Huckabee visits Israeli Chief Rabbis, praises Trump support

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee paid a formal Sukkos visit Thursday to the residence of Rishon LeTzion HaGaon HaRav David Yosef shlita, with the participation of the President of the Chief Rabbinate Council and Chief Rabbi of Israel, HaGaon HaRav Kalman Meir Bar shlita. The meeting took place in a warm atmosphere and focused on strengthening the strategic and spiritual alliance between the two countries.

The Chief Rabbis opened the meeting by expressing deep appreciation to US President Donald Trump for his steadfast support of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, calling him "a true friend and among the righteous of the nations". The rabbanim thanked Ambassador Huckabee for his blessed mission and his tireless work to strengthen cooperation between Washington and Jerusalem.

The ambassador with the Chief Rabbis (Photo: David Azagury, US Embassy in Israel)

The conversation centered on security and social challenges, foremost among them the ongoing global fight against antisemitism and Jew-hatred. The rabbanim praised the American administration for its determined actions on the issue and emphasized the critical importance of continued close cooperation to eradicate manifestations of hatred and protect Jewish communities in the diaspora.

The parties also discussed initiatives to advance meetings between major religious leaders worldwide with the goal of promoting tolerance and curbing expressions of hostility. The discussion included practical ways to strengthen interfaith dialogue and spread messages of brotherhood and peace among peoples and cultures.

Ambassador Mike Huckabee summed up the visit with emotion: "It was a great honor for me to meet with the Chief Rabbis of Israel, the Rishon LeTzion and Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav David Yosef, and the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Kalman Bar, during the days of Sukkos."

Huckabee added and emphasized the central message of his mission: "I reiterated the commitment of the United States to preserving Jewish heritage, and I thanked the Chief Rabbis for their leadership and their work in guiding Jewish life."

The visit joins a series of meetings between representatives of the American administration and the leadership of the Chief Rabbinate in recent months, testifying to the deepening of ties and cooperation between Israel's religious institutions and the Trump administration. Recently, Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Kalman Bar shlita also hosted President Yitzchak Herzog in his sukkah as part of the traditional Yom Tov visits.