Israel Children Learn About Democracy, Peace On Israel's 60th Birthday

Israel Children Learn About Democracy, Peace On Israel's 60th Birthday

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- May 20, 2008 ....... From Metulla in the north to Eilat in the south, every school in Israel is teaching their students the meaning of Israel 60th birthday. Students of all ages and grades have been assigned a variety of tasks from collecting photographs of family, making posters, creating green environmental exhibits to learning how to use free speech on radio, TV and in the newspapers.

The Israel News Agency entered a secondary school today in the central Israel town of Ra'anana and recorded exactly what the children were up to.

Many children were selected to perform at Israel 60th birthday anniversary celebrations. To sing, dance and entertain the public from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to Kiryat Shomona and Sderot. A few from the American International School in Even Yehuda were even lucky enough to sing for US President George W. Bush during his historic visit to Israel and attendance at the Presidential Facing Tomorrow Conference in Jerusalem.

In fact, the theme of Israel's 60th birthday was "children" and the future.

Thousands of children enjoyed family picnics and barbecues, as Israel national parks and nature reserves opened the grounds up for free for all children under 18 years of age.

On the eve of Independence Day, Israel's children were provided with huge displays of light, fireworks, music, lasers and special effects.

For those kids who made it to the beaches in Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Hadera and Hafia, they witnessed the Israel's Defense Forces salute the country with aerial, naval and parachute-jumping displays.

To strengthen the relationship between the general public and the IDF, the 60th Anniversary Administration, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the IDF, organized a large variety of events. Among these are the hosting of Israel citizens in military bases and museums, and at monuments for fallen soldiers.

There was a fun family event at the Police Academy in Kiryat Ata.

The Israel police demonstrated its advanced capabilities in investigation and criminal identification, the facilities and devices it uses in its fight against crime, the skills of its special units, and the use of animals in the fight against drugs and the search for missing persons.

And there was the International Bible Contest for students that has become a tradition from Israel's 10th anniversary.

But perhaps the most fun that Israel children shared among one another was inside the walls of their schools. They worked in teams to produce colorful and creative exhibits. They produced wonderful displays and in doing so learned about Israel's many achievements over the past 60 years. How Israel was born from the ashes of the Europe Holocaust and turned the desert sand into green plants and trees. They were and are being exposed to the elements of democracy, how the Knesset works, who was Ben-Gurion, David Marcus, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, Theodore Herzl, Ann Frank, the Labor and Likud parties, voting, free speech and how to protect the environment.

Today, not much different than the children who trekked upon the Exodus in 1948, many Israel children now come to Ben-Gurion Airport on aliyah with their families to realize and maintain a dream. To restore and claim Israel's birthright, its historical greatness from the times of Masada and Gamla to learning about Entebbe and Israel's first astronaut Ilan Ramon.

But perhaps of greatest value, the children are being taught that in a free democracy, the citizens must not only exercise their freedoms but must also respect other people with tolerance and understanding. To respect other Jews regardless of their origin, color of their skin and religious observance.
To respect Israeli Arabs and Christians.

In contrast to many of the children of the soon to be state of Palestine from the West Bank to Gaza, there were no hateful Hamas Mickey Mouse or other animated Disney characters preaching hatred, supporting suicide bombers and inciting children to violence against those who are not Islamic.

Israel children grow up to fight in the Israel Defense Forces not due to instilled hatred but rather to physcially defend themselves, their family and their nation. They learn about the ultimate sacrifice made to maintain freedom and democracy. The many wars for which Israel was forced to fight from the Independence War to the Sinai Campaign, the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the two Lebanon Wars and Israel's daily battle against Islamic terrorism.

They learned that the Palestinians were given the chance to have their own state back in 1948 but chose to join invading Arab armies on the promise of owning all Jewish land. And today these Israeli students realize that Israel is not occupying anyone or any land but no different than 1948 Iran is pledging to wipe Israel off the map and as such keeping the Palestinians in poverty. That Iran is creating a tragic situation through the use of its terror puppets in Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah.

Israel children are being exposed to democracy and the highest moral values. Israel children will be among the first to help their Arab neighbors realize a better quality of life - something that Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria choose to ignore. But they know that they can only do so only after they stop seeing Jews and Christians as infidels but rather as good neighbors, friends who also share the same food, beaches parks and weather.

