U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee received a giant Chazon Ish esrog during a visit from Jewish community leaders at the U.S. Embassy in Yerushalayim ahead of Sukkos. Huckabee said it was the first time he had seen an esrog like it.

The gift was presented by Dovi Honig, founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, and HaRav Chaim Michael Guterman, a founder of the Shuvu education network, which operates in dozens of cities across Israel.

Honig told the ambassador that Chazal associate the esrog with the human heart. Explaining why they chose it as a gift, he thanked Huckabee for his consistent support of the Jewish people and told him, “You have a huge heart, like this esrog.”

HaRav Guterman noted that the esrog is called a pri eitz hadar and remains on its tree through the changing seasons. He compared that endurance to Huckabee’s support for the Jewish people through difficult and calmer times.

Huckabee thanked the visitors for the Yom Tov gift. After hearing about Shuvu’s work, he expressed interest in visiting its schools and high schools across Israel.

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