Rabbi David Greene
Chabad-Lubavitch of Rochester
Rochester, MN
Sponsor: Rep. Gil Gutknecht, (R-MN)
Date of Prayer: 07/12/2005
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of our guest chaplain and my friend, Rabbi David Greene of Rochester, Minnesota. I often tell students when they come to visit the Capitol that the first official act of the United States Congress was to appoint a chaplain. The second thing that they did was they prayed, and it was not a perfunctory prayer. They prayed for 1 1/2 hours. We have long understood the importance of faith in our society.
Rabbi Greene was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended the first Orthodox Jewish parochial school in Minnesota, received his ordination from the Rabbinical College of Canada in 1984, and completed post–graduate Judaic studies at Lubavitch Yeshiva in Brooklyn, New York.
Since 1988 Rabbi Greene has served as the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Emissary to Rochester, more specifically, to the Mayo Clinic. In his service, he meets the spiritual needs of Jewish people who reside in or visit Rochester, Minnesota.
I thank Rabbi Greene for his service as our guest chaplain to the United States House of Representatives today.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Almighty God, Master of the Universe, according to the Jewish tradition, You instructed mankind to obey seven universal laws:
Not to worship false gods;
Never to blaspheme your Holy Name;
Not to murder;
Not to commit adultery, incest or any sexual misdeeds;
Not to steel, lie or cheat;
Not to be cruel to any living creature; and
That every society govern by just laws based on the recognition of You, O God, as the sovereign ruler of all men and all nations.
Today, the members of this house convene to fulfill one of these commandments, to govern by just laws.
May it be your will, that those assembled here enact laws to govern this great country, be mindful of Your presence and conduct themselves in all their matters with justice, kindness and peace.
Grant them success in making this country truly fit for Your presence. Bless them with good health, wisdom, compassion, good cheer and fellowship.
Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory