It was a splendid evening as hundreds of supporters and friends, including dozens of members of the House and Senate, Administration officials, ambassadors and military officers, filled the ornate Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium for the Lamplighter Awards Dinner of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad).
Widely regarded as perhaps the most elegant Jewish dinner of the year, the event honored Mr. Jeff DeBoer, President and CEO of the Real Estate Roundtable, the national advocacy organization of America’s real estate industry.
The Leadership Award was bestowed upon the Hon. Mike Johnson (R-LA), Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Especially important was the participation by Hon. Hakeem Jeffries, House Democratic Leader, who joined and congratulated the Speaker in remarks passionately denouncing antisemitism and in which he strongly expressed support for Chabad and the Jewish community generally, to which he pledged support “always and forever.”
Speaker Johnson, after thanking Leader Jeffries for his kind remarks, also spoke of his strong support for Israel and the Jewish community as emanating from a place “deep in his heart.” He also recounted working with American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) and its Executive Vice President, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, to organize the first ever menorah lighting inside the US Capitol together with the Leaders of both parties of the House and Senate.
He was presented with a special menorah made of metal from rockets which were fired into Gaza by Hamas terrorists.
Mrs. Nechama Shemtov, Founder of AURA Jewish Women and Director of Women’s Issues and Community Education, opened the program.
Rabbi Eli Shemtov, Director of the wildly popular Chabad DC Young Jewish Professionals program, made the motzie.
Mr. John Fish, Chairman of Suffolk Co., was the Event Chair and Mr. Norm Brownstein, longtime Jewish communal leader and Chairman of Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber and Schreck, served as General Co-Chair.
Given the event took place on September 11, there was a special tribute to the Armed Forces and First Responders. Many Generals, Admirals and other senior officers, both active duty and retired, were seen around the reception and the dinner at the Mellon Auditorium, one of Washington, DC’s most prestigious venues. Premier catering was presented by Table One.
A special Color Guard from the Military District of Washington, arrived to present the colors as part of the 9/11 tribute, introduced by Rabbi Menachem Shemtov, Director of Chabad Georgetown and Rabbi at the Pentagon.
Ms. Shelley Greenspan, White House Liaison to the Jewish Community, shared a special message to the event from President Joe Biden.
Other speakers included HE Michael Herzog, Ambassador of Israel to the US, Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ms. Sabrina Soffer, President of Chabad GW, and Mr. Tom Kahn.
Many Jewish communal leaders were in attendance, including Mr. William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of the Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, as well leaders of the Jewish Federation, American Jewish Committee, AIPAC, Jewish Democratic Council of America, Republican Jewish Coalition, JINSA, B’nai Brith International, Orthodox Union, Hillel International, Israeli-American Council, and others.
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Looks like a beautiful event and a kiddush hashem. So important to recognize our leaders who do support us. Keep up the great work!
As usual you, your wife and your dedicated family, G-d bless you all, manage to bring real Nachas to the Rebbe and prestige to Lubavitch!!!
Keep up your great work and may you go from strength to strength!!!
A real kiddush HaShem and kiddush Lubavitch!!!