Argentina’s new president on Monday visited the Queens grave of one of the most revered rabbis in modern history, paying his respects as he met with Jewish leaders in the Big Apple.
Javier Milei — a well-known libertarian and outspoken admirer of Israel who has cultivated close ties to New York’s Hasidic community since long before his October 22 election victory — stopped by the Ohel, the grave of Chabad Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
Wearing a yarmulke and flanked by the head of the Hasidic community, Milei, who is Catholic, mournfully visited the rebbe’s final resting place, where he shared an embrace with others in his group.
Milei – who openly despised Pope Francis and thought about converting to Judaism – used the visit to the tomb to thank God for his election victory, according to the Buenos Aires Herald.
The eccentric Argentinian leader then headed to Washington, DC, to discuss the South American country’s economic issues with Biden administration officials.
Javier Milei, the newly elected president of Argentina and a longtime admirer of Israel, visited the revered grave of Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson in Queens on Monday. Stephen Yang
The tomb of the rebbe, who died in 1994, is visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year from all religions. The Ohel is located in Montefiore Cemetery in Cambria Heights.
Milei had previously visited the site in September when she met with prominent Hasidic leaders in Brooklyn and Queens, even sharing her respect for the rebbe in an undated campaign video.
Milei paid his respects at the rebbe’s grave flanked by leaders of the Hasidic Jewish community. Stephen Yang Milei sought to cultivate close ties with New York’s Hasidic community even before his Oct. 22 election victory. Stephen Yang
“There is a book that contains the rebbe’s teachings. Usually they give you the book as a gift,” Milei said in a television clip aired during his presidential campaign. “I had the opportunity, the honor, to meet one of the rabbis who wrote the teachings and I was privileged that he gave me the book and signed it for me.”
Milei won his election with 55.7% of the vote, the highest margin for any candidate since Argentina was re-established as a democracy in 1983.
He is set to be inducted into office on Dec. 10.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