It will be our children - Israel's future, who will grow up ready to defend themselves but also ready to make peace. To trade bullets, bombs and tears for bread, butter and smiles.

Golda Meir said it best when meeting Egypt President Sadat in Jerusalem: "We can forgive you for killing our sons. But we will never forgive you for making us kill yours."

Israel's sons are growing up in an enlightened Jewish culture. Israel's schools and professional, underpaid and over worked teachers deserve our greatest thanks and appreciation.

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Israel Anti Terrorism Jerusalem Summit Meets German Christian Zionists On Islamic Apartheid

Israel Anti Terrorism Jerusalem Summit Meets
German Christian Zionists On Islamic Apartheid

http://www.israelnewsagency.com/islamicapartheidterrorismisraeljerusalemsummitdmitryradyshevskyzionistschristians66052008.html

By Herb Brandon
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- May 20, 2008 ....... Israel and German public figures met recently in a series of meetings which were held in Berlin and Dresden, Germany. These meetings between Jewish and Christian leaders were scheduled around Holocaust Memorial Day which commemorates the catastrophe of Jews in Europe.

The Israel delegation included Knesset members Rabbi Benny Elon, leader of the Israel National Union opposition, Shai Hermesh, member of the Israel Kadima political party, Josh Reinstein, Director of Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus and Dr. Dmitry Radyshevsky, Director of the Jerusalem Summit.

The visit, which was intiated by the Jerusalem Summit included meetings with members of the Deutsche Bundestag (German Parliament), representing different parties, and with senior officials of the German Foreign Ministry.

The Jerusalem Summit is an international conservative think-tank whose objective is developing an effective and Bible-value-based strategy for fighting the terrorism of radical Islam. The Jerusalem Summit advocates diplomatic and economic sanctions against countries practicing gender and faith apartheid. Major examples of Islamic apartheid can be witnessed in depriving women and religious minorities of equal rights.

The Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus was established in the Israel Parliament in 2004 as a lobby for building a direct line of communication, cooperation and coordination between the Israel Knesset and Christian leaders around the world.

The Jerusalem Summit visit to Germany was organized by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ). The participation of the Israel group in the German commemoration of Shoa was co-sponsored by Israel philanthropist and businessman Michael Cherney (Mikhail Chernoy).

ICEJ organized the joint visit of the Israel delegation and German pastors to Villa Wannsee, the site of the Wannsee Conference in January 1942, where the "Final Solution" became official Nazi Policy, and to the Holocaust Memorial - the new main German center of Remembrance of the Holocaust.

The Israel delegation spoke at the largest Christian pro-Israel event in Germany called "Saxon Christian Friends of Israel", timed to commemorate the Holocaust Memorial Day. The event was organized by approximately a dozen pro Israel Christian groups based in Germany.

"Today, the best way to remember the Holocaust in Germany would consist of a determined effort of German politicians and German society to focus on radical Islam - Islamic terrorism, which is a reincarnation of Fascism, and the regime of Iran that is openly preparing a nuclear Holocaust," said Jerusalem Summit's director Dr. Dmitry Radyshevsky in his speech.

"I trust that those in England, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Austria, Holland - all in Europe do realize that this is not merely a question of morality, but of their physical survival as well, since after Israel the Islamists' next target will be Christianity as a whole and Christian Europe in particular."

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On Israel 60th Birthday Bush Tells Iran, Syria, No Appeasement On Terrorism

Photo: Joel Leyden / Israel News Agency

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
http://www.israelnewsagency.com/georgebushterrorismappeasementisraelsaudiarabiapalestineiransyriaegyptperesolmert48051708.html

Jerusalem ----- May 17, 2008 ....... US President George W. Bush will leave Saudi Arabia this morning for Egypt after having visited Israel for its 60th birthday celebrations.

Upon his historic arrival at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport, Bush stated: "Israel is our strongest friend and ally in the Middle East. Our two nations both faced great challenges when they were founded. And our two nations have both relied on the same principles to help us succeed. We built strong democracies to protect the freedoms given to us by an Almighty God."

President George W. Bush was greeted by Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Israel President Shimon Peres, several other Israel dignitaries and an Israel Defense Forces 50-person strong orchestra in a colorful and warm red carpet welcome.

Bush was told by Peres: "Welcome to the new Israel: Three thousand years old, and going on sixty."

Bush spent three days in Israel visiting the Facing Tomorrow Conference, the Knesset and Masada before flying off yesterday for Saudi Arabia.

Just hours before Bush's Blue and White Air Force One arrived in Israel, a Grad type rocket produced in Iran and launched from Gaza slammed into a shopping mall in the southern Israel city of Ashkelon.

Fourteen civilians were wounded. Three people suffered severe wounds, two were moderately injured and five suffered light injuries.

Two women and a young girl were seriously wounded, Magan David Adom reported. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.

Ashkelon is a port city of 120,000 people located about 10 miles north of the Gaza Strip. The Iran rocket which hit the shopping mall was only one of at least 20 Katyusha-type rockets to have rocked the city.

Israel President Shimon Peres responded by saying that it was Hamas' actions in Gaza and Hezbollah's in Lebanon which are holding up the establishment of a Palestinian state. Shimon Peres, the winner of a Nobel Peace Price, went on to remind the world that Israel could have been living in peace with a Palestine state if the Palestinians would have accepted a state back in 1948. But rather than living in peace with the Jewish population which has a historic roots going back to the first and second temples in Jerusalem, Masada and Gamla, the Palestinians chose to join invading Arab armies with the promise of taking all Jewish land.

"As Iran calls for wiping Israel off the map, inciting hate and violence against the Jewish people, those in Teheran are actually delaying the establishment of Palestine and keeping children in Gaza in poverty," said one participant at the Facing Tomorrow Conference in Jerusalem. "Iran is doing exactly the same thing that Arab leaders did with the minds of those Arabs who lived here in 1948, giving them false hope of securing all the land and keeping these people in poverty. It is not Israel which is oppressing the Palestinian people today, it is Iran and Syria."

This is President George Bush's second trip to the middle east in five months, and his second to Israel as president.

After leaving Israel yesterday, Bush visited Saudi Arabia, where he and his delegation addressed the high price of oil. Many in the President's delegation questioned leaders in Saudi Arabia about their neglect in assisting Palestinians who live in poverty while those in Saudi Arabia eat caviar, drive Rolls Royce and fly off to their homes in France, England and the Caribbean for vacations.

Jewish leaders in Israel appeared more concerned about the quality of life for those living in Gaza and the West Bank and truly advocating the establishment of Palestine in contrast to those in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria.

Many Jewish leaders at Israel 60th birthday Facing Tomorrow Peace Conference in Jerusalem, including Israel UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman, ADL Director Abe Foxman, Sir Ronald Cohen and advertising giant Maurice Levy stated that Israel is ready to assist in investing in a state named Palestine. But that any investment in a future entity called Palestine could only be realized when terror organizations such as Iran backed Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah which call for Israel's total destruction, lay down their weapons.

"As Iran calls for wiping Israel off the map, inciting hate and violence against the Jewish people, those in Teheran are actually delaying the establishment of Palestine and keeping children in Gaza in poverty," said one participant to Facing Tomorrow Conference. "Iran is doing exactly the same thing that Arab leaders did with the minds of those Arabs who lived here in 1948, giving them false hope of securing all the land and keeping these people in poverty. It is not Israel which is oppressing the Palestinian people today, it is Iran and Syria."

George Bush used his interviews in both Israel and Saudi Arabia to criticize Hamas which controls Gaza and opposes recognition of Israel as a country.

"Their vision is to destroy Israel," Bush told Israel reporters. "How about a vision that says we want to coexist with Israel so we can raise our children in peace? Now, I'm sure, people say, 'Bush, oh man, he sounds hopelessly idealistic.' But the truth of the matter is, in order for peace to be secure, it's that kind of idealism that has got to prevail."

In his speech to the Knesset, Bush spoke about his visit to Masada and repeated the Israel pledge, saying, "Masada shall never fall again."

At the same time President George W. Bush predicted that Israel's 120th birthday would find it alongside a Palestinian state and in an all-democratic neighborhood free of today's oppression, restrictions on freedom and extremist Muslim movements.

During a speech to the Knesset, the Israel parliament, Bush limited his mention of Palestinians to just one sentence. "The Palestinian people will have the homeland they have long dreamed of and deserved, a democratic state that is governed by law, and respects human rights, and rejects terror," he said.

The President stated his opposition to negotiating with “terrorists and radicals,” and, invoking Nazi Germany, rejecting “the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.”

