By COLlive reporter
Russia’s back-in-office President Vladimir Putin can be sure that he has a steadfast supporter in Rabbi Berel Lazar, the country’s Chief Rabbi and Head Shliach.
With continued criticism against the Kremlin’s growing control and Russian Jewish leadership which doubted “Putin’s commitment to protecting Russia’s Jews,” Lazar stands out.
“There wasn’t a single thing that he was asked to do to benefit Judaism or the Jewish communities that he did not respond to positively,” Rabbi Lazar said about Putin, who has been ruling the country since 1999.
As President and Prime Minister, Putin “constantly took interest in the situation of the Jews in the country, showed care for their needs and has done a lot to eradicate anti-Semitism and returning Jewish buildings that were nationalized,” Rabbi Lazar told the Israeli haredi ‘Hamevaser.’
“We are nearing completion on a Jewish museum which will be one of the largest in the world. President Putin has contributed a lot for the advancement of its building and he himself donated one paycheck of his, which led many others to donate as well,” he added.
Putin was inaugurated in a lavish ceremony in the Kremlin on 7 May 2012 in front of the inner circles of the Russian establishment. Among the religious leaders attending were Rabbi Lazar and Alexander Boroda, the Chairman of the Board for the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.
“I blessed him in the name of Russian Jewry and told him that the number three in Judaism symbolizes a ‘Chazakah’ (a Halachic term for permanence),” Rabbi Lazar said.
VIDEO: Putin’s presidential inauguration ceremony
Frighteningly impressive. G-d bless America!
Do not assume that Rabbi Lazar really believes this; Russia remains a police state under Putin. If Rabbi Lazar really had any influence he’d convince Putin to stop coddling the mullahs in Iran who are trying to get the capability to wipe out the entire Jewish population of the State of Israel.
Finally that Maamor in Samech vov shtims!!
(and this is only a mei ein of the real thing!)
Has everyone forgot the Rebbe’s seforim??????
Malchus????? Are you kidding???? Corruption, dictatorship
and refusal to release the Rebbe’s seforim is Not
malchus!
love the way they all sound drunk.
If you would know the slightest thing about lubavitch history than you would understand the importance of this video.
Lubavitchers ran away from Russia because they were being persecuted by the KGB.
Vladimir Putin is the former head of the KGB and continues to run the country as if like he did before communism fell.
There is only a few differences one of them being freedom of religion. like comment #3 mentioned khodorovsky. A dissident that has been sitting in prison for a long time now, just for challenging putin’s authority etc.
i found this very moving and even emotional. we in the U.S. don’t have this pomp and circumstances or even a complex that remotely resembles the kremlin. i agree with number 7….in that we can definitely learn a lesson in bitul…and i don’t think it matters where we learn it from.
however, i disagree that it not be shown on col…and thank col for sharing this amazing film.
Malchus?? Putin is the embodiment of corruption at the highest level!!
i am just wondering if this is the kind of kovod for a president i wonder what it looks like for a crowning of a king (moshiach) may it happen soon and that putin should do his job as president and give back the Rebbe’s seforim
true, this video does not belong on collive, it has (a) kol isha, (b) men-women interaction, (c) figures and shapes not appropriate to the hassidic eye, (d) bittul torah. however, what is seen in all this royalty etc, can show a small shred of an example of what kind of respect and awe should be shown towards our authorities. ill explain with an example: watching the soldiers march shows the bittul one should have while -lehavdil- marching in front of the Rebbe, by parades, or even during dollars, kos-shel-brocha, etc. that is the sole purpose i see in sharing this… Read more »
This is real Malchusdik in its full glory.
fit for a czar-
What an amazing autocracy to seal and freeze this mega-city just for this tzar ride.
The cleric has done nothing to assist in the release of
Khordovosky who is still in jail.
What is the purpose of this video for the audience of COL?
If Lazar’s position in the masses is an indication of anything then he is pretty close to the top.