US Shliach meets French Mayor

Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë, Mayor of Chicago Richard Daley and Rabbi Meir Chai Benhiyoun attended a private reception in the Chicago French Market on Tuesday, April 27.

The French Mayor together with Deputy Mayor of Paris, Pierre Schapira were in Chicago as guests of honor in the Global Cities Forum, which brings together mayors and/or deputy mayors of Chicago partner cities, to exchange innovative ideas about the future of cities.

Nearly 300 people attended the cocktail reception at the Chicago French Market which was hosted by its owners, the Bensidoun family of Paris, close friends and supporters of Rabbi Benhiyoun and the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Downtown Chicago, Robert Wislow and Camille Julmy of U.S. Equities Realty; Renee Johnson and Brett August of the Paris Committee of Chicago Sister Cities, and Sidy Diallow, acting consul general of France in Chicago.

Newsman and anchor Bill Kurtis introduced Mayor Delanoë who, speaking in French, thanked the city of Chicago for its hospitality and praised Chicago’s beauty.

Kurtis then joked, “For those of you who don’t speak French, Mayor Delanoë just declared his candidacy for Mayor of Chicago,” which received laughs.

Later, Mayor Daley spoke of his admiration for Paris and how he is always inspired by the City of Lights.

During the reception, Rabbi Benhiyoun, who attended the event together with his daughter, Chaya Mushka Benhiyoun and his niece, Chana Reich, had the opportunity to meet the Mayor of Paris and exchange greetings with the Mayor of Chicago, a close friend of the Rabbi.

In the course of conversation Mayor Delanoe expressed his admiration and respect for Rabbi Benhiyoun’s work and the fact that he is an emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.