A Change of Guard

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Saturday 28 July 2012

Cambodian King Meets with Chabad Rabbi



Cambodian King Meets with Chabad Rabbi

by Rena Greenberg - Cambodia
July 27, 2012
By royal invitation of Cambodian King, Norodom Sihamoni earlier this month, Chabad-Lubavitch representative to Phnom Penh, Rabbi Bentzion Butman, attended an official celebration of the country’s Arbor Day. The celebration took place on the farm of Jew ish community member, Mr. Kobi Simon,in the Siem Reap province.
Rabbi Butman, who was honored with a seat on stage next to the king, had the opportunity to personally interact with the monarch and thank him for the warm hospitality the kingdom offers Jewish residents and visitors.

“I blessed the King on behalf of the Jewish community with aspecial Jewish blessing said upon seeing royalty,” Rabbi Butman said. “His Majesty the King responded emotionally to the blessing. He is a spiritual person and expressed real interest in its meaning. I wasn’t comfortable taking much of his time and initially tried to explain it briefly, but he insisted I say more. The King’s crew was surprised at the length of our conversation.”

Rabbi Butman then accompanied the King’s entourage on a tour of the greenhouses during which he explained the Judaic interpretation of a farmer’s special partnership with G-d.
“He was very receptive to the idea, and thankful.”
Concluding the tour, the King gave Rabbi Butman a silver jewelry box as royal present and a sign of mutual respect between the Jewish community and the Cambodian royal house.
The Chabad House of Phnom Penh caters to 160 local Jewish residents and a steady stream of Jewish visitors, backpackers, tourists and business people.

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