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 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.)
“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.”
According to Shemtov, who also serves as chairman of the umbrella organization of Agudas Chasidei Chabad, the vice president’s remarks were poignant.
They encapsulated the Rebbe’s insistence that not only Jews living in America, but all Americans, remain steadfast in – as the words in the Declaration of Independence state – their “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.”
The Rebbe’s guidance, noted Shemtov, strengthened a modern spiritual awakening on these shores and inspired generations of Jewish activists and leaders.
“The Rebbe restored confidence and faith and hope to the physically destitute who had given up, and the spiritually destitute, who had been given up on,” explained the rabbi. “He taught that a person must always do more to reach his potential.”
Other speakers on Sunday, including Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, pointed to the museum’s location – caddy corner to Independence Hall – as significant.
“Nowhere else but in Philadelphia,” said the mayor, “the cradle of American liberty, can this story be told so well or so honestly.”
go detroit
Just take his example to be a true chossid, doing everything right, and in a quiet manner, etc.
No wonder the rebbe trusted him in soo many things!
This is so awesome!! I’m so proud of Rabbi Shemtov and the REBBE and the whole Lubavitch. We have really made it up there in this world! WERE awesome and we have to continue spreading chassidus and we must bring moshiach now!!!!!!
WOW!
IS THE WORD
NOW THATS WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY!
Avremel is such an amazing KOCH AND BREN for inyonim – the aibishter should help that he should burn with a holy fire l’oilom voed!-k’ipshuto mammash!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COL and other Lubavitch sites and all the lubaviichers who voted two summers ago are the people who made this happen!!!!
So it’s a big THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR GETTING IT IN…
just leave it up to avremel
we voted the Rebbe in!
keep it up your amasing rabbi shemtov!!!!!! looking forward!!!!!
The correct year
wow!!!
it`s beautiful.
The entire museum was created just for this!
Kiddush Sheim Lubavitch
Nice.
he seems so down to earth – a real mentsch
I can’t wait to take my family there.
Kiddush Shem Lyubavitch!!!!!
that is really cool.
I’m looking forward to going there….
Amazing can we get a video pls
i believe the secret service works for rabbi shemtov.
Vladimir.
Amazing!
wow thats amazing!!!!!!
What can I say? You are amazing.
Rabbi shemtov!! You did it again! You are the rebbe’s trusted man, bringin honor and glory to our dear rebbe. May hashem bless you with many healthy years to come! Moshiach now!