Shabbes, November 4th, an invented holiday called, to borrow ColLive cliché, a “Unity Day”. Assembled are all Russian religious “leaders”. As the state functionaries, they are required to attend official functions, even on Shabbes. Certainly, they don’t represent any of the religions, they are protected at a price.
Berl Lazar wishes Putin “Shabbat Shalom” and the other Rabbi (who is that man?) wishes Putin “Happy Holiday”. This is only days since Putin took sides in the war in Israel, accused Israel of killing “hundreds of thousands” and said “his fists are clenched in anger” towards Israel.
The occasion is the unveiling of the stature for Putin’s namesake, Prince Vladimir, who converted Russia to Christianity in the 10th-11th century. Since religion means nothing anymore, all religious functionaries are on hand to celebrate and bow to their master. It’s implicitly a monument to Putin himself, of course, a greiser getshke.
This is the new enormously oversized monstrosity holding the sword and the cross. Furthermore, a political statement during the war. Prince Vladimir was the Grand Prince of Kiev from 978 until his death in 1015. There is already a monument to Vladimir in Kiev, where he lived. Prince Vladimir never had any connection to Moscow.
Chabad is a religion that merged with Christianity, why not? Throw him in the mikveh.
P.S. Lipe’s “Kiddush Hashem”
Meanwhile, Lipe and his “Kiddush Hashem” by baking a cake. “Show the world”. All military age men.
Eventually Chabad 2.0 Russia will be History.
Situation is complex,don't blame Lazar completely. There are still lots of Jews there and I suspect rabbis are needed.
Right now our issues are War and Anti semitism stirred up by Muslims and liberal Jews in US.
I had many edits to this post. It happened on Nov. 4th, not Nov 7th. Among many changes. I think it is correct now.