A Rosh Hashanah greeting from President Rivlin to the global Jewish community

President of Israel, H.E. Reuven Rivlin sent the following message to Jewish communities on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah: 

“Our dearest friend in the World Jewish Congress, it is a great pleasure to greet you on this occasion as we celebrate Rosh Hashana and use that opportunity to thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our heart for your extraordinary partnership with the Jewish democratic State of Israel and for all that you do to counter antisemitism and to support Jewish communities all around the world.  

Dear friends, or as we say in Hebrew acheinu kol beit Israel. Our dear brothers and sisters around the world, this past year has been one of highs and lows. For most of the year, we have all been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. We have lost loved ones. Our schools, synagogues and community centers have been closed and we still face great uncertainty about the future. As the year ends, and the new year begins, we are all hoping and praying that the new year will bring us a cure for the coronavirus and that we will, once again, be able to meet each other in person and return to our normal lives. I hope and believe that these times have reminded us that kol Israel arevim ze la ze- that the entire Jewish people are one family, that we must take responsibility for one another and that what unites us is much greater than what divides.   

Dear friends, in the last weeks we are witnessing a historic moment for Israel and the Middle East with a peace agreement between Israel and the Emirates. I hope that this new spirit of cooperation will help us move forward with our Palestinian neighbors and with all the countries of the Middle East as well. May the coming year be a year in which the bonds between Israel and the diaspora and between Jewish communities everywhere grow stronger and stronger. From Jerusalem I would like to wish you all shana tovah u’metukah. May you all be blessed with happiness, joy and good health. I look forward to welcoming you, next year in Jerusalem. G-d bless. G-d bless you all and shana tovah u’metukah.”