A distinguished gathering of senior administration officials, diplomats, and Jewish leaders came together in Washington, D.C., for a special America 250 Shabbat Dinner attended by American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) Executive Vice President Rabbi Levi Shemtov and his wife Nechama.

The elegant event held at the Donald J. Trump US Institute of Peace was hosted by Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun. Combat Antisemitism Movement sponsored the event, with Mr. Arie Lipnick, Advisory Board Chair (US), as well as leading attorney Ms. Alyza Lewin, US Affairs President, along with additional CAM leadership.

The Glatt Kosher reception began 90 minutes before Shabbos, and included remarks by the hosts as well as Dr. Miriam Adelson. During his remarks, Ambassador Kaploun pointed out that among the greatest Americans are the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of blessed memory, who received the Congressional Gold Medal in 1994, Haym Solomon, without whose crucial funding provided to general George Washington the Revolutionary War would probably not have succeeded. The third, he half-jokingly remarked, was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is not actually Jewish but “makes a good story” and is widely regarded as one of the strongest supporters of Israel and the Jewish community in America’s history.

Afterward, a number of guests filed into a room for Kabbalat Shabbat followed by Kiddush and a tasteful Shabbat dinner together with over 200 invited guests.

Specially printed siddurim and bentchers (meal grace booklets) were prepared for the occasion, and attendees also received commemorative challenge coins bearing the State Department’s America 250 logo.

In addition to many ambassadors and other dignitaries, among those present were Secretary of Labor (Designate) Keith Sonderling, several Undersecretaries of State, Commerce, etc. as well as Assistant to the President White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Council Executive Secretary Eli Diamond, Special Assistant to the President and White House Liaison to the Jewish Community Martin Marks, White House Council of Economic Advisors official Michael Oved, (fmr) State Department Legal Counsel Reid Rubenstein, US Holocaust Memorial Council Chairman Jeff Miller and others.

The Shabbat 250 celebration continued the next day with a packed celebratory “America 250” Kiddush and Shabbat services at TheSHUL at the Chabad Lubavitch Center and welcomed guest speaker Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University.

The event was held as part of the nationwide America 250 and Freedom 250 commemorations, alongside other Shabbat events held at other venues in the city bringing together public officials, diplomats, and community leaders to uniquely, Jewishly and proudly celebrate Shabbat in the nation’s capital in honor of this special occasion.