Shortly after the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington, then Israel Prime Minister Arik Sharon warned the United States not to "appease the Arabs at Israel's expense." Sharon made reference to the catastrophic consequences of European democracies appeasing Hitler prior to World War II, specifically citing the Munich Pact of 1938 which ceded Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland to Germany: ''Don't repeat the terrible mistakes of 1938, when the enlightened democracies in Europe decided to sacrifice Czechoslovakia for a comfortable, temporary solution. Israel will not be Czechoslovakia.''

Bush began his speech declaring with a broad and warm smile:"Yom Atzmaut Sameach," or "Happy Independence Day." President Bush denounced anti-Semitism "in all forms," and stated that "Israel has a right to defend itself".

In reaction to the speech, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said: "Bush's recognition of Palestine as the national homeland for the Jews is a very dangerous act of discrimination and racism, obliterating the right of return for Palestinians and establishing a genocide at the expense of Palestinian rights." He added: "We want to tell Bush, Israel is not going to survive another 60 years. Israel's end is drawing closer, and it will take less than 60 years to achieve it."

"Some people suggest that if the United States would just break ties with Israel, all our problems in the Middle East would go away," said Bush. "This is a tired argument that buys into the propaganda of our enemies, and America rejects it utterly. Israel's population may be just over 7 million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because America stands with you."

Bush's trip to Egypt follows a one-day visit to Riyadh, where he met King Abdullah and secured a promise of a Saudi Arabia increase in oil output in response to his repeated appeals for help in easing record world oil prices

President Bush will meet Egypt President Hosni Mubarak and Afghan President Hamid Karzai as well as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas today. Bush will meet with Jordan King Abdullah, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Iraq officials on Sunday at an international economic forum.

The above text was edited and SEO optimized for the Internet by Joel Leyden.

Video - Historic Visit By US President George W. Bush 60th Birthday

The Israel News Agency covered the historic arrival of US President George W. Bush for Israel's 60th birthday anniversary celebrations and the Shimon Peres Facing Tomorrow Conference in Jerusalem, Israel. President Bush is greeted by Israel President Shimon Peres, Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other dignitaries.

Israel21C, Yael Naim Produce Powerful, Creative Video for Israel 60th Birthday

Israel21C, Yael Naim Produce Powerful, Creative Video for Israel 60th Birthday

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- May 9, 2008 ....... Israel21C, a non-profit, non-political Website which creates, aggregates and broadly disseminates high-quality information to the American public, has produced a truly colorful and uplifting video in celebration of Israel's 60th birthday.

Israel21C's which describes her mission as delivering news to the global public which transcends the pervasive imagery of conflict that characterizes so much of western media reporting.

"Our goal is to strengthen the vibrant and enduring partnership between the United States and Israel, and between Americans and Israelis," says Israel21C Executive Vice President Larry Weinberg.

The Israel 60th birthday video is entitled: The Faces and Places of Israel in the 21st Century.

The video is compilation of the many diverse faces and places in Israel. The 60th birthday video of Israel carries a musical soundtrack, a sweet tune by French - Israeli Yael Naim - I'm A New Soul - which is hard to forget. Without any doubt this new video from Israel21C celebrates the diversity, vibrancy, innovativeness and beauty of Israel in the most simple and basic manner.

Weinberg recently introduced Israel21C's new, enriched Website. The site embraces positive news about Israel, everything from health, technology, medicine and democracy to Israel wine, food and music. Weinberg promises that over 15 pro-Israel stories will appear on the site per week.

Israel12C also features Faces of Israel, illustrating everyday a new and different Israeli who will talk about their life and passions about Israel.

Another feature of Israel21C is a newsletter blog entitled Israelity which recently featured: The secret weapon of the stars - Israel bodyguards, EcoOcean where Jacques Cousteau would have been proud of Israel non-profit organization EcoOcean. Solving product problems with Israel's FixYa. An Israel start-up company that developed an online service which gathers all product support information scattered through the Internet in a single user-friendly location. More importantly, however, the site is also a huge Q and A knowledge base that is constantly updated by a live community of experts and consumers who share their experience of technical problems and solutions.

