U.S. Vice President Quotes Rebbe at New American Jewish History Museum
The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, is one of 18 individuals to be included in a permanent exhibit at the National Museum of American Jewish History, which officially opens this month in Philadelphia.
Drawn by the chance to celebrate 350 years of American Jewish history at the newest addition to the most historic square mile in the nation’s first capital, hundreds of people from across the country descended on Philadelphia to hear Vice President Joseph Biden announce that a new museum’s Jewish stories were, in fact, manifestations of distinctly American ideals.
“In telling the story of the American Jewish experience, this museum in my view, tells the story of America’s identity,” Biden said Sunday at festivities in front of the new $150 million home of the National Museum of American Jewish History.
In hailing the contributions of a host of American Jews, Biden – a Scranton, Pa., native who represented neighboring Delaware in the U.S. Senate before ascending to the White House – quoted from a diary entry written by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, upon his 1940 departure from Lisbon, Portugal, and much-awaited arrival in the United States. The diary page is on permanent display in the museum’s “Only in America” exhibit, along with two other items connected to the Chabad-Lubavitch leader. (The museum also highlights the contributions of 17 other Jewish figures, including Dr. Jonas Salk and Albert Einstein.)
“We have to heed the words of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson,” stated Biden. “We should not satisfy ourselves with what we have accomplished and we should always strive to realize the potentials and abilities that G-d has given us to perfect the world.
“This is the message that the museum will spread to the whole world.”
After his remarks, the vice president instructed his Secret Service agents to invite Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the director of the Lubavitcher Center in Philadelphia, to make his way from the audience and join him at the stage. The two embraced for several minutes.
Along with the diary entry, the museum’s display includes a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously awarded in 1995 on occasion of the Rebbe’s birthday and corresponding National Education Day, and a dollar that the Rebbe gave businessman Ronald Perelman to signify his participation in the philanthropist’s charitable distributions. On that bill, the Rebbe circled the words “In G-d We Trust,” and in an attached letter, empowered Perelman to be an emissary to “spread the proclamation on the bill.”
...inspired!
WOW! this is incredible – if we can’t do a good enough job ourself the world will help us! chevra grab our zchus and spread full force the job was given to us, if MR. Biden can do it – we sure can!