Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House recently.
Netanyahu presented Trump a leather case containing a U.S. dollar bill—a dollar the Rebbe had handed out with a blessing for success.
Netanyahu has long been influenced by the Rebbe, having met several times. The Rebbe encouraged Netanyahu to stand strong in defense of the Land of Israel and its people.
Trump, for his part, visited the Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens during his reelection campaign.
The Rebbe’s dollar came to Netanyahu through Meir Bar Lev, the Chabad-affiliated Deputy Mayor of Beitar Illit. Ahead of Netanyahu’s diplomatic trip, Bar Lev gifted him a Rebbe dollar for success. Moved by the gesture, Netanyahu asked for a second dollar to present to Trump.
Bar Lev returned to the source of the first dollar: Rabbi Chaim Greenberg, Director of Heichal Menachem in Beitar Illit. Rabbi Greenberg agreed to give another dollar from his collection—the one handed to Trump was originally received from the Rebbe on 29 Shevat 5746 (1986).
The dollar was placed in a leather case and the engraving read:
To President Donald J. Trump
A true friend and partner of Israel and the Jewish people, From Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bar Lev gave the gift to Netanyahu on behalf of Chabad. He also cited the first Rashi in the Torah, which explains the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish People by Divine right, reinforcing the Rebbe’s unwavering stance on the integrity of the land.
Netanyahu, who keeps a photo of himself with the Rebbe in his office, reaffirmed he continues to act with the Rebbe’s guidance in mind in regards safeguarding Eretz Yisrael.
adapted from COLlive
