Leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives today met with rabbis of the Chabad-Lubavitch community to mark the recovery of a sacred text from the Schneerson collection.
Since 1992, just eight volumes of the collection have been returned to Chabad. The sacred library and archive consists of 12,000 books and 30,000 pages.
Earlier this year, all 100 members of the U.S. Senate sent a letter to President Putin requesting the return of the Schneerson collection of sacred texts from the Russian State Library and the Russian State Military archive. While Russia has not yet returned these sacred texts to Chabad, one volume was recently discovered at Kedem Auction House in Israel and returned to Chabad.
Chabad representatives were joined by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin Hatch (R-UT), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), and Assistant U.S. Attorney General Makan Delrahim.
Today, Senator Schumer, who celebrated the return of this book, alongside members of the Chabad community, said that he will do everything in his power to fight for the return of the rest of the Schneerson Collection.
“The discovery of this sacred text in Israel is a simcha for Chabad and the entire Jewish community and I am grateful to have been a part of this joyous occasion,” said Senator Schumer. “However, we will not rest until the entire Schneerson collection is returned to Chabad and I will continue to fight for its return from Russia.”
Those in attendance included: Rabbi Chaim Cunin – Chabad House Publications; Rabbi Yosef Cunin – Beverly Hills Jewish Community; Rabbi Mendel Cunin – Chabad of Larchmont; Rabbi Zushe Cunin – Chabad of Pacific Palisades; Rabbi Levi Cunin – Chabad of Malibu; Rabbi Tzemach Cunin – Chabad of Century City; Rabbi Avrohom Litvin – Chabad of Kentucky; Zev Cunin – Son of Rabbi Yosef Cunin (age 8); and Chabad pro bono legal advocates: Steve Lieberman, Bob Parker, Nat Lewin, Alyza Lewin, and Nechama Potasnick.
A copy of the letter sent to President Putin earlier this year is below:
The Honorable Vladimir Putin
President
Russian Federation
Moscow, Russia
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing respectfully to reaffirm our support and request for the return of the Schneerson collection of sacred texts from the Russian State Library and the Russian State Military Archive to its rightful owners, Agudas Chasidei Chabad of United States (“Chabad”).
On May 31, 1992, all one hundred members of the United States Senate appealed to then-President Boris Yeltsin to honor Russia’s commitment to return the collection to Chabad. On February 24, 2005, all one hundred members of the United States Senate again signed an appeal for your assistance in returning the collection. Copies of these letters are attached hereto. Since 1992, eight volumes of the collection have been returned to Chabad. We hereby respectfully request your assistance in seeing the return of the entire collection.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
does anyone know why the sefer is seen in all pictures on a talis?
didan notzach all over again bh
thank you all senators for all your help.
very nice, would like to see more seforim bezh
ADMUR MAHARASH IS LECHATCHILA ARIBER, THE REBBE IS DEFINITELY PROUD OF THE SHLUCHIM CUNINS
AND BLESSING THE CONGRESS FOR SUCH LECHATCHILA ARIBER
Nancy Pelosi
best politician for the Jews, Israel. Not surprised to see that she is involved with this revolutionary moment.
So much respect for her
As a Chossid (not chabad) I understand how important these kisvei koidesh would be to every chossid. Baruch hashem I am happy to hear that these kedushadik pieces of chassidus are being returned. May the Aibeshter bentsch the Cunins to bring the rest of their seforim back.
The rebbe said moshiach will come when the seforim come back. Kudos to the cunins! And thank you to the american congress, I see that things are clearly changing for the good in america (since trump!). Regardelss, thank you to the congress.
The only thing I could say it was the talk of shul and it was an eye-opener for me to hear how much the Senate Care’s for the individual of America in addition to the America as whole!
God bless America
mendel canada
I Am very touched to see America ending the USSR Injustice in a fair and respectfull manner growing up in Russia I would of never imagined this to be my dream.
when i reconnected to my roots I understood the offense of holding on to such sacred books that belong to people who were prosecuted for their beliefs and religion giving back these books will show their acknowledgement of freedom of religion and race,
God bless America and the US Senate for taking concern in such an important issue!!!
While others come to the Capitol with cameras, Chabad (of California) comes with Tefilin!
Go Chaim Nochum!
Chairman Ed Royce! Always extending himself for a good cause!
Wow! Representing Chabad with geon yaakov in Washington DC!! Kudos to the Cunin family.
The Cunin’s are people to learn from!
Their impact is felt internationally from California, Israel, Russia, to the halls of power in Washington.
They never miss an opportunity to do mivtzoim like tefillin and mezuzah on Capitol Hill.
Keep making the Rebbe proud!
Don’t forget 30,000 pages – many more simchas for years to come.
Mazal tov on good news , may the others come back soon!
Good shabbos.
Nachas Ruach for our Rebbe MHM.Go Cunins you guys are the best in the West and in the East in my book😆👍👍👍
12.000 seforim returned 1 at a time, means 12.000 new days of joy and farbrengen!
Thank you for posting!
This is the gemara the Rebbe Maharash learned in and put his soul into! Every moment it was in the hands of those who don’t believe in the sanctity of the gemara – most probably caused pain to the Rebbe Maharash’s soul. So the relief he feels now is a caused fir celebration!