Israel21C also highlights how the music of Israel's David Broza brings Masada to American TV viewers. A feature on Chaim BePlus, Living on the plus side of the bank in Israel and Mindy Wenner Ajzner, an Israel immigrant from Toronto, who decided that instead of just giving charity to help the poor of Israel, she would create an organization to help them learn how to handle their finances. Chaim BePlus (living on the plus side) was set up in November 2006 to train youngsters in money management using an education model provided by the US National Endowment for Financial Education fund. The courses have been such a success that today Azjner has expanded the classes to parents, teachers and senior citizen groups. And finally an Israel design for an 'Energy Tower' which may reverse the very process of global warming.

Israel21C discovers and produces news and feature material which highlights Israel's many accomplishments. These include: The cell phone which was developed in Israel by Israelis working in the Israel branch of Motorola, has its largest development center in Israel. Most of the Windows NT and XP operating systems were developed by Microsoft - Israel. The Pentium MMX Chip technology was designed in Israel at Intel. Both the Pentium-4 microprocessor and the Centrino processor were entirely designed, developed, and produced in Israel. The Pentium microprocessor in your computer was most likely made in Israel. Voice mail technology was developed in Israel. Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R&D facilities outside the US in Israel.

The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis. According to industry officials, Israel designed the airline industry's most impenetrable flight security. US officials now look to Israel for advice on how to handle airborne security threats. Israel's $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined. Israel has the highest percentage in the world of home computers per capita. Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world. Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation by a large margin - 109 per 10,000 people - as well as one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed.

In proportion to its population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world. In absolute terms, Israel has the second largest number of startup companies after the US (3,500 companies mostly in hi-tech).

With more than 3,000 high-tech companies and startups, Israel has the highest concentration hi-tech companies in the world - apart from the Silicon Valley, US. Israel is ranked number 2 in the world for venture capital funds right behind the US. After the United States and Canada, Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ listed companies. Israel has the highest average living standards in the Middle East. The per capita income in 2000 was over $17,500, exceeding that of the UK. On a per capita basis, Israel has the largest number of biotech startups. Twenty-four percent of Israel's workforce hold university degrees - ranking it third in the industrialized world, after the United States and Holland - and 12 percent hold advanced degrees.

Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East. In 1984 and 1991, Israel airlifted a total of 22,000 Ethiopian Jews at risk in Ethiopia to safety in Israel. When Golda Meir was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969, she became the world's second elected female leader in modern times. When the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, was bombed in 1998, Israeli rescue teams were on the scene within a day - and saved three victims from the rubble.

Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship - and the highest rate among women and among people over 55 - in the world. Relative to its population, Israel is the largest immigrant-absorbing nation on earth. Immigrants come in search of democracy, religious freedom, and economic opportunity. Israel was the first nation in the world to adopt the Kimberly process, an international standard that certifies diamonds as "conflict free."

Israel has the world's second highest per capita rate of publishing new books.
Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees, made more remarkable because this was achieved in an area considered mainly desert. Israel has more museums per capita than any other country.

In the field of medicine, Israeli scientists developed the first fully computerized, no-radiation diagnostic instrumentation for breast cancer.

An Israel company developed a computerized system for ensuring proper administration of medications, thus removing human error from medical treatment. Every year in US hospitals 7,000 patients die from treatment
mistakes. Israel's Givun Imaging developed the first ingestible video camera, so small it fits inside a pill. Used to view the small intestine from the inside, the camera
helps doctors diagnose cancer and digestive disorders.

Researchers in Israel developed a new device that directly helps the heart pump blood, an innovation with the potential to save lives among those with heart failure. The new device is synchronized with the heart's mechanical operations through a sophisticated system of sensors.

Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per 10,000, as opposed to 85 in the US, over 70 in Japan, and fewer than 60 in Germany. With over 25 percent of its work force employed in technical professions, Israel places first in this category as well. A new acne treatment developed in Israel, the ClearLight device, produces a high-intensity, ultraviolet-light-free, narrow-band blue light that causes acne bacteria to self-destruct - all without damaging surroundings skin or tissue.

An Israel company was the first to develop and install a large-scale solar-powered and fully functional electricity generating plant (in southern California's Mojave desert).

The above, positive achievements by Israel for humanity in her first 60 years speaks volumes.
One can only imagine what the next 60 years will bring in enhancing the quality of life for Jewish, Christian and Muslim children and their children's lives.

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Video Captures Israel Remembering IDF Fallen, Terror Victims

Video Captures Israel Remembering IDF Fallen, Terror Victims

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- May 7, 2008 ....... As sunset falls on Israel, thousands of ordinary people gather in every city and town. They come to attend solemn ceremonies for Yom Hazikaron, the day to remember and pay respect for those who gave their lives to defend Israel.

