Putin gifted Netanyahu with the first copy of the bible ever printed with commentary by Rashi, one of the most influential Jewish sages.
By: Barney Breen-Portnoy, The Algemeiner
At their meeting in Sochi on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a copy of the first-ever Bible printed with Rashi’s commentary.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Netanyahu called the Russian leader’s gesture “moving,” and said the Bible would be handed over to the National Library of Israel.
“I thank President Putin for the friendship and cooperation between us,” Netanyahu wrote.
In March, at a meeting in Moscow, Netanyahu received from Putin a nearly 500-year-old copy of Roman-Jewish historian Josephus’ book, The Jewish War.
The focus of their sit-down on the shores of the Black Sea was the situation in Syria and Iran’s military presence, which, Netanyahu said after the meeting, posed a growing risk to global security.