By COLlive reporter
“We are not allowed to surrender,” Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was told during a private meeting with rabbis and community activists in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood on Thursday evening.
Ben Gvir, chairman of the right-wing Otzma Yehudit (“Jewish Power”) party, has faced violent protests by liberal and pro-Palestinian groups during his visit to the United States, the first in several years.
They accused him of racism for his tough stance against Arab terrorism and tried to derail his visits and meetings, which began in Florida and continued in Connecticut, New York, and Washington, DC.
He visited Crown Heights and Boro Park communities on Thursday, attending several public and private events. One of them was in the home of longtime community activist Rabbi Chanina Sperlin.
Greeting him there were Rabbi Yosef Braun of the Crown Heights Beis Din; Rabbi Yossi Garelik of the Anshei Lubavitch Shul, famed lecturer and author Rabbi Manis Friedman, and Rabbi Elie Matusof, author and senior editor of Otzar haChassidim-Kehos publishers.
In their remarks, they encouraged Ben Gvir to continue defending the holy land of Israel and its residents against its venomous enemies. They recognized Israel’s “miraculous” successes since the October 7, 2023 attack. The moment there is a will to act, Rabbi Braun said, opportunities follow.
While saying a L’chaim with Ben Gvir, Rabbi Braun emphasized that the Rebbe has always taken an unapologetic stance in defending Jewish life. He gave a blessing to Ben Gvir to continue to stand strong.
In attendance at the reception were community members Zaki Tamir, Moshe Rubashkin, Tuvia Greisman, Elie Poltorak, and members of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council Zalman Friedman and Shmuly Rosenstein.
Ben Gvir later participated in an event at 770 Eastern Parkway, a visit which drew violent antisemitic protests that clashed with residents. On Friday, Ben Gvir visited the Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens before spending Shabbos in the Five Towns, NY.
VIDEO
Chabad doesn’t do politics. Why is ch tripping over to kiss politicians toes
But we don’t endorse them as if they represent the chabad view.
As does Ben Gvir.
Chabad chassidim, followers of the Rebbe sat through the hundreds (if not thousands) of hours that the Rebbe (the Chabad leader) spoke, cried, screamed, and warned of the dangers that lie ahead and the terror that results from from caving to terrorists, from making deals with terrorists, from giving away portions of Israel’s land and control to its neighbors, from dragging out wars due to so-called humanitarian concerns and international pressure instead of getting the job done, from doing limited military exercises against terror groups instead of eradicating them. Often, many of us wondered why the Rebbe keeps bringing up… Read more »
Did the other speakers emphasize to Mr. Ben Gvir what the Rebbe said about the Har Habayis, such as we should not go up there now because some Yidden will be tempted to go into forbidden areas ( besides it putting others in danger)?
Did the others tell him how much the Rebbe spoke and wrote about the importance of growing a beard?
(BTW, the thing you wrote about putting others in danger, is that your own or the Rebbe’s? If the Rebbe’s I am very interested in knowing the source).
From Chanina’s mouth to HaShem’s ears. Taykef umyad
What a stain on the community! Speaking IN 770, Rabbonim encouraging him!!!
“They accused him of racism for his tough stance against Arab terrorism” – his political stance was BANNED from the Israeli govt for most of its history until the current govt allowed it to join the coalition for its own survival.
How can anyone look at the hateful and decisive language of this man and think he is anything but orthogonal to Toras HaBesht!