The names of over 22,400 soldiers and terror victims are called out and their photographs are displayed on large screens. Brave IDF soldiers who fought in every war since 1948, police who were killed protecting the civilian population, members of the Shabak and Mossad are honored.

Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel's Wars is commemorated a week after Holocaust Remembrance Day, as a day of remembrance for those who fell in the struggle for the establishment of the State of Israel and in its defense.

The Israel News Agency filmed a video this morning to illustrate what it felt and sounded like before, during and after the two minute air raid siren sounded for Remembrance Day in a town in central Israel.

At 8 p.m. and then again at 11 a.m. the following morning, loud, wailing air raid sirens are heard throughout Israel for two minutes. People and cars freeze in their places. Silence is observed as everyone stands and bows their heads in respect. For 24 hours all places of entertainment are closed and television programming is dedicated to those who have and continue to defend Israel.

All of Israel has the opportunity to remember its debt and express its eternal gratitude to its sons and daughters who gave their lives for the achievement of the country's independence and its continued existence.

"The siren sounded across the country and the clock of life in Israel stopped for one minute," said Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the opening of his speech at the Remembrance Day ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Israel.

"Israel Remembrance Day is a sad day but bereft of all strife and very Israeli," Olmert said. "Anyone who identifies with the flag, even if he is on the other end of the planet will identify with this day. No one in Israel is estranged from the impact of loss."

"Only you, the families, take part in the world of the loved ones who are gone," Olmert said. "Dear families, I cannot console you with words, for they do not offer relief for the sorrow."

"Our entire national existence depends on our willingness and ability to defend ourselves, to battle the enemy. Your sons and daughters gave their lives for a supreme cause," the Prime Minister said.

"Peace and not war is our ends and the thing we long for."

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Israel 60th Birthday Peres Presidential Conference - Facing Tomorrow

Israel 60th Birthday Peres Presidential Conference - Facing Tomorrow

By David Marcus
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ----- May 7, 2008 ....... The idea could only have started with Israel President Shimon Peres, the man who has witnessed up close and person more historic events during Israel's first six decades of statehood than arguably any other person alive today, going back to 1948 when he was one of founding Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion closest, and youngest advisers.

Peres decided last year that it was not enough to review the Jewish state's achievements, challenges and milestones reflectively. Rather, the emphasis for Israel must be on looking forward. Thus was conceived the first annual Israel Presidential Conference, a three-day unparalleled assembly of some of the world's "best and brightest," including equally large representations of Presidents and Prime Ministers, current and past, and Nobel Laureates, to name but two special categories that will be fully represented at the gathering in Jerusalem, Israel from May 13 to May 15.

Thus was the flagship international event commemorating Israel's 60th Anniversary celebrations was born, with Israel President Shimon Peres hosting his premiere “Facing Tomorrow” Conference which will welcome many international leaders to Jerusalem including President George Bush. The Conference was initiated personally by Israel President Peres to address the three main “tomorrows:" the Israel tomorrow, the global tomorrow and the Jewish tomorrow.

Israel President Shimon Peres. One of Israel's founding fathers
and the catalyst for the first Israel President's Conference.

In attendance, in addition to many national presidents and heads of state will be dignitaries from the worlds of business and academia. Among them are Sergey Brin, founder of Google and Susan Decker of Yahoo. Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson will be serving as the honorary chairpersons for the Israel 60th Birthday Presidential Conference which has enthusiastically attracted the attention of Jewish leaders and others worldwide.

The entire cost of the Israel Presidential Conference has been raised privately through a historic fundraising initiative chaired by Elliot Broidy, Chairman of Markstone Capital Partners and supported by a committee of two-dozen business people from across the international community.

US President George W. Bush will be a headline guest of the conference, serving as keynote speaker at a celebratory dinner marking 60 years of Israel - American friendship. A multi-media gala event will pay tribute to the historic alliance between the two countries featuring entertainment acts from both countries and addresses by US President George W. Bush and Israel President Shimon Peres as well as Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Present and former presidents, prime ministers and senior officials from 27 countries will take part in the conference.

Jewish Nobel Prize winners will pool their brain power to offer insights about what tomorrow will look like. Key luminaries in economics, science, technology, medicine and philosophy will take part in the major plenary sessions, as well as in 35 panels that seek no lesser a goal than to help shape the face of tomorrow.

