The Rebbe Corresponds with U.S. Presidents

In connection with this week’s Presidential inauguration, The Avner Institute would like to present glimpses of correspondences between the Rebbe and former U.S. presidents Johnson, Carter, and Bush senior. It’s an excerpt from the new Book on The Rebbe “The Rebbe Inspiring a Generation” Visit: www.inspiringageneration.org.

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-homeness” even in that remote, arctic outpost.

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.