[Photos below.] As reported on extensively here on Matzav.com, a delegation of leading Chassidic Rebbes, rabbonim and roshei yeshiva met with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House in Washington, D.C., for extensive discussions on issues facing the Chareidi community in the United States and Eretz Yisroel. The extraordinary gathering included a private 15-minute meeting between the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, and Trump, a prayer for the president recited in the Oval Office, and discussions concerning pidyon shvuyim and the drafting of yeshiva students in Israel.
Among those participating were the two Satmar Rebbes, the Bobover Rebbe, Rav Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Rav Aharon Menachem Mendel Twersky, son of the Skverer Rebbe. Rep. Mike Lawler, who was instrumental in arranging the historic White House visit, was also present.
The gathering opened with remarks from Reb Yoel Rosenfeld, a prominent Bobover community activist, who introduced several of the subjects that the delegation hoped to raise with administration officials.
Others who spoke during the discussions included the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum; the Satmar dayan of Williamsburg; Reb Gedaliah Segedin; New Square Mayor Yisroel Moshe Spitzer; Reb Moshe Dovid Niederman; Reb Yehuda Leib Zorger; and Reb Moshe Margareten. The participants raised a range of concerns affecting the broader Chareidi community, with particular attention devoted to matters involving Jewish residents of New York and New Jersey where assistance from the federal government could prove significant.
Segedin specifically presented the needs of the more than 50,000 residents of Kiryas Joel, outlining several areas in which the federal government could assist the rapidly growing community.
Vice President JD Vance joined the gathering after it was underway, warmly greeting the rabbonim and community representatives and speaking with them about several issues currently facing their communities.
A particularly significant portion of the visit occurred when the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, accompanied by Segedin, was invited to meet privately with President Trump. The approximately 15-minute discussion centered primarily on matters of pidyon shvuyim. The Rebbe warmly blessed Trump and personally raised several pressing concerns, while the president listened and discussed the matters with him at length.
Following the private conversation, the remainder of the rabbinic delegation and community representatives, including New Square Mayor Yisroel Moshe Spitzer and Reb Moshe Dovid Niederman, were brought into the Oval Office to meet with Trump.
Rav Aharon, who was already in the room following his private meeting, waited as each of the other rabbonim personally greeted and blessed the president.
A remarkable scene then unfolded as Rav Aharon, seated at the center of the table directly opposite Trump, rose from his chair. The other rabbonim surrounding the table stood with him, and the Rebbe emotionally recited the traditional prayer for the welfare of the government, Hanosein Teshuah LaMelachim. He then asked Segedin to translate the prayer into English for the president.
Trump was visibly moved by the moment and immediately asked that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be summoned to the room, saying, “He must be here when such distinguished guests are present.”
After the prayer, Rav Aharon addressed Trump briefly and expressed his gratitude for what he described as the president’s historic directive allowing batei medrash and Jewish institutions to reopen during the COVID-era restrictions. The conversation then continued with additional issues of importance to the Chareidi community.
The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, expressed his appreciation to Trump for his strong support of the Jewish people and for standing alongside “our Jewish brethren.” Rav Zalman Leib also raised the contentious issue of the drafting of yeshiva students in Eretz Yisroel.
Rav Aharon Menachem Mendel Twersky, son of the Skverer Rebbe, then spoke for several minutes and presented Trump with a personal letter from his father. The president inquired about the Skverer Rebbe and asked that his regards be conveyed to him.
The discussion continued as the Rebbes and other members of the delegation spoke with Trump about a broad range of matters affecting Chareidi Jews both in the United States and Eretz Yisroel.
At one point, Rav Aharon asked Rav Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, to address the president. Rav Malkiel instead chose to give Trump a private letter dealing with several matters.
Another unusual moment came during the meeting when Trump asked Rav Aharon for the handwritten note on which the Rebbe had recorded the points discussed during their earlier private conversation. Rav Aharon handed it to the president, who placed the note inside his personal desk drawer.
After approximately half an hour with Trump, the delegation concluded the Oval Office meeting. The rabbonim thanked the president for the exceptionally warm reception before taking their leave on friendly terms.
As the Rebbes departed the White House gathering, they exchanged warm wishes for the approaching Rosh Hashanah, offering one another blessings for a good year and for a kesivah vachasimah tovah.
{Matzav.com}
