Haredi superstar Lipa Schmeltzer did not need a press release or a political op-ed to respond to President Donald Trump’s historic “Shabbat 250” proclamation. He wrote a song.

The beloved Hasidic entertainer released “ShabbaTrump,” a lively musical tribute to Trump’s unprecedented call for a national Shabbat — the Jewish day of rest — timed to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The song, arranged by Lazer Landau, is available for free download in both MP3 and MP4.

“After realizing how much recognition and love our President has shown the Jewish people; especially now, as we celebrate 250 years of American freedom, and with President Trump encouraging greater Shabbos observance nationwide — I wanted to do my small part to express appreciation on behalf of my fans, friends, and community,” Schmeltzer wrote upon releasing the track. “This song is meant with warmth, gratitude, and a little fun. Listen and enjoy.”

On May 4, 2026, Trump signed a proclamation designating May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month. Embedded in that proclamation was something no American president had ever done before: a formal call for a national Shabbat, dubbed “Shabbat 250,” from sundown on Friday, May 15, through nightfall on Saturday, May 16. The move marked the first time a sitting U.S. president has explicitly called for such a national recognition.

The Shabbat coincides with “Rededicate 250,” Trump’s national prayer event commemorating “250 glorious years of American independence” as part of his Freedom 250 initiative, the public-private partnership overseeing the Semiquincentennial of the United States.

Trump’s own words in the proclamation drew directly from the Jewish concept of Shabbat as sacred time: “From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation. This day will recognize the sacred Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to the Almighty.”

The proclamation also invoked President George Washington’s 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, in which Washington pledged that the United States would give “to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”

The concept of Shabbat — ceasing from labor one day in seven — is woven into the fabric of Creation itself. As the Torah states: “Zachor et yom ha-Shabbat l’kadsho” — “Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it” (Exodus 20:8). The Sages teach that Shabbat is not merely a day off but a weekly testimony that God created the world and that human beings are not slaves to work, to kings, or to commerce. When an American president calls the nation to pause, rest, and give thanks to the Almighty, he is, knowingly or not, echoing that testimony.

Agudath Israel of America, the Orthodox Jewish advocacy organization representing Haredi communities, welcomed the initiative, saying it offers an opportunity to reflect on America’s role as a haven of religious freedom. A source who engaged with the White House as it drafted the proclamation told Jewish Insider that the White House Faith Office made overtures to several Jewish leaders to inquire about “what would be appropriate to do for people who are Jewish.” The office, the source said, “emphasized that this was a directive from the president.”

Trump also used the proclamation to take direct aim at antisemitism, stating that his administration is actively working to prosecute crimes targeting Jewish Americans and address hostility toward Jews on college campuses. The proclamation declared: “Through every trial and triumph, the contributions of Jewish Americans have shaped our past, have strengthened our communities, and will continue to inspire American greatness for generations to come.”

For Schmeltzer — whose Yiddish-infused, boundary-pushing music has made him one of the most recognizable figures in the Haredi entertainment world — the moment called for celebration, not commentary. “ShabbaTrump” is his answer: a Jew saying thank you, in the language Jews have always spoken best. Music.