Israel - Pair of medals of THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE - Silver and bronze

Israel - Pair of medals of THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE - Silver and bronze

OFFICIAL MEDAL 2008/5769

First in the "Jewish Sages" Medal Series

Rabbi Menahem Mendel Schneerson, known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was one of the most important Jewish spiritual leaders in modern times. While he was the leader of the Lubavitcher (Chabad) Hasidic Movement, his influence was, and still is, felt far beyond the limits of "Lubavitch" alone.

The Rebbe was a child prodigy, devoting all his energy to the study of Torah. He later acquired a secular higher education at the University of Berlin and the Sorbonne in Paris.

In 1941, he managed to escape the horrors of the Holocaust and arrived in the United States with his wife. He then began intensive efforts towards rehabilitating the Jewish people and establishing Jewish educational organizations and institutions, both in the United States and throughout the world. In addition, the Rebbe strove to enhance Jewish awareness through his special "Mitzvah Tanks", promoting "Tephillin", "Ahavas Yisroel" (a love for the people of Israel) and "Moshiach" (Messiah). His immense work in the field of education gained such worldwide admiration, that the President of the United States designated the birthday of the Rebbe as National Education Day.

Future medals in this series will feature Maimonides (the Rambam) and Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan (the Hafetz Haim).

Obverse: The medal face bears a portrait of the Rebbe.

Reverse: The reverse design, which will be common to all the medals in the "Jewish Sages" series, represents the wisdom and holiness that have emanated from the works of our Jewish Sages, throughout the generations.