Amsterdam Shliach Meets The King and Relates A Story
On Thursday, the Rabbi met with the king and queen and shared the beauty of Jewish pride in the Netherlands.
His majesty, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Her Majesty Queen Máxima spoke Thursday afternoon, February 29th, at the official residence of Mayor Halsema with Amsterdam community leaders impact of the ongoing situation in Gaza and Israel in the Netherlands. Mayor Halsema moderated the discussions.
Rabbi Yanki Jacobs, co-director of Chabad on Campus of the Netherlands and a rabbi in Amsterdam South, was seated next to the king and shared the following:
In 1602, Rabbi Moses Uri Halevi left Germany for Amsterdam, becoming the founder of the Portuguese Jewish Community of Amsterdam and its first Chief Rabbi. He is my great great grandfather. Since then, for 15 generations, my family have been active contributors to both the Jewish community and Dutch society, shaping the fabric of Amsterdam and The Netherlands.
My children, four daughters and a son, represent the 16th generation. Currently sheltered in the safety of their school environment, they are somewhat shielded from the broader world. But as they grow older, walk the streets, become more aware of their surroundings, and read the news, I sincerely hope that they will be able to embrace their Amsterdam and Dutch heritage as strongly and proudly as the 15 generations before them.
