Israeli Defense Minister and Blue and White party chairman Benny Gantz visited Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky Monday morning, on the eve of the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

Gantz paid the visit to Rabbi Kanievsky’s home in Bnei Brak seeking a blessing ahead of the holiday season.

During the visit, aside from receiving Rabbi Kanievsky’s blessing, the Defense Minister shook the 93-year-old rabbi’s hand and wished him a good new year.

The visit was made despite tensions between the coalition government and haredi lawmakers, who remain in the Opposition. Rabbi Kanievsky is a senior member of the rabbinical council for the Degel HaTorah faction of the United Torah Judaism party.

The visit “should not be taken for granted that at a time when other coalition members aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms, and when the rabbis gave instructions not to cooperate with this new government,” tweeted Channel 12 reported Dafna Liel.