history."
The gathering will take place in the Beit Yosef Cultural Center, which was named after another of Rabbi Karo's famous works. The event will begin with a family gathering of the various generations, followed by a short film on Rabbi Karo and a panel discussion on Torah issues associated with him.
Rabbi Karo was born in Spain in 1488, and moved to Tzfat in the Holy Land when he was 48 years old. His gravesite in the ancient cemetery of Tzfat is visited by tens of thousands of visitors each year.