Former Governor Reminisces About Rabbi J.J. Hecht

Rabbi Yitzchok Hecht, director of Chabad of Ulster County (Kingston, NY), attended the birthday celebration of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. While there, he met the governor’s father, former governor Mario Cuomo, and they discussed the special relationship between the elder Mr. Cuomo and the Shliach’s grandfather Rabbi J.J. Hecht OBM.

Rabbi Hecht told Crownheights.info:

“I introduced myself as Rabbi J.J. Hecht’s grandson. At the mention of this, his eyes lit up and he had the warmest smile. I shared with him that my grandfathers office is up and running and the picture the governor sent my grandfather is still hang on the wall. (This is a picture of the Governor and Rabbi J.J. Hecht with a personal hand written message from the governor.)

”You know,“ he said, ”anybody can have faith, anybody can believe; in fact its easy to believe! However, your grandfather did it with such fervor, conviction and pure joy! Infarct, he showed other the same way.“ ”You know,“ he continued, ”G-d is not mean, and your grandfather showed it!“

He then went on to ask my grandmother, Rebbetzin Hecht, sending her his very best wishes.”