Facing Tomorrow will be a conference of focused exploration, a synergistic gathering of major world leaders, Jews and non-Jews, thinkers and doers, poets and physicists, rabbis and entrepreneurs, including the next generation of leadership - young men and women of exceptional promise and originality.

In addition to plenary meetings, working groups and a host of keynote speakers, 39 panels will span a broad spectrum of topics, from Economic Strategy as an Engine of Peace to Wrestling with Creation: Medical Ethics and New Discoveries in Research and Treatment; from The Jewish Self and Jewish Collective Identity in an Era of Multiple Identities to Constructing Dialog with Islam, New Roles for Religious and Cultural Leaders. Most panels, plenary meetings and keynote addresses will be simulcast on the World Wide Web.

Each “tomorrow” - Jewish, Israel, and world - will be examined through a set of four critical lenses: The value systems that are meant to guide our conduct, the leadership necessary to navigate the challenges ahead, the creativity required to embrace the new, and the notion of evolving, mutable, and sometimes multiple identities as we attempt to keep pace with a rapidly changing and digitally interconnected world.

Participants at the Israel Presidential Conference Facing Tomorrow will grapple with the forces and trends, global and local, that are redrawing the contours of the future. This, however, is only one aspect of the conference's work. Facing Tomorrow will also be a laboratory for practical initiatives intended to nurture the thriving of Israel, of the Jewish people, of humanity.

Across the millennia, the echoes of the Jewish biblical prophets have been heard, repeated, and often gone unheeded. Envisaging a just and peaceful tomorrow, they charted our thorny way forward, and gave us the moral armor for the journey. With great passion, they instructed us to explore and shape a better future, and continue to provide us with the inspiration and commitment to do so. In the spirit of the magnitude of the prophets' vision, and yet with all due humility, Facing Tomorrow will address the challenges and opportunities that await us.

Even well before the Israel 60th Birthday Presidential Conference, it is already nearly impossible to find an available hotel room in Jerusalem. Eight Israel hotels in Jerusalem have announced that they are at full capacity. Ben Gurion Airport is readying itself for non-stop arrivals as President's Conference guests from around the world stream in to Israel.

At Binyanei HaUma, the Israel President's conference site, employees are working non-stop to transform this Jerusalem, Israel convention center into a world-class venue for the various plenary and panel sessions. Hundreds of stewards and students will host the conference attendees, and the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing to welcome and assist the many world leaders.

The Israel Presidents Conference communications team includes 50 seasoned spokespeople and public relations professionals to serve the hundreds of journalists from Israel and abroad expected to cover this extraordinary event. A media center has been built at the convention site that can serve around 400 members of the media.

"This Conference is one of those rare larger than life assemblies, totally imbued not only with history and reflection, but with important insights into how we can create a better future for all mankind," said Charley J. Levine, the international media consultant to Facing Tomorrow and perhaps Israel's leading and most respected international PR professional.

"The global media will help convey these exciting discussions to every corner of the earth," said Levine. "There is something unique and deeply meaningful about this event, as very wise people from different walks of life resume the prophetic function that has been associated with Jerusalem, Israel for millennia - truly the word will be coming out of Jerusalem in May in a significant manner for the Jewish people and all humanity."

The Israel President's Conference has been identified by Israel President Shimon Peres as the ideal avenue to communicate Israel's many accomplishments to the international community. A major highlight of the three day event will be an extensive exhibition featuring 60 of Israel's leading companies whose innovations are seen as positively benefiting humanity in truly revolutionary ways.

The JPPPI, an independent think tank, supported in part by the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), is the organizational body responsible for the conference. Israel Maimon, Israel's former Cabinet Secretary is the Conference Chairman and Israel Ambassador Avi Gil is the Director of Conference Content.

"This Conference is one of those rare, larger than life assemblies, totally imbued not only with history and reflection, but with important insights into how we can create a better future for all mankind." Charley J. Levine, the international media consultant to Facing Tomorrow.

Senior statesmen and world leaders scheduled to attend include Dr. Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State, Va'clav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic, Leonid Kuchma, former President of Ukraine, Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the USSR, Wahid Abdurraham, former President of Indonesia and Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the UK.

