Argentinian President Javier Milei is known as a fervent supporter of Israel. In February, he visited Israel, and during the trip he prayed at the Western Wall, where he was seen shedding tears. He also traveled to the south and was shocked by the scenes of the Hamas atrocities. Milei has now revealed that he has Jewish roots.
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נשיא ארגנטינה חאבייר חררדו מיליי מבקר בכותל המערבי בירושלים
(צילום: הקרן למורשת הכותל המערבי)
In a speech at the Chabad synagogue in Bal Harbor, Florida, Milei recounted that his grandfather was Jewish. "My grandfather was truly a great influence. I used to learn values from him and learned a lot," Milei said, speaking in Spanish with a simultaneous translation. "The most interesting thing is that, shortly before he died he discovered that he was Jewish. He didn’t know but someone told him, ‘Your mother was Jewish, so you are Jewish.'"
"So all the values that I received from him came from Judaism," Milei added. The Jewish community in the area recognized the president of Argentina as the "international ambassador of light," partly due to his unwavering support for Israel.
Argentina's President Milei visits the Western Wall
(Video: Gil Yohanan)
Also present at the synagogue was Louis Har, an Israeli-Argentinian citizen who was freed from Hamas captivity in a daring operation in Rafah. He presented Miliei with a yellow ribbon to symbolize the remaining hostages. The president of Argentina posted on Instagram a picture of the gift he received, a colorful plaque in the shape of the Torah with a verse from the Book of Isaiah in Hebrew and Spanish. The verse includes a variation of the expression "a light to the nations."
Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt, who has headed Chabad in Argentina since 1978, traveled with Milei and his entourage to Miami. "I’m proud as an Argentinean about this recognition to our president and the secretary general of the presidency, for his faith, his spiritual values, for his belief in the spiritual mission of life,” Grunblatt told JTA. “There are a lot of people with that attitude but he not only is a man of faith but also speaks publicly about this.”