Posted to Chabad News on

Saudi envoy attends Jewish event

JTA

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington attended a Jewish community reception for the U.S. special envoy on anti-Semitism.

Turki al-Faisal, who is completing his term in Washington, appeared Wednesday at the event in the Capitol building honoring Gregg Rickman, the State Department’s top official combating anti-Semitism. It was the Saudi’s first such appearance at a public event sponsored by Jewish groups, in this case the United Jewish Communities, World Jewish Congress’ American Section, B’nai B’rith International, American Friends of Lubavitch and NCSJ: Advocates on Behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States and Eurasia. Al-Faisal also met privately in recent weeks with two dovish, pro-Israel groups.

Rabbi Levi Shemtov, who heads the Lubavitch-Chabad office in Washington, appealed to Al-Faisal and other Arab ambassadors in the room to recognize that anti-Semitism ultimately poses as much of a threat to their nations as it does to Jews. Al-Faisal announced his sudden resignation last month.

Related Articles

7 Comments

  • Common Sense on a Big Stick

    What the heck?!

    The Saudi envoy at a Jewish event honoring a fighter against anti-Semitism?

    Right.

    You wanna fight anti-Semitism? Throw that Turki out!

  • Yosi Zajac

    You are indirectly causing PRESSURE on the Israeli goverment to accept the Saudi plan.
    Think of the effect of your actions before you assauge your ego.
    The Saudis are the biggest supporters of anti-semetism & the biggest threat to the USA today ,smiling & shaking their hand will resolve nothing ,it will confuse the israelis that chabad has accepted &honored the saudis.
    When Carter offered 80 out of 300 seats at a whitehouse function in honor of Begin before the Camp David Accord ,The REBBE forbade Rabbi Cunin &the Lubavitcher delegation from attending.
    You are in Washington to do the REBBEs shlichus to strenthen Eretz Yisroel not to undermine it
    Yosi Zajac

  • Manny

    I totally agree with Yosi Zajac.
    This is a retarded move. Inviting a saudi guy will not help anything at all it will only worsen the situation

  • sh

    on the other hand throwing him out could cause damage too.. its a tricky situation to be in. he may of come un-invited, al todin chavercha ad she-tagia limkomo

  • Read the Hebrew

    I agree with SH. and for the rest of the kochlefels, read the hebrew version of the story. You’ll see what Shemtov told him you may reconsider your opinon.