Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the grave of the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson—on Sunday in Queens, N.Y., where he prayed for the swift return of the hostages still being held by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
Herzog also prayed for the safety of Israeli security forces stationed in Gaza, Lebanon, Judea and Samaria, and beyond.
The president left a note at the gravesite, reading: “For the swift return of all the hostages, for the victory and safety of IDF soldiers and security forces wherever they may be. For the recovery of all those wounded in body and soul. For the return of the evacuees to their homes. Amen.”
Herzog and his wife, Michal Herzog, were hosted and welcomed by Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky on behalf of Chabad World Headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y. They reflected on Chabad’s work and how the Rebbe’s vision continues to inspire global efforts to strengthen Jewish life.
In April, then-U.S. President Joe Biden recognized Schneerson on “Education and Sharing Day, USA.”
“We honor the Rebbe’s birthday every year, but we know this year is different. Violence and cruelty have reminded us that hate never goes away—it only hides,” Biden stated. “Silence is complicity, and America will not be silent. As Americans, we reject terrorism and will keep working unequivocally to combat antisemitism at every turn.
“The Rebbe knew that education is fundamental to cultivating understanding and acceptance. It opens us up to one another, and it builds not just knowledge but character, as well as an awareness of something bigger than ourselves,” he added.
