In 1972, my mother was a teacher for the 5th grade class in the Chabad Junior Girls School. One day my mother received a notice that the Minister of Education, a lady by the name of Margaret Thatcher would be coming for a visit and tour of the school. When my mother heard about the important visitor they would be having, she decided to prepare some Mint Chocolates for the Minister together with her students.
On the day of the visit, the Minister took a tour of the school and took the time to interact with the students and teachers. In addition, Margaret Thatcher visited a beautiful exhibition that was on display in the school at the time of her visit that dealt with many aspects of Judaism and Jewish life. Part of the display included a section on the role and tradition of modest clothing and style of dress of the Jewish people. The minister who was enjoying the presentation was wearing an almost sleeveless dress and must have realized that the girls in the school were all wearing shirts or blouses that had some form of sleeves. The minister then discreetly asked her assistant to get her jacket from the car, which she then wore for the rest of her visit as a sign of respect to the school and the Jewish values they were teaching the girls.
My mother told me this week, that at the time her and all the other staff were very touched by the Minister's sensitivity. The Minister was under no obligations to change or do anything different and she was the important one and dignitary, yet she was the one who went the extra step to be in sync with the Jewish values the students were being taught and to convey a similar image.
Later when Margaret Thatcher wrote a thank you letter about how much she enjoyed her visit, she also made a special mention of thanks to the 5th grade girls for the chocolates that they made for her.
Margaret Thatcher later went on to become the Prime Minister of the UK who in addition to the strong and remarkable leader that she was for Great Britain and the world, also had a very good relationship with the Jewish Community, the Chabad movement (video interview with her) and the State of Israel.
May her memory be blessed and may her dignity and sensitivity be an inspiration to all of us.
Aunt Hildie wrote...