On Tuesday night, over 1,200 community members from across Los Angeles and southern California were in attendance for a special briefing by Michael B. Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
Jewish Federation Los Angeles and the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles partnered on the communitywide event, and thank Rabbi David Baron and the Temple of the Arts for hosting. Attendees included members from a broad cross section of Jewish organizations and synagogues, as well as numerous civic and community leaders.
Ambassador Oren spoke of the historic similarities between the founding of America and the establishment of Israel as a Jewish state, as well as the long-standing relationship between the two countries. He shared how his background, growing up on the East Coast and prior to making aliyah to Israel, has informed his role as Ambassador to the United States.
Following the Ambassador’s opening remarks he was joined on stage by Emmy-winning newscaster Steve Edwards. Their dialogue covered a range of topics including prospects for peace with the Palestinians, Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Israel’s economy, the technology behind Israel’s Iron Dome system and new defense systems that will be even more advanced. During the conversation, Ambassador Oren provided his viewpoints on Egypt’s role in the cease-fire following the recent conflict with Hamas, and their motivations for doing such despite Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s many anti-Semitic speeches and comments.
Among his many accolades, Ambassador Oren was named by The Forward and the The Jerusalem Post as one of the world’s most influential Jews. The Ambassador is a dynamic speaker, and everyone at the event was riveted by his unique perspective on world events.
For more information about the event or The Jewish Federation’s work advocating for Israel and its people, please contact Israel@JewishLA.org.
Photos by Joseph Scarnici