Leaders in the fields of technology and the global economy include: Sergey Brin, founder of Google, Susan Decker, President of Yahoo!, Terry Semel, founder and former President of Yahoo!, Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group, Rupert Murdoch, Chariman of News Corporation, Susan Greenfield, British scientist, writer, broadcaster, and member of the House of Lords, Morris Levy - CEO of Publicis Corporation and Martin Sorel - CEO of the WPP Advertising Group.

In addition, seven Jewish Nobel Prize winners will take part in a special Israel 60th Birthday First President's Conference discussion grappling with the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Other Jewish intellectuals participating include Bernard-Henri Le'vy, Professor Alan Dershowitz and Professor Todd Gitlin.

The above Israel News Agency story was edited and optimized SEO for the Internet by Joel Leyden.

Support Israel - Send her a Birthday Card
and help Israel's charities!

ISRAEL NEWS AGENCY

Friends of Israel Create Israel 60 Birthday Card Website

Friends of Israel Create Israel 60 Birthday Card Website

Site Donations to Charities To be over 1.2 Mil

For Immediate Release
Contact: Joel Leyden
Leyden Communications (Israel) / Friends of Israel
Tel. 972-528568396
israelmarketing@gmail.com

Jerusalem ----- April 30, 2008 ....... Friends of Israel has created an Israel 60th Birthday celebration Website to secure global support for Israel and to provide relief for Israel charities.

"The world is full of people who hate Israel for no reason other than it simply exists," says Aharon Grundman, Friends of Israel Vice President of International Marketing. "It makes no difference what Israel does, how many people this small democracy helps or how it struggles to defend itself. Israel will always remain wrong by default and by ignorance for many."

To counter this bias, Friends of Israel has created an Israel 60 Anniversary Birthday Website (IsraelBirthday.com) where every citizen of the world can illustrate their love, faith and respect for Israel and what it stands for as Israel celebrates her 60th birthday anniversary celebration.

The Israel 60 Birthday Website enables hundreds of thousands of supporters from around the world to post a personal Happy Birthday card to Israel. Every Friends of Israel supporter will have their name, picture, and message proudly placed on IsraelBirthday.com.

"This call will be heard worldwide, loud and clear saying" 'Israel, we're with you whenever you need us. United we stand'," says Grundman.

In addition, in honor of Israel's 60th birthday anniversary, all supporters posting on the site will automatically be entered to win an all-expense-paid trip to Israel for two. The proceeds will be distributed among Israel's top charities.

Friends of Israel was created by a group of Americans who care about Israel's future.

"There are millions of people out there who share the happiness of the people of Israel on its diamond anniversary. Yet, they have been missing an effective method for expressing their joy to the people of Israel. Furthermore, we believe this to be an all-important vote of confidence in the basic goodness of Israel. The importance of this show of solidarity cannot be overemphasized," says Ari Flynn, President of Friends of Israel.

"This is a crucial junction in the history of Israel. Political demands on Israel have become so insane that the only antidote is unconditional support," adds Grundman. "We are here to declare that Israel is a democracy that is fundamentally good and moral and an asset to all of humanity. Thousands are out there condemning Israel's every move."

"What Israel needs is people - ordinary people - to come along and just stand by it and provide it with the love and moral support it needs to face its challenges," says Flynn.

Friends of Israel is reaching out to every American, every citizen of Europe and every nation in Asia. "From New York, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles to London, Madrid, Rome, Paris and Tokyo, Friends of Israel wants people to stand up and be counted for their support of Israel while at the same time contributing to charities in Israel," says Flynn.

"It's vital to note that Friends of Israel has no political agenda and offers no opinions. Friends of Israel isn't right-winged, centrists or leftist. Personally, some of us are right-wingers, some left-wingers, and others are centrists - but we leave that all behind. We're not here to advise Israel what it should or shouldn't do. We're here to offer pure and unconditional, love," explains Flynn.

Among the major Israel charities associated with the Friends of Israel 60th Birthday Website is the Jewish National Fund, Nefesh B'Nefesh, American Friends of Magen David Adom, the One Family Fund, Aish, Yad Sarah, Yad Eliezer, StandWithUs, Chai Lifeline and many others.

Friends of Israel's 60 Birthday Celebration Website is expected to reach over 40 million people through their Website and aims at generating over 2 million dollars for Israeli charities which provide food, shelter and medical care for those in need.

To show your support, please visit www.IsraelBirthday.com today.

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