By Getzy Markowitz - Opinion of the Masses

PM Benjamin Netanyahu shows the building plans of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in which 1 million Jews perished at the hands of the Nazis before the UN general assembly. Inset: Getzy Markowitz.

Before assuming his new post as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in 1984, Benjamin Netanyahu was guided by the Lubavitcher Rebbe who referred to the international institution as a “house of darkness.” The Rebbe encouraged Netanyahu to light a candle that would be seen from afar. Bibi was to serve, quite literally, as a ‘light unto the nations.’ Twenty years later, at the sixty-fourth UN General Assembly, Netanyahu spoke truth to power, and turned a house of darkness ablaze, as the Prime Minister of the Jewish State.

Op-Ed: A Flame before Nations

By Getzy Markowitz – Opinion of the Masses

PM Benjamin Netanyahu shows the building plans of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in which 1 million Jews perished at the hands of the Nazis before the UN general assembly. Inset: Getzy Markowitz.

Before assuming his new post as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in 1984, Benjamin Netanyahu was guided by the Lubavitcher Rebbe who referred to the international institution as a “house of darkness.” The Rebbe encouraged Netanyahu to light a candle that would be seen from afar. Bibi was to serve, quite literally, as a ‘light unto the nations.’ Twenty years later, at the sixty-fourth UN General Assembly, Netanyahu spoke truth to power, and turned a house of darkness ablaze, as the Prime Minister of the Jewish State.

A friend of mine who has met Mr. Netanyahu on a number of occasions describes the polished leader as being able to make one feel as the only person in the world. Today, Mr. Netanyahu’s address to the world challenged the legitimacy of their unified title, while defending the rights and promoting the virtues of his people who have always labored to bring oneness into a fragmented universe.

Electrifying the chamber, the prime minister implanted reverential silence as he gained the respect of those in concurrence with his truths, and the compulsory deference of those forced by conclusive facts to agree.

Exacting the honor of Churchill, and extracting the morality of Isaiah, Netanyahu defined Israel’s certain rights as being not merely political, but biblical.


Netanyahu talks about his conversation with the Rebbe in 1984 about the UN [in Hebrew].

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15 Comments

  • menachm

    i would advise you to stick to your area of expertese, you are obviousely impressed by a politicians speeches.

  • dor hashishi

    i was not so impressed with his speech as he didn’t uphold truly jewish values with certain references to abominable acts etc. this is not true ge’on yakov. this is exactly the tziyonus that the rebbe rashab, rayaz and rebbe shlita could not tolerate. and we may not sanction such official declarations which are against hashem’s torah, although we support all the yidden living there and pray for their safety.

  • Zalmen

    Welcome back Getzy! Thank you!
    I can see you worked on your grammar, you still have a long way to go, but great job on the efforts!

  • bayrish to dor hashishi

    all of what you said may be right, but the second you write “shlita” by our rebbe’s name- you lose all credibility. Know your audience

  • sheichen hashechunah

    Netanyahu’s speech will find it’s place among the other momentous speeches of history that defined the times in which they were delivered; it was not supposed to be a Shabbos Shuvah Derasha. That assembly and the world at large is not yet prepared to sit through a shlaimos ha’aretz sicha of the Rebbe but this speech was a groiseh “hir tzu” to the entire world. After a speech like this, when the proper time arrives as it surely will b’koruv, no one will be able to hide behind a “we didn’t know.”

  • shalom el yisroel

    I agree netanyhus speech made me proud and I like this oped because instead of going on a rant providing your deiah your simply and eloquently stating uor approval good sahbbos

  • getzy for vad hakohol

    Menachem, the authors expertise is one field but everyone known of his passion and talent in political sceince so quit your expertise which is critisms

  • to zalman

    hey zalman thanks for awarding an a for effort
    as for you a also stands for a certain ….

  • opium

    Hahahahahahahaah I just figured out the “opinion of the masses” lol. The KING of lines!

  • menachem

    to getzy for vad hakohol-
    “the authors expertise is one field but everyone known of his passion and talent in political science”
    he might have a passion for political science, but “ignorance is bliss”
    you cannot replace real content and fact, with passion and opinion.