Rabbi Joins Turkish Ambassador’s Farewell For Colleague

By COLlive reporter

The Turkish Ambassador to the United States Murat Mercan hosted a farewell dinner at his regal residence in Washington, DC, for outgoing Ambassador of Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States Elin Suleymanov and his wife Laila.

Suleymanov has served in the role for the last 10 years and was wished well by fellow ambassadors from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, and Monaco, as well as other diplomats and officials who were there.

One of the three speakers invited to offer remarks was Rabbi Levi Shemtov, senior Shliach to Washington, DC and Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), who attended with his wife, Mrs. Nechama Shemtov.

Elegant Glatt Kosher meals were offered to Rabbi and Mrs. Shemtov and other prominent Jewish guests who were in attendance.

Rabbi Shemtov conveyed best wishes to Ambassador Suleymanov, who has become a very good friend of Chabad-Lubavitch and the Jewish community generally in the United States as well as Azerbaijan. Suleymanov supported the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States headed by Rabbi Mendy Chitrik.

It was a noteworthy event given the attendance – in August! – by ambassadors and senior diplomats from several other countries as well as several State Department and administration officials.

Rabbi Shemtov hailed the example set by Azerbaijan, a Shiite Muslim country that has been able to offer full religious freedom to its Jewish community in Azerbaijan, and has been able to maintain good relations with Israel.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has followed the footsteps of his father Heydar Aliyev and has personally initiated and supported the building of a beautiful new mikvah and synagogue in the capital of Baku as part of his general support of the revival of Jewish life following the Communist era.

While Turkey, also a Muslim country, fully supports its Jewish community, its relations with Israel have recently become strained. “We need to focus on the ability to get the chain back on the bicycle, and continue the wonderful journey of many centuries which marks the relationship between Turkey and the Jewish people, in Israel as well as the Diaspora,” Rabbi Shemtov said.

Indeed, Turkish Ambassador Mercan and his team are working diligently to help affect this positive change and invited Rabbi Shemtov to officially visit the region. Rabbi Shemtov indicated he hopes to do so in the coming months.