Jewish Leader Makes No Messiah Claim
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NEW YORK — The 90-year-old spiritual leader of the Brooklyn-based Lubavitcher sect of Hasidic Jews appeared before his followers Sunday without a mention of what had been awaited--that he is the Messiah.
Grand Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who was rendered speechless and largely paralyzed by a stroke last year, appeared on the balcony of the sect’s world headquarters during evening services.
Earlier, Rabbi Shmuel Butman, a member of the ultra-Orthodox sect, told congregants that Schneerson’s appearance “is not to be interpreted as a coronation” of the Messiah.
The service was linked by video to the faithful in Jerusalem and by audio to London, Paris, Tel Aviv, Moscow, Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne.
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