Netanyahu marks anniversary of Lubavitcher Rebbe’s death

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday marked the death of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the former leader of the Lubavitch Hasidic dynasty, who died in 1994 at the age of 92.

“On the [Hebrew date of] 3rd of Tammuz, I miss the Rebbe of Lubavitch—a towering spiritual leader who saw in every Jew a mission, faith, and infinite strength,” Netanyahu tweeted.

“The light in his eyes, his love for the people of Israel, and his call never to despair continue to illuminate our path to this day. I will always remember my moments with him,” the prime minister related, adding a video of the meeting between the two during the 90s.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz paid tribute to the Rebbe as well, calling on Hasidic Jews to “continue to spread the light of the Rebbe of Lubavitch, with love and care for every person.”

Schneerson is known for leading the Chabad-Lubavitch movement after it had almost disappeared after the Holocaust and transforming it into one of the most influential Jewish organizations in the world.

During his lifetime he published a huge body of works in religious thought and Jewish teachings and is considered to have made many contributions to Torah scholarship.