The Rebbe Corresponds with World Leaders

World leaders; statesmen; great rabbis; artists; business leaders: the roster of well-known personalities who interacted with the Rebbe is a veritable Who’s Who. To some the Rebbe corresponded in writing, others came to the Rebbe for a private audience; still others received the Rebbe’s blessing and advice at a brief encounter on Sundays when the Rebbe distributed dollars to be given to charity. In honor of Yud Aleph Nissan, the Rebbe’s Birthday, I am happy to present a few glimpses into these interactions. It’s an excerpt from the new book on the Rebbe “The Rebbe Inspiring a Generation” to see more about the book Visit www.inspiringageneration.com

President Lyndon B. Johnson
From a letter dated 14th of Tishrei, 5725/Sept. 20, 1964

“I have been informed of your taking a personal interest in the situation of the Jewish personnel at Thule Air Base, who had been left without a Jewish Chaplain for Yom Kippur.

Our emissary has now returned from his spiritual errand, his mission successfully accomplished. He praised very highly the courtesy and cooperation extended to him both at McGuire and Thule. Rabbi Lew particularly emphasized the profound gratitude of the Jewish personnel at Thule to you and to all concerned for having remembered them in connection with this most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. It has given them a great spiritual uplift and a warm feeling of ”at-hominess“ even in that remote, arctic outpost”

President Jimmy Carter
From a letter dated 12 Shevat, 5739/February 9, 1979

“The U.S. government, and you Mr. President personally, are in a unique position of influence among the nations of the world, particularly those benefiting from U.S. economic, cultural and other forms of aid, to encourage them to follow your example and to share your ”conviction that the noblest task of government is education“ – to quote your statement (2/28/78) – a conviction which has been translated into bold, comprehensive action. I am confident that the response will be positive, and I venture to say that it would have a favorable impact on those in this country who, for one reason or another, are not, as yet, enthusiastic about Congress legislation on the submitted project”

President George Bush
From a letter of the Rebbe dated 13th of Nissan, 5750 [1990]

“Your kind tribute to the Lubavitch movement, which I am privileged to head, is a message of encouragement to me and to our members in the USA and abroad. Of course, a large measure of whatever has been achieved is due to the happy circumstances that when my predecessor, my father-in-law the Rebbe of saintly memory, transplanted the movement’s headquarters on these blessed shores (in 1940), it found fertile soil and a conducive climate to thrive and grow consistently, from strength to strength.

Your personal and Presidential support to ”Education Day, USA,“ reflects your awareness that education is the first and foremost vehicle of fostering the most basic and inexhaustible national resource. This, as mentioned earlier, is truly a source of encouragement to all who work for the betterment of life at home and for humankind at large.”

King Hassan II of Morocco
From a letter dated 21 Iyar, 5745 (12th of May, 1985)

“I have the honor and pleasure of extending to your Majesty sincere greetings and prayerful wishes in connection with the 850th birthday of the illustrious Teach and Sage, famed Physician and Philosopher, universally known as Maimonides and-by the acronym of his Hebrew name, Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon-Rambam Maimonides’ birthday on the 14th of Nissan, ca. 4895 (1135), has been the occasion of world wide celebrations in all free countries, along with Jewish communities everywhere, including the historic Jewish community in your Majesty’s blessed land. Your majesty and all Moroccans have cause for particular affinity with the historic commemoration, since it is in your land, and in the city of Fez, that Maimonides with his family found refuge from religious intolerance.

In Fez Maimonides had the opportunity to advance his knowledge of medicine in cooperation with prominent Arab physicians, which stood him in good stead when he eventually settled afterwards in Cairo and was appointed personal physician to Sultan Saladin and the royal family. Under the patronage of the Sultan, Maimonides was able to continue writing his celebrated works in Arabic and in Hebrew that won him a prominent place among mankind’s most illustrious sons of all times.

May I be permitted to conclude on the perception with which Maimonides opens and closes his opus magnum, Mishne Torah, to the effect that the knowledge of G-d is the basis of mankind’s future; the ideal world in which there is no jealously nor animosity among individuals and nations, but only peace, justice and benevolence under One G-d”