David Sharbani

David Sharbani (דוד שרבני; born August 16, 1920) was the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi (Gran Rabino) of Colombia. He served as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Colombia from the early 1950s to 1978. Following his tenure, Rabbi Sharbani moved to Miami, Florida. David Sharbani died in Miami on August 6, 1985. He was 64 years old.

Early life
David Sharbani was born in Jerusalem, Israel, to renowned Kabbalist, Hakham Yehoshua Sharbani and Masuda Sharbani. the Sharbani family originated from Iraq and has a long line of prominent rabbinic figures. David's parents immigrated to Israel from Baghdad, Iraq in 1903. Rabbi Sharbani studied in famous Porat Yosef Yeshiva alongside many illustrious and prominent Sephardic figures. Rabbi Sharbani received Semikhah from the Chazon Ish.

Colombia
David Sharbani was the first Sephardic rabbi to head the first Sephardic synagogue in Bogota, Colombia in 1952. In 1952, the philanthropist Ovadia Shayo visited the Porat Yosef Yeshiva and asked Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel to send a rabbi to his congregation in Colombia, Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel recommended him Rabbi David Sharbani and indeed Rabbi David was appointed the chief rabbi of Colombia, his seat was the city of Bogota.

In his words of recommendation, Rabbi Uziel said: "This esteemed rabbi, one of the distinguished rabbis in Jerusalem and Israel, and he is noted for goodness and fame in his many and deep knowledge of the Talmud and its commentaries, in the first and last rulings, and is crowned with good virtues, his name is wise. He is gifted with the pleasantness of his speech, and he moves the hearts of his listeners, and brings the Torah closer to the people of Israel and the land of her inheritance."

Rabbi Reuven Katz also wrote similar words" "Dedicated with all his heart and soul to all the holy ones of the nation, he deals with the needs of the public with care, with the power of his words that he was gifted with and his heartfelt judgment that appealed to every person he was able to influence many of Israel who will not turn from the ways of their ancestors." Rabbi Hezekiah Shabbati also joined the recommendations.

In Colombia, he established Talmud Torah, a branch of Bnei Akiva, served as president of the World Hebrew Alliance there, was active in the Zionist Organization, and served as a lecturer at the National University of Colombia in the Hebrew department.After a period he was offered the rabbinate in the city of Tel Aviv, Rabbi David refused the offer. Rabbi Sharbani was connected with great Rabbinic leaders of the world including Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. Rabbi Sharbani served as a support to the hostages held during the 1980 Dominican Republic Embassy siege in Bogotá in Bogota, 1980, by M-19 guerrillas.



Publications
Rabbi Sharbani published a Haggadah for Passover, containing Hebrew, Spanish and English. The Haggadah was published in 1960 and commissioned artwork from Holocaust survivor and Colombian cartoonist Peter Aldor.

Burial
Gran Rabino Sharbani is burried on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem Block החסידים (ספרדים), Plot ב.ל.גוש ו ,סונסינו מול ט.ע, Row 08, Spot 310