By COLlive reporter
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, together with Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan, visited the Rebbe’s Ohel gravesite on Sunday, to mark the day of Gimmel Tammuz, the Rebbe’s yartzeit.
The two wrote a Pan – personal note, and spent a few moments praying at the gravesite, before stopping at the gravesite of Rebbetzin Chana – the Rebbe’s mother, and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka – the Rebbe’s wife.
The visit was at the invitation of Rabbi Chanina Sperlin of the CHJCC.
He was accompanied by Joel Eisdorfer – Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Rabbi Yaacov Behrman – Director of Operation Survival, NYPD Inspector Richie Taylor and Eli Slavin – Liaison for Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.
During the visit, Mayor Adams said that this isn’t his first visit to the Rebbe’s gravesite to ask for blessings.
“When we have difficult times, we go to spiritual leaders to ask for blessings, it’s a connection between the natural and the spiritual,” Mayor Adams said.
“I was here when I was running for office in a difficult moment,” the Mayor recalled. “I came here to ask for a blessing.”
“By coming here today to ask for a blessing and to say thank you, is as significant as stopping at the sites of those great men and women throughout our history who have blessed us with their presence,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter what faith you are, believing in the power of blessing is not connected to any particular group, it’s connected to the greatest race alive – and that’s the human race.”
The Mayor said he also visited the grave of Ari Halberstam, noting that his mother, Devorah Halberstam, is a good friend. “Putting a stone on his grave is significant for me because he is representative of our children,” the Mayor said.
Ambassador Erdan also praised the Rebbe, saying that Mayor Adams’s visit is representative of the Rebbe’s influence around the world to this day.
“We all know that the Rebbe’s legacy was to make the world a better place, and today we can see around the world, thousands of his emissaries, going everywhere and bringing people closer to Judaism,” the Ambassador said. “The wisdom and the leadership of the Rebbe was recognized all over the world, and Mayor Adams being here is representative of that.”
Governor Kathy Hochul and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke also commemorated the day of Gimmel Tammuz, sharing messages about the day.
Congresswoman Clarke wrote:
“Today marks the 28th anniversary of the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory. As one of the foremost religious leaders of our time, the Rebbe established a worldwide network of educational, social, and religious institutions which transformed the post-Holocaust Jewish landscape. He touched the lives of countless individuals and continues to live on through his visionary teachings, and in the work of his emissaries whom he charged with bringing the light of Judaism to every corner of the globe.
May we continue to honor his remarkable life for many years to come.”
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To the Mayor and the askanim accompanying him. As Chanina states the Mayor has been a friend for many years dating back to his days as a NYS Senator representing Crown Heights.
May he go from strength to strength and continue to seek the Rebbe’s blessings as he works diligently to get our City back on track and bring safety security and prosperity back, to our great city.
KEEP VOTING FOR THE DEMS , NO WONDER CRIME IS SO HIGH IN CROWN HEIGHTS,