The Jerusalem Post is reporting:
Israel’s President Shimon Peres on Tuesday cancelled his trip to London for the opening of the Olympic Games.
The cancellation is not related to the International Olympic Committee’s refusal to have a minute’s silence in memory of the eleven Israeli athletes who were murdered by Palestinian terrorists during the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
Rather it is to do with the upholding of religious Jewish practice.
The opening ceremony of the London Olympics will take place on a Friday evening. There are no hotels within walking distance of the stadium.
Peres, who is a good walker, would not have mind walking the extra mile if there was a hotel at the end of it – but there isn’t, aside from which it would place a most unenviable burden on his security detail.
Rather than publicly desecrate the Shabbos, Peres chose to cancel his participation in the opening of the 2012 Olympics, though he would have dearly liked to cheer the Israeli team, as he did in Beijing.
Peres is not personally observant, but in his ministerial and presidential roles has always taken care to publicly observe the Shabbos and the dietary laws (kashrus).
that is a major kiddush hashem whether he had ulterior motives or not. anyway whats with the loshon hara???
I dont understand all the comments bashing #2.After all what he said is the truth.If a far lefty Jew is to go on one of those flotillas and in doing so puts Jewish lives at risk can a jew not criticise that behaviour?One needs to realise this is not loshan hora but looking after the wellbeing of each other.The people (who can)vote people into power in Israel must only vote in people who will be for the benefit of the Jewish people and if they are not say so.
It is astounding that on a Chabad website you will find so many horrible comments about a fellow Yid. All who find fault in this story either don’t know of the Rebbe’s teachings or have sadly forgotten them.
Although the Rebbe was the greatest opponent to Peres’s dangerous views, the Rebbe never said anything personally against Peres and certainly that he had no nefesh Elokis!!!
The Rebbe was mekarev and saw good even in the staunchest, community, pro-Arab leftist Jews!
Isn’t his wife Shomer Shabbos?
#2, do you think Peres is worse than King Achav, who “wrote on the gates of [his capital city] Shomron that he denied the G-d of Israel” (Sanhedrin 102b) and who committed idol worship and murder? Yet he is given credit for making a public kiddush Hashem by refusing to hand over a sefer Torah to a non-Jewish king (ibid.) – and indeed, he was rewarded for this with a 22-year-long reign. And despite the statement in the Mishnah that he lost his place in olam haba, there is an opinion (ibid. 104b) that indeed he didn’t – Chassidus talks… Read more »
you just publicly spoke bad about another jew..
if you dont have anything good to say dont say it!
no matter what he did, how can you embaress him in public?
they say its like killing someone…
Why not sleep in the shechthoiz who is round the corner , the London Shochtim will have big problems to do there work douring the games
I agree! Its sooner than u think!!!
I was in the carribians and Shimon Peres shows up with a weaothy friend of his to our shabbos minyan in the hotel. After the minyan his friend asks him if he would like a ride back home, S. Peres responded the “In Israel we keep shabbat”.
I agree with you on his actions though not sure about his nefesh elokis though it must be covered with concrete or something. anyway this announcement was made by the news whose authenticity is questionable at best therefore i wouldn’t place too much credence to this proclamation.
The one announcement I do beleive is the Rebbe: Moshiach is coming NOW!
No matter what he believes or doesn’t believe, it is a Kiddush Hashem.
To #2 + #4 Do you really think it would be better if went on Shabbos?
Is that what the Rebbe taught you? I suggest you go back to yeshivah & learn about Ahavas Yisroel.
he is a PUBLIC figure for a JEWISH state so personal beleifs aside he has to uphold the right image
There is a show called Americas got Talent. A jewish boy with a large yarmulke came onstage and sang, sadly not a Jewsih song, but still a great Kiddush Hashem, seen here from Canada, made us proud, his name is Edon.
I suspect there is another reason he cancelled but made it look that it was about shabbos. I agree with those who say he has caused a lot of damage and deaths with his policies.
Oh, and the mass chillul shabbos of the 30 plus atheletes on Shabbos night is of no concern to him???
can someone explain that please?
I think there are a couple of people here who need a little chazara on Hilchos Loshon Hora and Ahavas Yisroel. Perhaps a thorough review of Tanya would also be in order. Irrespective of whether you agree with President Peres’ politics, he is a Yid and has made a very, very public Kiddish H”.
Thank you its so true!If one only new the true extent this mans damage .He is a die hard socialist who has no care for Jews in Israel or anywhere else.The fact that it says in above article that he only observes in his capacity as official figure tells you what kind of a person he is.
KOL HAKOVOD.
Really?
From the guy responsible of the murders of thousands of Jewish lives?
Shimon Peres has no soul. His “Nefesh Elokis” is long gone.
Never too late to do teshuva