Israeli President Issues Independence Day Greeting In English

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By JTA May 1, 2017

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli President Reuven Rivlin released an Israel Independence Day greeting in English, in which he called it “the Independence Day of all the Jewish people.”

“Sixty-nine years ago, in the moments just after David Ben Gurion declared the birth of the State of Israel, we all went out to dance in the streets. We celebrated a hope which came true: to be a free people in our land, in Jerusalem,” Rivlin said.

“My generation, who dreamed to see an Israeli pilot fly above them, got to see Israeli satellites circle the globe. Our young state, in a difficult neighborhood has become a center of learning and doing. The nation that wandered for hundreds of years looking for shelter, has built universities and Yeshivot,” he added.

Rivlin thanked on behalf of all Israelis the Jews around the world who “give so much to help Israel and Israeli society grow.”

“This is your celebration too,” he said.

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