Tennessee Governor Mansion’s First Event Since Covid Was Chabad

On the seventh night of Chanukah, there was a most unique Chanukah celebration in the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion.

Rabbi Yitzchok and Esther Tiechtel, and their three children Levi, Chana and Sarah, from Chabad of Nashville, together with Rabbi Levi Klein from Chabad of Memphis, and head Shliach to Tennessee, all joined together in the Governor’s Mansion for a Chanukah celebration with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.

This was the first event in Governor’s Mansion since the Covid Pandemic began back in March, and was held with social distancing and covering of face masks. The event opened as young Shlucha Sarah Tiechtel, who goes to the Shluchim Online School, addressed the governor on behalf of the five Chabad Centers across the state of Tennessee.

Rabbi Klein shared a Chanukah message with the governor, and Rabbi Tiechtel, a personal friend of the governor, invited Governor Bill Lee to light the Shamash on the Menorah, in the official state dining room of the governor’s mansion.

The Governor spoke of this historic event, the first-ever Chanukah celebration in the Governor’s mansion, and shared a message of hope and light during these challenging times.

The Governor was presented with a Chanukah gift of the popular book Positivity Bias, and a beautiful handcrafted Menorah for the governor’s mansion library.

The event was a big Kiddush Hashem, as the governor is a G-d fearing man, with respect and friendship to the Jewish community.