By COLlive reporter
Photos by Levik Hertzel
Without much fanfare, as customary there, Republican presidential contender Jon Huntsman, Jr., visited the Ohel resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson this past Tuesday in Cambria Heights, NY.
The former governor of Utah and U.S. Ambassador to China was in the Big Apple for a breakfast fundraiser at the Penn Club in New York City.
Huntsman later joined a key supporter of his from Brooklyn, Harvey Kaylie, founder and president of Mini-Circuits, a worldwide leader in RF and Microwave signal processing components, for a trip to Queens to seek a blessing.
The two, flanked by their wives, Mary Kaye Huntsman and Gloria Kaylie, were welcomed by Chabad rabbis at the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch Center, a synagogue and visitors house near the Old Montefiore cemetery.
While there, they met Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of Merkos – the worldwide educational and social service arms of Chabad-Lubavitch; Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Washington director of American Friends of Lubavitch; and Rabbi Benny Zippel, executive director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Utah.
At the Rebbe’s resting place, which is visited every year by tens of thousands of people seeking inspiration and blessings, the Huntsmans reportedly prayed for the wellbeing of their family, the American people and humanity at large.
In his conversations with rabbinical leaders at the holy site, Huntsman expressed his admiration for the work of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries around the globe, particularly in his home state.
“I told a group in Utah when I was speaking the other day, I cannot escape my spiritual advisers,” Huntsman told them, according to one account.
“I have Chabad close by wherever I go, and I am blessed by that.”
As governor, Huntsman attended Chabad’s Menorah lighting in Salt Lake City, had Rabbi Zippel deliver the invocation at his second inaugural and took him along when he visited Israel in 2009.
Even after moving to Washington, DC, Chabad was not far away as the Huntsmans live literally next door to the offices of American Friends of Lubavitch in Kalorama/Embassy Row.
In fact, shortly after the Huntsman family moved in to their pricey Washington digs (the house went for almost $4 million) they invited Rabbi Shemtov and his wife Nechama Shemtov for a visit.
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waoh… calm down
theres no reason to get upset or to call anyone an am ha’aretz
speaking of sinas chinom. thats why the BH was destoyed.
-yzs
When Mayor Dinkins came to the Rebbe the second time (after or during the Riots) his Yarmulka fell off and he was having trouble keeping it on, The Rebbe sais (in Yiddish) ‘he isnt Jewish why does he need a yarmulke
Number 7: You’re just plain stupid. Where does it say in S”A that you should wear a yarmulkeh. I looked everywhere but could not find any reference to it anywhere. Am Ha’aretz. Obviously as a matter of respect he will cover his head. Not because he HAS to but because it is appropriate. Do you only do the things you HAVE to do? That would make you worse than an am ha’aretz.
where was Rabbi ABBA?????
No halachah that they have to, but common practice is to encourage them to do it out of respect, esp. at a makom kadosh such as the ohel. When in Rome do as the Romans do.
one could posit that it is implied in SA 91:3 it says that yesh limchos against someone in shul without a yarmulka. this could mean that not only is it a chiyuv for one to wear a yarmulka (which would apply only to yidden) but it is a chiyuve to respect a shul, by not allowing anyone in without a yarmulka, which could apply to even a non-Jew.
I think it is just simply as to not bring attention and also to be respectful.
This guy is a mormon ultra conservative on Israel, not to worry.
Is there a Mitzvah for anyone to wear a yarmulka? NO there isn’t.
It is a sign of respect, and that’s why he’s wearing it.
If I recall correctly when David Dinkins (or maybe it was a different non Jewish dignitary) came to the Rebbe for dollars and his Yarlmuka fell off his head and someone placed it back on his head, the Rebbe made mentioned to someone standing there that he does not need it.
I love those two golem’s of a bodygaurd… Haha. The one on the left looks REALLY jewish, all body guards besides the african american’s are usually yidden…
great to have him there and all, now let’s get Herman and Newt in the Ohel, now THAT would be a really big deal!
B:H to # 7 you know how to use a computer go look up his views, do you have to malign every nice thing that occurs, this article had a specific purpose and it was not to set forth his views, it seems to me that if he was courted by schluchim then he is pro Israel no schliach would be, caught with Jimmy Carter,get a life and stop criticizing every article that is posted, as every article can have an alternative opinion as to its content or lack thereof,
Plz we should look at the candidates views on shlamius haaretz and other issues that where important to the REBBE not just the fact that he took a picture with Chabad leaders
I’m a bit lost over here, is there a shulchan aruch that says goyim should wear a yarmulka?
Please help me understand, where does this shtick come from?
Is it one of the seven mitzvos bnei noach?
Am I missing something here?
I tried looking in shu”a to see if it is maybe written somewhere that a goy should wear a yarmulka, maybe in certain places, please help me out over here, is there another version of the code that I’m not yet aware of?
I don’t know, just asking..
from where he is on national polls he sure needs a blessing…
U.S. and Israeli heads of state and politicians always came to the Rebbe for advise and blessings
whats Yosef kramer doing there???
the mormon candidate for president davening at kivrei tzaddikim
politicians in the ohel?
-yzs
big time.