Iconic Williamsburg: When The Rebbes Went to the White House

YS GOLD 

With much of the Jewish world celebrating President Donald J. Trump’s win earlier this week, Williamsburg365 takes a look back in history when legendary Admorim from New York met with the President of the United States, a historic moment in time. 

In December of 1979, which coincided with Chanukah of that year, history was made as the Beirach Moshe of Satmar, the Divrei Shlomo of Bobov, and the Toras Mordechai of Viznitz, zechusam yagein aleinu, made their way to Washington D.C. to meet with president Carter who has recently celebrated his 100th birthday. 

These postwar Rebbeim were vestiges from the terrible Churban that their People had only recently endured—and while they were generally preoccupied with rebuilding from the ashes, today they came to petition the president to help spare the resting places of their relatives in the alte heim. 

A report of this visit comes from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 

President Carter told a group of Hasidic rabbinical leaders in what was described as the first time any President had ever received such a delegation that Hasidic Jews were making a lasting contribution to urban centers to stabilize neighborhoods and communities a Hasidic spokesman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today. The 25-minute meeting was held in the Oval Office in the White House on Monday.

The participants included Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum the rebbe of the Satmar movement Rabbi Solomon Halberstam the rebbe of the Bobover movement and Rabbi Mordechai Hager the rebbe of the Viznitzer movement. 

The meeting was opened by Teitelbaum who thanked Carter for receiving the delegation. A special prayer for heads of state was recited by Rabbi Solomon Halberstam in Hebrew and translated for the President by Stein The rabbis offered their prayers and support to Carter for the position he has taken in handling the Iranian crisis.

The Hasidic rabbis expressed their appreciation to Carter for his accomplishment in preventing further bloodshed in the Middle East and recited a blessing asking the Almighty to give the President added strength for his efforts for peace in the Middle East and throughout the world

The rabbis asked Carter to use his good offices to help preserve the Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe “the last remnants of once proud and vibrant communities.” The Bobover rebbe made a presentation in Yiddish which was translated for the President by Frankel calling on all Jews who have ancestors buried in those resting places to strive to have them preserved and said that it was important to declare all Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe as historic shrines and monuments for the great Jewish communities that had existed for many centuries before World War II.

Carter said that he appreciated the contribution of the Hasidic communities their lifestyle their family life and educational system. He said he was very pleased to receive the blessings of such prominent rabbis at this time of crisis from a people who have themselves suffered so much and understand the agency and suffering of others. He promised to continue his efforts to achieve a lasting world peace and said in reference to the current Chanukah holiday that “we could use those miracles today,” Frankel reported.

The President was presented with a silver goblet as a gift from the Central Rabbinical Congress as a symbol for good luck in his arduous undertakings.