Converting Opposition
Behind the Letters
On April 12, 1984, US congressmen and members of the House gathered in the Capitol for the annual celebration of Chabad and to proclaim the next day, the Rebbe's birthday, as Education Day.
Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), then notorious as one of the primary voices of opposition toward Eretz Yisroel, attended the event and delivered brief remarks. He had previously demanded the Israeli government relinquish control of the West Bank and even called for the US to cease all support of Eretz Yisroel. He once declared that his opposition to the country was founded on the religious differences between the Jewish state and his Christian views.
His participation drew criticism from some circles who questioned why his presence would be deemed acceptable by a Jewish organization. Alan Dershowitz, the famed lawyer and legal professor who had a long-standing relationship with the Rebbe, raised this concern in a letter.
In his own words, “I considered Senator Helms to be the enemy of the Jewish people... [So,] in 1984, when I heard that Senator Helms was being honored by Chabad at a reception in Washington, I was surprised and disappointed. In my naiveté, I had the ‘chutzpah’ and wrote a letter to the Rebbe, respectfully asking why he chose to honor a man who was, in my view, against Israel, against integration, against social rights, equality for all.”
The Rebbe responded with a lengthy letter defending the senator's presence. In it, he set forth general principles about navigating relationships with politicians and people of influence whose views conflict with ours.
For more on Education Day, see Issue 100 (Education and Sharing Day USA)
For more on his connection with the Rebbe, see his interview with JEM titled Influencing the future (chabad.org/2799672).
Refocusing Our Perception by Allen Dershowitz (chabad.org/2799672).
In the beginning of the letter, the Rebbe clarifies that Helms did indeed participate in the event but wasn't honored and describes the nature of the event and the benefit of his participation (available on the app).
