A surprising guest arrived on Monday morning to pray at the grave of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in the cemetery in Queens: Javier Milei, the newly minted president-elect of Argentina.
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This marks Milei's first visit outside the South American country after his election triumph, and it is receiving unprecedented coverage in the local media, which are attempting to uncover and trace the figure of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the leader of the Chabad Hasidic movement.
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Argentinian President-elect Javier Milei visits at the grave of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Under tight security, President-elect Milei stood outside the gravesite, accompanied by a small group of Chabad Hasidim and various other figures. The Argentine economist and TV personality-turned-politician came to pay his respects at the tomb site to express gratitude, as he puts it, for the blessings he received upon his election as president of Argentina and the overwhelming victory.
"The prayer experience was deeply moving," recounted Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, a senior figure in Chabad's global activities who accompanied Milei. "He came to express gratitude and also seek blessings, asking God to grant him strength in his significant mission - to successfully lead the country. This is the most crucial thing for him: to succeed and provide hope to the citizens of his nation. Milei is very connected to the figure and leadership of the Rebbe, whose influence extends far beyond the Jewish people today."
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Argentinian President-elect Javier Milei and Rabbi Zvi Greenblatt
(Photo: Chabad House Argentina)
This marks the third time in the past year that Milei has come to pray at the tomb of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. "Truth be told, I did not have the opportunity to personally know the Rebbe, but only in the past year have I visited the Rebbe's tent twice," he shared in an interview last weekend with the global Chabad newspaper, Kfar Chabad.
"I sought his holy blessing there that I would be elected as the president of Argentina, and this blessing was realized this week."
