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Thank you Yitzhak and Miriam

צילום: פלאש90

Translation by Yehoshua Siskin

Thank you, Yizhak Herzog for the words you said upon being elected the new President of Israel: "Here I am, poor in deeds. (Note: these are the words chanted by the chazzan at the opening of the Musaf prayer on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.) I am grateful for being given this grave responsibility. I am grateful for Miriam Peretz, Israeli heroine (Note: two of her sons, both IDF officers, were killed in action), for being a symbol to all Israeli citizens, for standing tall despite infinite pain, for choosing life."

And thank you Miriam Peretz for your concession speech which was actually a victory speech. "I was privileged to run against a dear person whom I admire and esteem. Do you have any idea what an honor it is to run against such a worthy opponent? . . . In the Haftarah that we read on Shabbat, it is written: 'Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion.' (Zechariah 2:14) I am a daughter of Zion who came on aliyah from Morocco, lived in a transit camp, and ran for the Presidency of israel. This is joy. This is pride. At the close of the same Haftarah, we read: 'Not by military force, not by physical strength,' not by the number of mandates or any other calculation, 'but by My spirit says the Lord of hosts.' (Zechariah 4:6) This spirit in me will persist."

Congratulations, Yitzhak Herzog. Miriam Peretz will continue to serve in the one and only position of being Miriam Peretz. Thanks to both of you for reminding us how it's possible to conduct elections here, with mutual respect.

May we quickly merit to welcome the ultimate nasi (prince or president), the leader foreseen by the prophet Ezekiel: "And they shall dwell on the land that I have given to My servant, to Jacob, where your forefathers lived; and they shall dwell upon it, they and their children and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever." (Ezekiel 37:25)

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