Secretary of State Welcomes Establishment of New Lubavitch Center

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, met yesterday with Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, director of Chabad in Berlin.

Mr. Powell told Rabbi Teichtal that he has heard about the new Rohr Chabad Center & Albam Educational Center, which is being opened by Chabad of Berlin. “I support this initiative, which increases tolerance among our young generation”, he said.

Mr. Powell was in Berlin representing the United States at the
conference on anti-semitism, sponsored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Shortly after the meeting which took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rabbi Teichtel told Lubavitch.com that the encounter with Mr. Powell was very warm. “He expressed sincere interest in the rebuilding of Jewish life in Germany, and pointed to the opening of the new center as an achievement that ensures a good future in this region.”

Rabbi Teichtal’s meeting with the Secretary of State followed his meeting on Tuesday with the U.S. delegation to the Conference. Led by former New York Mayor Ed Koch, the delegation attended a mezuzah-posting ceremony for the doors of the new center. The event was marked with greetings by Mr. Koch, Rabbi Teichtal, U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Mr. Daniel Coats and Mr. Albert Meyer, President of the Jewish community in Berlin, and a member of the executive board of the Central Council in Germany.