PM Sharon Addresses NY Jewish Community

This past March 21st, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon addressed some fifteen hundred supporters at New York's Sheraton Hotel. The event, sponsored by Israel Bonds and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, focused on the current crisis in Israel and the responsibility that American Jews must bear in such difficult times.

The evening's tone was set by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who, after presenting the Prime Minister with a specially-fitted extra-large Yankees jacket and NYPD hats with Hebrew lettering for his grandchildren, proceeded to compare the situation in Israel with that of America and England in the 1930's. Just as a policy of appeasement did not work then, warned Mayor Giuliani, it cannot work today. The mayor went on to quote President Lincoln, in asserting that "just as a house divided against itself cannot stand, a Jerusalem divided cannot stand." The remark drew a standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd.

After a few brief remarks from Conference of Presidents Chairman Ronald Lauder and the CEO of Israel Bonds, Gideon Patt, Prime Minister Sharon took the stage. He began by explaining that he would address American Jews in a similar fashion to that which he employed in recent meetings with President Bush and Secretary of State Powell. In short, he stressed the "five pillars" necessary for Israel's survival in the next century: security, immigration, education, increased building, and economic growth. Specifically, Sharon outlined his desires: to keep Palestinian cities open while stopping terrorists directly without collective punishment; to bring one million new immigrants to Israel by the year 202; to update the Israeli economy, in particular its strong hi-tech industry; and to build "areas of national priority," like desalination plants and new power sources. With regard to education, Sharon seemed to echo the opinion expressed by Yoram Hazony during a presentation at Yeshiva University last month, stressing the need for textbooks and curricula which would provide children with a sense of pride in their Jewish and Zionist identity. The audience responded to Sharon's remarks with a sustained standing ovation.

The pouring rain and 35 mph wind gusts did not dampen the spirits of the packed ballroom, but also failed to deter the nine or ten vociferous protesters who stood outside the Plaza, shouting "Down with Israel, the illegal terrorist state!"

Overall, however, the evening was viewed as a great success, giving the new Prime Minister a chance to interact with the American Jewish Community, which in turn relished the opportunity to express their support for Israel's new leader.