"I Returned to Judaism Alone at Age 8. Rabbi David Abuhatzeira Embraced Me, I Married the Granddaughter of the Baba Sali, and Now I Bring Others Closer"

When Rabbi Gil Manor moves between schools and presents the unique 'Temple' kit he developed over nearly three years, he always sees the sparkling eyes of the children eager to learn about the Temple, even if it seems distant from their world. It's clear they are very interested.

Seeing them, he remembers himself as a child back in Nahariya in the early 80s, growing up in a family far removed from Torah and commandments. Yet, thanks to kind people who noticed his great interest in Judaism, he found his path and progressed over the years until he married the granddaughter of the Baba Sali, z"l.

A Third Grader Going to Synagogue Every Shabbat Morning: "It Was Strange in My Environment"

"I was a very ordinary child," Gil says of himself. "I never heard discussions about Judaism at home and showed no interest, until one day at age eight, I noticed my neighbor leaving his home every Friday evening dressed in festive clothing. I didn't yet understand what prayer was or what Shabbat was; I just saw the nice clothes, and I liked it a lot. When I asked him where he was going, he told me he was going to the synagogue and invited me to join him."

And you joined?

"Of course I joined. I wanted to wear nice clothes too! The neighbor said I could join only if I wore 'Shabbat clothes', but obviously, I didn't have any at home. When I asked my mother, she pulled out my Yom Kippur clothes – a white shirt, white pants, and white shoes, and we went to the synagogue together."

Since Gil began visiting the synagogue on Shabbat, he didn't stop. "Everyone around me thought it was strange," he recalls. "My friends and family didn't understand why a third grader, without any psychological issues, bothered to get up at seven every Shabbat and go to the synagogue.

"But I knew that at the 'Poel Mizrachi' synagogue, where I prayed, there were two things that really drew me. One was the Torah reading, which I really connected with, especially since there was a local education ministry supervisor who taught us the cantillation. From then until today, I read the Torah every Shabbat, thanks to him. Additionally, there was Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, shlita.

"I found myself bonding with Rabbi David's sons, frequently visiting their home and trying to imitate their actions as much as possible. Now, looking back, I realize how unnatural it was for them to draw me closer. I came from a secular home, barely starting my journey in returning to Judaism, but Rabbi David and his sons received me with open arms from the first moment, encouraging me to keep coming. At nine years old, Rabbi David told me, 'One day, you'll join our family.' I told this to my mother with excitement, and she was very touched, but we didn't talk about it again until over ten years later when I married the granddaughter of the Baba Sali, the daughter of Rabbi Yashar and Rabbanit Esther Adari, a"h from Netivot. Thus, I became an inseparable part of the family I so admired."

From a Child Who Wanted to Transfer to a Religious School to a Young Man Studying at the Rebbe's Court

As a young child, Gil switched between different schools. He started at a state school, but in third grade, he asked his parents to transfer him to a religious school, and there he continued to grow stronger, always trying to advance. "Externally, I also went through a significant change," he recalls. "When I first began going to the synagogue, I wore a knitted kippah, but by fifth grade, I switched to a velvet kippah, and by seventh and eighth grade, the religious school's framework didn't fit me anymore. Meanwhile, my mother also became much more observant, and she sent me to study for two years at 'Or Hadash' boarding school in Rechasim. I recall those two years fondly; I gained many Jewish concepts and encountered a new world previously unknown to me."

Gil mentions that during those years, his mother got closer to Chabad Hasidism, and upon consulting with Rabbi Brodman, z"l, the Chabad emissary in Nahariya, he recommended sending Gil to the Chabad yeshiva in Lod. "Today, I realize it was extraordinary courage to send me to such a yeshiva," he notes. "The Lod yeshiva is known as a strong one that not all boys can stick with, especially someone like me in the process of returning to observance, barely knowing what Gemara and Mishna are. But my great miracle was being very organized and sticking to the yeshiva's discipline, which turned out to be a fundamental principle in Chabad. It helped me thrive and continue in this framework for three years, during which I became very attached to Chabad Hasidism. Then I went on to study at the Chabad yeshiva in Migdal HaEmek, and it was only natural that I decided to join my friends who traveled to study at the Rebbe's court at 770 in New York, for two years. Of course, before I left, I consulted Rabbi David and received his blessing, he wished me 'to return with spiritual gifts from the Rebbe.'"

Rabbi Gil was sure that after finishing his studies in New York, he would return to Israel, but he was in for a surprise when the Rebbe sent him on a mission to Sydney, Australia. "For over a year, I lived there with a friend," Gil notes, "We managed the local Chabad House, hosted Israeli travelers on Shabbat, organized a massive Passover Seder, and engaged in round-the-clock activities."

Then, in the most unexpected moment, Gil received a phone call from Israel, where his mother surprised him with a proposal from the Abuhatzeira family for their granddaughter. "At first I responded with surprise: 'But I have another six months in Sydney,' but I quickly realized such an offer couldn't be refused," he recalls. "I flew to Israel at the first opportunity, and within a week, the meetings began; throughout, I felt the hand of Hashem guiding me. Hashem Himself was the matchmaker; I just tried not to interfere. Later I understood that Rabbi David was heavily involved, just as he promised years earlier, and he was also the one who conducted our wedding."

The Temple for Children

The next chapter in Gil's life story took place in Netivot. "I moved there right after the wedding, close to my wife's parents, and naturally joined my father-in-law, Rabbi Yashar Adari, in managing the Chabad House in the city," he explains. "For the past twenty-four years, I've been actively working at the Chabad House, supporting its operations around the clock throughout the year. I'm responsible for fundraising and see as my great mission to reach out to curious children on their initial path to repentance, waiting for someone to open the door for them. I feel this is my mission."

In addition to his role at the Chabad House, he has also been involved in education over the years, even running Talmud classes and educational activities for children on the subject of the Temple. "About three years ago, a friend approached me and introduced me to a certain company operating in Israel, linked to a factory in China that could produce construction sets like Lego parts. He asked me, 'Why not create a model of the Temple for children to build?' The idea appealed to me. Although it involved a significant financial investment and time, as well as logistics, I felt this could be a real boon for the children of Israel, allowing them to become closely acquainted with the most sacred site in the world through an enjoyable and experiential building. I thought that through it, I could make children really love the Temple, and so I embarked on this journey."

Gil mentions that in addition to the building set, he also produced miniature Temple utensils made of copper, like the Ark of the Covenant, the golden table, the altar, and other utensils. Additionally, each set comes with an album on the Temple - a booklet with stunning images from the Temple Institute.

"The financial outlay turned out to be much greater than I initially thought," Gil notes, "but it didn’t deter me, for at no stage did I measure the financial gain, but rather the spiritual and Torah benefit. Since I began developing the kits, I discovered how much Hashem is at my side, as throughout the process, He arranged for me to meet the best and most fitting people who advanced the project with me. We even received the approval of the Standards Institute easily at the end, so we knew the path was complete."

In the past month, this elaborate kit has been launched for marketing and is available through Hidabroot Shops, and it has since been distributed throughout Israel. "People ask me who I am targeting with the product," Gil notes, "and I always respond that it's meant for the entire Jewish people because the Temple doesn't belong to a specific sector; it belongs to all of us. It's an experience for the entire family, because apart from the building itself, there is also engagement with the Temple, as you can open the roof of the building, place utensils inside the hall, and really understand how the sacred work was conducted there."

"Thank Hashem the project was completed successfully," he says with satisfaction, and when asked where his journey will take him next, he does not hesitate. "I want to instill a love for Torah in children, and I will continue to do so in every possible way," he promises.

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