Zion (Sion) Rajamim Levy (, pronounced ''Ṣiyyon Raḥamim Levi'') (1925–2008) was the

Sephardic Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...

Chief Rabbi Chief Rabbi () is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities. Since 1911, through a capitulation by Ben-Zion Meir ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

for 57 years. His tenure is thought to be the longest of any religious leader in the region. He built up a Jewish community of 6,000-7,000

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

-observant Jews in a country of 3 million.

Biography

Early life

Levy was born in

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

shortly after his parents immigrated to

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

from

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

. His father was Rabbi Yaakov Levy, a noted kabbalist at

Beit El Yeshiva The Beit El Yeshiva () is a Religious Zionist Yeshiva situated in the Israeli settlement of Beit El, a community in the Binyamin region near Ramallah in the Israeli-controlled Area C of the West Bank. History The Yeshiva was founded in lat ...

."News from the Torah World: Rav Tzion (Bentzion Rachamim) Levy, Rov of Panama" (24 November 2008).
/ref> Levy studied at

Porat Yosef Yeshiva Porat Yosef Yeshiva () is a Sephardic yeshiva in Jerusalem, with locations in both the Old City and the Geula neighborhood. The name Porat Yosef means "Joseph is a fruitful tree" after the biblical verse Genesis 49:22. History Yeshivat Ohel ...

Career

Levy arrived in Panama in 1951 at the urging of the Jerusalem beth din. In his later years, Levy oversaw the construction of new synagogues in

Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...

and worked to smooth relations with the country’s Arab and Muslim communities. He frequently phoned the country’s

imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...

for a talk.

Death

Levy suffered from ill health for several years. In October 2008, he felt unwell and was visited by two physicians from Israel's Tel Hashomer Hospital. The doctors found him in critical condition and recommended that he be flown to Israel to Tel Hashomer. His condition improved initially, but on the evening of 23 November 2008 he succumbed to his illness at the age of 83. He was eulogized at Porat Yosef Yeshiva. Levy was survived by his sons, David and Haim Levy. His wife, Rubissa Sarah Levy, died shortly after Zion Levy's Death. Haim Levy, a resident of Jerusalem, took over his father's post in Panama as Chief Rabbi. He later resigned the post, and returned to Israel.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Levy, Zion 1925 births 2008 deaths 20th-century rabbis 21st-century rabbis Panamanian Sephardi Jews Clergy from Jerusalem Burials at Har HaMenuchot Israeli people of Moroccan-Jewish descent Panamanian people of Israeli descent Panamanian people of Moroccan-Jewish descent Israeli Sephardi Jews Panamanian religious leaders Mohalim Chief rabbis