Luke Ford

Charles Johnson writes:

The reason you don’t understand what just happened in Russia is because you don’t understand Chabad, its players, and the power they wield around the world.

Every so often I am reminded that I live an exceptionally colorful life.

So it was past week I received text messages, direct TMs, and a phone call from my friends within Chabad. Why they even left a message with my bank. Thank you for the blessings.

Whilst I was initially apprehensive and even frightened these outreaches amounted to blessing — and as with all blessings, a harbinger of the future. “The war is going to end,” one of my friends told me. I knew that Chabad had long opposed the war in Ukraine and that Putin’s rabbi — Berel Lazar — was planning to be in the United States soon. I tweeted about their having contacted me.

At their urging I informed my friends within the U.S. government and — sure enough — Prigozhin and his Wagner Group moved out of Ukraine and into Russia. Prigozhin’s Wagner Group provides security for much of the Chabad society operations throughout Africa.

After all, this past week was a holy day for Chabad. It marked the 29th anniversary of the death of the Rebbe Menachem Schneerson.

You probably didn’t notice that President Biden has signed two proclamations honoring the Rebbe or that his son Hunter Biden spoke with Chabadniks about getting back their library.

But I did.

The U.S. government has aligned itself with Chabad in its quest to rollback some of the nastiness of the Russian oligarchs and regime. Chabad has been a willing ally insofar as its rabbis feel that Putin hasn’t done enough to bring about peace between Ukraine and Russia.

I’ve heard that that was a major discussion in Brooklyn this past weekend. The event in Brooklyn was exceptionally well attended. By some estimates as many as 50,000 attended a remembrance for the Rebbe. Why here’s Berel Lazar, Putin’s rabbi. In Brooklyn!