Smotrich to meet senior Orthodox Jewish officials in US, France
Smotrich will be meeting with rabbis and teachers at Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst as well as the Zionist Organization of America.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was expected to meet with the senior management of the Orthodox Union on Wednesday, as well as other Jewish organizations.
The Forward’s Jacob Kornbluh reported that during his US trip Smotrich will also be meeting with rabbis and leaders at Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst on Wednesday, according to an invite the site obtained, stating they will “have the opportunity to... ask him questions about his views and positions [and] raise issues and concerns we may have.”
Smotrich will also be meeting with the conservative Zionist Organization of America. He was also set to meet with Chabad leaders in Brooklyn on Tuesday, and visited the grave of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Queens earlier.
A spokesperson on behalf of Smotrich would not confirm to The Jerusalem Post who he would be meeting with during his US visit. Sources close to Smotrich said he would meet a number of Jewish organizations but wouldn’t specify which.
Most of the mainstream Jewish organizations in the US wouldn’t meet with the finance minister, as well as the US administration.
Smotrich to visit France
Smotrich will stop in France on his way back to Israel on Sunday to participate in a memorial service for Jacques Kupfer, a vocal and influential Likud activist who recently died at the age of 74. Kupfer was one of the leaders of Beitar – essentially the Likud’s youth movement.
According to sources in the French Jewish community, Smotrich isn’t expected to participate in any other substantial meetings since he will be in the country for less than 24 hours.
In addition, a delegation of rabbis and heads of Jewish communities on behalf of the Consistoire, the religious umbrella organization of French Jewry, will be convening in Israel next week and therefore won’t be able to meet with the minister.
The Post has asked the Crif, the political umbrella of the Jewish community in France, if its members are planning on meeting with Smotrich but it wouldn’t comment on the matter.
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