US Ambassador Mike Huckabee Meets R' Dov Landau

In a rare and meaningful meeting, former Arkansas Governor and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee visited the home of Grand Rabbi Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshivah of Slabodka, at his residence on Rechov HaRav Schach in Bnei Brak. The 25-minute meeting focused on the future of the Torah world, concerns over current political tensions in Israel, and a personal message to be relayed to President Donald Trump.

Rabbi Landau, one of the leading figures in the Lithuanian Torah world, used the opportunity to voice deep concerns about proposed changes to the status of yeshivah students in Israel, particularly in relation to military conscription and recent threats to the coalition’s stability due to chareidi parties’ potential withdrawal from the government.

In a heartfelt exchange, Rabbi Landau requested that Ambassador Huckabee deliver a message directly to President Trump: “Tell him the Jewish people live on because of Torah. The Torah scholars are our true defenders. Their value must be upheld, and their role protected,” Rabbi Landau said. He added words of blessing for the United States, calling it a “kingdom of kindness,” and expressed gratitude to both President Trump and Ambassador Huckabee for their “honesty, moral clarity, and efforts to bring peace to the world.”

The meeting was facilitated and translated by Rabbi David Hofstader, president of the Dirshu organization, who accompanied Huckabee and is currently visiting Israel from Toronto.

Sources close to the ambassador said he listened with great respect, expressing sincere interest in the chareidi way of life and the central role that yeshivahs play in Jewish continuity. Huckabee reportedly asked several questions to better understand the community’s values and concerns.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Rabbi Landau offered a blessing for Huckabee’s mission and thanked him for his ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between American Jewry and Israel. The ambassador, in turn, reaffirmed his support for the Torah world and pledged to convey the rabbi’s message to President Trump.

The visit marks a unique moment of connection between American political leadership and Israel’s Torah giants, at a time when the intersection of religion, politics, and identity is under increasing focus.