By COLlive reporter
Natan Sharansky, Chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel and a former Soviet refusenik, made an important plea to participants of the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembaly.
Speaking at a Plenary session in Colorado, Sharansky stated: “It’s time we work together with Chabad,” noting that, “I know for some people this is controversial.”
As an example, Sharansky gave the work and dedication of the Rebbe’s chassidim in the Soviet Union during the Cold War and its Jewish revival today.
He went on to say, according to Haaretz, “our obligation is to guarantee the future of the Jewish people. This change cannot be brought only by us. It can be brought only if we have the army of young Jewish leaders devoted to this cause.”
Attending the GA 2011 are Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie, Director of North County Chabad Center in Yorba Linda, California; Rabbi Yossi Shemtov, Director of Chabad of Toledo, OH.
From the Colorado attending are Rabbi Benjy Brackman, Director at Chabad of NW Metro Denver; and Rabbi Avraham Mintz, Director of the Chabad Jewish Center of South Metro Denver.
The GA conference bills itself as “the premier North American Jewish conference” and is organized by the Federation which represents 157 Jewish Federations across America.
The Chabad Shluchim later walked over to Sharansky and thanked him for his words, COLlive was told.
Sharansky, in return, plainly replied that “I say this all the time.”
In a May 2010 interview with Lubavitch.com, Sharansky said: “We can learn a lot from the determination, stubbornness and persistence of Chabad shlichim.”
I was certain this proud Yid had contact with the Chassidim in the former USSR. Strong like Eizen!