Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat and member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, congratulated US President Donald Trump for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel.

Rabbi Eliyahu was one of 250 rabbis who signed a letter of appreciation to president Trump thanking him for having the courage to acknowledge the reality that Jerusalem has always served as Israel's capital.

"The letter to President Trump is full of love," the rabbi said. "We said to the President of the United States: Sir, you have realized the vision of the prophets that the honor of Jerusalem rises among the nations, like the other prophecies that come true in our generation - the immigration to Israel, the collapse of our enemies and our economic success. In this personal act, you have realized the vision of the prophets and you are a symbol and an example to others."

"We mentioned to him in the letter that when [the Prophet] Nehemiah came to [Persian King] Cyrus, to establish Jerusalem, to strengthen and fortify its position, all kinds of people of little faith stood among the gentiles and - to our shame - from the elite of our own people, and sought to stop this. But he (Cyrus) was determined to do God's will and the designs of the other people collapsed, and eventually they too understood that God's will would be done.

Flash 90 Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu

"So we wrote to the president, 'Know that you are working together with the Holy One, Blessed be He, and that you will be remembered forever. You will be forever remembered for having stood up to all those of lesser faith, even within our people. You have done the right thing, and we will never forget it," he said.

Rabbi Eliyahu is convinced that the American president will be excited when he reads the letter, "With the help of Rabbi Avi Berman of the OU, we translated the letter into English and it was transferred to the White House. In my mind's eye, I see the president reading this and being moved, because unlike other cynics he is a believer who knows the importance of the Bible."