Reb Malkiel Kotler of Beth Medrash Govoha was among a small group of Rebbes and leaders who are set to meet today with President Donald Trump at the White House.
The gathering, set to take place around 1:30 PM in the Oval Office, was arranged as a pre-Rosh Hashanah visit.
White House Jewish liaison Martin Marks had worked for months to organize the meeting.
Officials described it as an opportunity for the president to extend New Year greetings to representatives of major Hasidic and yeshiva communities.
In addition to Reb Malkiel — the only Litvish rosh yeshiva invited — those on the guest list included both Satmar Rebbes, Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum of Kiryas Joel and Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum of Williamsburg, the Bobov Rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, and a representative of the Skverer Rebbe. The Skverer Rebbe himself canceled personal attendance; his older son took his place.
The format called for brief individual conversations with the president, some lasting only a few minutes, with a possible group discussion afterward. The attendees traveled to Washington by private jet.
The stated purpose was Rosh Hashanah greetings and an expression of appreciation for the administration’s support of Orthodox Jewish institutions.
(Photos provided to TLS by Klal Media)
I like how Trump recognizes the frum community. As opposed to past administrations, where Jews were represented by either Chabad or left of modern Orthodox.
Calling Chabad anything other than frum is just plain wrong and Sinas Chinam. Instead, how about calling yourself the Lakewood community? Frum is a broad term.
Your wording is disgusting, as if the frum community can’t be represented by Chabad???
They can’t chabbad doesn’t represent most of the frum community
There about Publicity, and convenience. exact opposite of what yiddishkeit is about.
Chabad Rebbe doesn’t go to Trump, Trump goes to visit him in Queens.
Best comeback ever!
Mr President: please widen route 9 for us
The best comment I’ve ever seen …seriously
We know what the Rabbi looks like
We want to see footage from the event
I didn’t know chabad is no A FRUM community
Did the township get is 13million back yet?
That was the state, and being that the state didn’t vote for Trump we aren’t getting it.
I am desperately waiting to see the real Mashiach.
Chabad are typically representatives of frum Jews to Washington because they are more ‘in the world’, aka less intimidating.
It’s nice to see that Trump is not scared of good ol’ fashioned chareidim.
Please notice that Trump invited only those that did not act extreme with Covid….