Israel Independence Day: Jewish State Marks Its 63rd Birthday
President Shimon Peres congratulated Israel on its 63rd birthday during Tuesday’s Independence Day celebration at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, stressing that Israel has come a long way since its establishment.
“We proved we can create a budding garden out of obstinate ground,” Peres said during a ceremony with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz.
Peres also commented on the current turmoil in the Middle East, saying, “I am sure the entire region will learn that terror has no future, tyranny has no point and that there is a true need for freedom and respect for all men.”
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
