Hundreds of US and Israeli politicians, Jewish leaders and CEOs celebrated the US Embassy move to Jerusalem at an OU reception on May 14. The gala breakfast reception was held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem, just hours before the official ceremony. OU leadership celebrated in a reception in New York as well, in the private residence of Israeli Consul General Dani Dayan.
In Jerusalem
“We express gratitude to President Trump and the leaders of his administration for being catalysts in fulfilling, at long last, the promise to move the embassy to its rightful location, for recognizing that the time had come, and the time was now,” said OU Executive Vice President Allen Fagin.
Since 1972, the OU has been at the forefront of the American Jewish community in advocating for the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
Former Israel Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau chatting with Ambassador Friedman.
Israeli television and print journalist Sivan Rahav-Meir, Event MC and Miriam Peretz, Israel Prize Recipient
Mr. Fagin; Mimi Jankovits, Executive Director, OU Advocacy/Teach Florida and Governor of Florida Rick Scott.
Dignitaries at the event included:
Uri Ariel, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Naftali Bennett, Minister of Education
Rav Eli Ben Dahan, Deputy Minister of Defense
Ze’ev Elkin, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Minister of Environmental Protection
David Friedman, US Ambassador to Israel
Jason Greenblatt, US Special Representative for International Negotiations
Isaac Herzog, Head of the Opposition
Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel
Steven Mnuchin, US Secretary of Treasury
H.E. Amb. Michael Oren, Former Ambassador to the United States, Member of Knesset
Rick Scott, Governor of Florida
Ayelet Shaked, Minister of Justice
Watch the Recording of the OU Celebration
In New York
Along with the OU reception in Jerusalem, more than eighty members of the OU’s Benefactor’s Circle gathered at the New York private residence of Dani Dayan, the Consul General of Israel in New York, to celebrate the US Embassy’s relocation. Nathan Diament, Executive Director of the OU Advocacy Center, Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York and Ambassador Dayan shared insights on the importance and relevance of Israel’s capital, followed by a live simulcast of the dedication of the US Embassy.
Executive Director of the OU Advocacy Center Nathan Diament with Drew and Careena Parker from Englewood, New Jersey.
Jason Goldstein; OU Senior Vice President Emanuel Adler and Allen Lieberman.
Israel Consul General Dani Dayan.
“We have been waiting for this day for 70 years. The world applauds the United States when it returns to the leadership position in the world.”
– US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman