It was 48 years ago, Purim time, that President Zalman Shazar of Israel visited the Rebbe.
In honor of the occasion, the Rebbe presented a Tehilas Ha’Shem Siddur to President Shazar and to a few of the people in his delegation. One of these seven siddurim the Rebbe also gave to Rabbi Nissan Mindel, trusted personal secretary, who was often present during such occasions.
On the cover of these siddurim was inscribed “Purim 5731.”
President Shazar had visited the Rebbe several times on various occasions – including 1966 and 1973.
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In connection with the joy of Purim – a time of simcha and dancing – we are sharing a letter from the office of President Zalman Shazar, addressed to Rabbi Mindel, in which he requests that Rabbi Mindel send him the article which he had written on “The Significance of Chasidic Dancing.” Rabbi Mindel had written this article for one of the Jewish magazines – an article that had become well known at the time.
