Chabad Presents President of Uruguay with Menorah

On Monday, December 7, the President of the Republic, Dr. Tabaré Vázquez, received a delegation of Chabad of Uruguay with regard to the proximity of the holiday of Chanukah. Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov handed the President a beautiful menorah, symbol of the triumph of light over darkness. “Every night she lights a larger quantity of candles,” said the Rabbi. “This teaches that one should never settle for his spiritual attainments.” The President expressed appreciation for the gesture and the accompanying message and said that will not only brighten your office, but also his heart.

In a very entertaining talk discussed various issues of interest, especially on the universality of the message and vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, of blessed memory. “I always say that the government needed to have more philosophers and thinkers, politicians are not enough,” said the president at a moment of candor. They talked about the special challenges to be overcome to teach religious principles in a secular society. “People confuse the ‘secularism’ with ‘secularism’,” replied the President. “The goal of secularism is not fighting against religion or deny it, but to give freedom of expression as well as other proposals for life,” he said. The Rabbi said that in addition to simply tolerate the religious, secular society may also draw on certain proposals that do not affect religious secularism, as for example set their value system based on responsibilities and not merely based on personal rights.