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Rabbi Levi Shemtov is the director of the American Friends of Lubavitch from Washington, but since Barack Obama arrived to the White House he became in a consultant personality in america`s politic world. “I am not political in the rabbinical world but I am a rabbi in the political world”, the Jabad Luvabitch´s religious leader said in an interview with Agencia Judía de Noticias.
Shemtov says he has a “good relationship with everyone” in the political world.
– Have you met with Barack Obama?
– I was with him many times because our organization isn´t political but of light. And Jewish light belongs to the people from everywhere.
Shemtov said that from Jabad Lubavitch he tries “not to be bieased but to be in the middle, so everyone can go, listen, and study, that is the most important thing”.
The rabbi also knows Jack Lew, who has just been placed as Obama´s aide and who has just witnessed the religious service in Jabad. Lew, 56 years old, is an orthodox Jewish with an important background as official in the gobernment and an outstanding role in Bill Clinton´s government.
Rabbi Shemtov described him as a “shomer shabat” orthodox. “He is a very nice and humble person. He is never himself; he is always willing to what the other needs. He is always helpful to other people´s path”, he added.
The rabbi outlined this important aide´s commitment with the people because he “is always interested in what society needs”.
“As an American Jew I can´t think of anyone with a bigger commitment with the United States and its own Jewish identity at the time”, he said. Shemtov considered that Lew transcended in the political world not only because of his cordiality and his ability with numbers, but because of his respect to the Jewish laws.
Asked about the religious men´s presence in important positions, Shemtov considered that this combination “doesn´t need to be a conflict”. “The world is seeing that one can be religious and in charge of a public position”, he said.
Analyzing the international affairs he spoke about Iran, his nuclear program and his president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who not only denied the Holocaust but also promotes de destruction of Israel State. “We know that he is a big problem for Israel and the United States and I hope our leaders do what´s necessary to work against this issue”, he said.