Guma Donates $770K to Chabad

By lubavitch.com

Energy magnate Guma Aguiar has made a gift of $770,000 to Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in honor of Chanukah 2009.

Aguiar, the founder and CEO of Leor Energy, has seen his name become well known in Jewish philanthropy due to his support of Chabad-Lubavitch and other philanthropic projects.

He made the gift to help sponsor many of the Chanukah outreach programs that are sharing the joy, the light and the messages of the holiday’s historic miracles to millions of people worldwide.

“I am moved and inspired by the light that Chabad brings to the world,” Aguiar said. “That is why I chose to make this contribution in connection with the holiday of Chanukah.”

Aguiar explained that he was motivated to contribute in the amount of 770 as the numbers correspond to that of the current Jewish calendar year of 5770.

770 is also the address of Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. It is from this well known address widely referred to simply as “770” that the Lubavitcher Rebbe of righteous memory led the movement.

“For many years he motivated his followers to touch one more Jew, and I wanted to be a part of that,” said Aguiar.

Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, Chairman of Merkos L’Inyonyei Chinuch, the educational arm of Chabad Lubavitch expressed his gratitude to Aguiar.

“At the time of Chanukah, when activities are at such a high level, a contribution like this makes an enormous difference.”

Krinsky added that “the Rebbe noted on numerous occasions that 770 is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word “Porazta,” meaning to transcend constraints in our efforts to affect positive change in our lives, in society and the world at large.

“The Chabad Shluchim embody this concept on a daily basis. We are very fortunate to have a person like Mr. Aguiar who is willing and able to lend his support to the effort.”