By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Avraham Friedman, Executive Director of Chabad of Coral Springs in Florida, was honored with addressing the second Chanukah reception at the White House on Thursday.
President Donald Trump invited Rabbi Friedman whose community is grieving the February 14 shooting at the M.S. Douglas High School in the nearby Parkland.
Rabbi Friedman has been personally guiding the victim’s families, among them the family of 18-year-old student Meadow Pollack. Joining him on stage were her parents Andrew and Julie Phillips Pollack, and brother Hunter Pollack.
Wearing a black fedora, Rabbi Friedman quoted a teaching from the Rebbe about the task of increasing light, a lesson learned from the candle added on each night of the Chanukah holiday.
He said that his father, a survivor of the Holocaust, once commented that when he saw American soldiers entering to liberate the Auschwitz death camp he knew that the horrible darkness and evil had been extinguished.
The rabbi then led the crowd in reading the blessings and lighting the Menorah. The crowd spontaneously responded with singing the traditional song of Maoz Tzur to the visible delight of the president.
The evening reception followed a similar afternoon reception, during both of which the president was applauded for recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving the US embassy there last year.
Guests included hundreds of heads of American Jewish organizations, Jewish members of the administration and Congress, and other prominent American Jews.
As in previous years, the evening included a glatt kosher meal under the strict rabbinical supervision of Rabbi Levi Shemtov of the Lubavitch Center of Washington DC (Chabad) in cooperation with the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington.
The reception has become one of a number of ways the president recognizes the holiday, along with a proclamation/message, and participation by the president or a member of his staff in the lighting of the National Menorah on the National Mall.
VIDEO:
Friedman – Great Job!
kiidush Heshem thank you Rabbi Friedman and President Trump
We are so proud of Rabbi Friedman! He is a gentle neshoma, who truly cares for the community & has been there for the Pollack family since their horrible tragedy. A tremendous kiddush Hashem!
Rabbi Freidman’s self-effacing humility is inspiring and refreshing. Thank you for being the Rebbe’s soldier
בכל מובן המילות
Beautiful
Wow! Rabbi Friedman you are a source of inspiration to all! Your warmth and dedication makes you the special person that you are! You’re a true shaliach who is there for all . ….including family. A loving family member
What a massive Kiddush Hashem! Done with such humility! Yesher Koach Rabbi Friedman. Looking forward to hearing the details at the early Minyan Kiddush this Shabbos. 🙂
I don’t know Rabbi friedman but he did a great job!
Moshiach now!!
We’re there 2 lightings in the White House on Thursday? I saw a video of a Jewish army guy lighting menora and now this??
Time for all the young secular Jews to wake up and see how the Jewish nation has been sent a good friend to our nation. Kiddish Hashem. A rabbi should not be embarassed to have his tzitzas hanging out even in the White House. Trump 2020
We are very honored to have our beloved Rabbi Avraham Friedman chosen for this event. For Rabbi Friedman this was not a “photo op” moment,but rather a sincere and meaningful opportunity to share the Message of Chanukah with love and light!
Coral Springs Rocks
Nachas for the Rebbe MHM😊
Moshiach NOW