Photos: Yossi Jerufi
On Monday, the President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, met with representatives of Chabad leadership at the offices of the Jewish Learning Institute.
The meeting commenced with Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Director of the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries and Vice-Chairman of Merkos L’lnyonei Chinuch, setting the tone and emphasizing the shared objective of fostering global peace and ending conflicts. He spoke about the Rebbe’s vision, which serves as the driving force behind Chabad’s global ambassadors of goodness and kindness, known as the Shluchim.
In attendance were Rabbi Efraim Mintz, Executive Director of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI); Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302 and President of Chabad’s international CTeen; Mrs. Chani Goldberg of “Chabad on Call”; Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, of the Jewish Future Alliance and PR Liaison for Chabad; Rabbi Avi Winner of Merkos 302; along with Rabbis Dubi Rabinowitz and Yosef Vogel of the Jewish Learning Institute.
Via Zoom, Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, Chairman of the Alliance of Rabbis in the Islamic States; Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, Director of Chabad in Central Africa; and Shlomo Köves, Chief Rabbi of the EMIH organization, also participated in the meeting.
Rabbi Shlomo Koves of Hungary conversed with President Kőrösi in their native language, and the President commended Rabbi Koves, calling him one of the most prominent and well-known figures in Hungary.
During the meeting, President Kőrösi heard about good relations between Jewish communities living in Muslim countries from Rabbi Chitrik and learned about Chabad’s relief work in Africa from Rabbi Bentolila. The group also discussed Chabad’s efforts to help Ukraine refugees.
President Kőrösi humorously remarked that Chabad’s work sounded remarkably similar to a speech he recently delivered at the UN about the UN’s work.
Following the engaging session, President Kőrösi visited 770 and toured the WLCC broadcast room accompanied by Rabbi Chaim Baruch Halberstam.
Accompanying him was his senior advisor, Mrs. Sarah Goldie Weiss Maudi, daughter of Dr. Ira Weiss, the Rebbe’s cardiologist. Sarah shared heartfelt recollections of her childhood visits to the Rebbe at 770 with her father.
"Hatred stems from ignorance and the fear of the unknown."
Today, I had the honor and privilege of visiting the headquarters of the @Chabad movement – an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty & to learn more about their global initiatives.
תודה pic.twitter.com/92aqRIj7Mw
— UN GA President (@UN_PGA) July 24, 2023
Beautiful building!