• Elections Javier Milei, the ultra-liberal candidate who captivated Argentina's youth
  • Results Javier Milei, the ultra-liberal who promises to turn Argentina upside down and bring ties with Spain to a minimum

On Monday, the newly elected president of Argentina, Javier Milei, traveled to the United States where he will hold meetings at the White House, the State Department, the Treasury and the International Monetary Fund. However, his first visit has been the grave of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, better known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, an influential rabbi who died in 1994. Since then, his tomb is visited annually by thousands of people and became a place of pilgrimage as he was a recognizable Jewish personality. Last July, before the primaries, Milei made a whirlwind trip to visit this very place.

Over the years, Milei began to approach Judaism and revealed that he studied the Torah extensively and was considering the possibility of becoming a Jew. "I'm thinking of converting to Judaism and I aspire to become the first Jewish president in Argentine history," he told an Argentine newspaper. In September of this year, two months before he was elected President, he confirmed the determination: "I don't go to church, I go to the temple. I have a rabbi at the head of the table and I study the Torah. I am internationally recognized as a friend of Israel. I'm just a little bit away from being Jewish, I just need the blood covenant."

Last Saturday, the "lion" participated in a Jewish ceremony and received the blessing of renowned Rabbi David Pinto Shlita, who that night led the Havdalah, a traditional ceremony of separation of Shabbat from the rest of the days of the week. Milei's collaborators noted that it was "a special, symbolic and very beautiful moment." The ceremony was held in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Once and was also attended by Karina Milei, sister and head of the presidential campaign of the libertarian liberal, who was visibly emotional during the meeting.

"I celebrate this beautiful country, Argentina, and I ask God to protect the Argentine Nation so that it can return to what it was before. I am sure that with God's help you will help the Nation and, with the people of Argentina, you will achieve it," was Rabbi Pinto's speech. With tears in her eyes and as they both held a cane in both hands, Milei thanked him in English under the watchful gaze of her sister: "Thank you, thank you, rabbin." In the footage, Milei was seen wearing a black quippah totally excited.


  • Argentina
  • Javier Milei