In our back yard under the olive trees?shade many guests usually come for the summer and each of them has his own language and his own way to say hello
An Italian boy says
bon journo a French girl says bon jour Ken from Japan says ohayo when he comes for a visit
Hi from Hawaii says
aloha Tanya from Britain says hello everyone who comes to our home has his own hello
We have painted
the fence mowed the lawn and all the kids of the world will now be able to open wide the green gate and offer a greeting from far away
Junia from Kenya
will say Jambo to me Yan from Greece will say kalimera Chin from China will say ni hao and stay until the next day
Gil from Brazil
will say bom dia Koko from Morocco will say ahalan and the greetings he will give me will be the prettiest of them all
In our back yard under the shade of a blossoming tree the kids of the world come to visit in our back yard the kids of the whole world dance in a circle and say hello
------------------------------------------
I am sure that if my dear friend, our national
poet Naomi Shemer was with us today,
she would have gladly added a supplement to the song from
the Marshall Islands, that says: - YOKWE?
My parents: Hanna and Yitzhak Rahav; Hila’s parents:
Sarah and Dr. Jonah Klein, my dear son and my beloved wife.
Dear guests,
“WOW”?
About 20 years ago I ran right here in the morning
with a huge bouquet to welcome the first guest to the Dan
Panorama hotel in Tel-Aviv, the latest acquisition of the
Federman family, a hotel considered the least successful
hotel of the state of Israel since it was established.
Others were here before the Federmans ?the Hyatt hotel,
Astoria, Larom, but since the day the Federmans conquered
it, it became a success story.
Yekutiel Federman and Semo Federman, the founders of the
hotels, Mickey Federman, chairman of the company, and Ami
Federman, deputy chairman of the company, asked Viktor Sasson,
the legendary CEO of Dan Panorama Tel-Aviv:
“Who is this person running around here during the opening
of the hotel?”?and Viktor Sasson, who to my regret has not
been with us for several years now, explained. It didn’t
help much, and questions keeps on flowing?who is this?
Within days, the hotel became the most highly publicized
hotel in Israel, and the rest is history?/p>
But not a day goes by that I don’t think back
and remember the first moments, when I met Hayim Shaked,
then vice CEO of the hotel and today the CEO of the King
David hotel in Jerusalem, who gave me my first audience and
suggested that I be a doorman, a bellboy or an assistant
in reception, since I had no hotelier training.
I bid him farewell, since I have already done similar jobs
from the age of 15 and until the army. But when I was discharged,
I made a decision ?to start a career!
I went abroad, and when I returned, the phone rang, and it
was Hayim Shaked who asked me: “are you still interested
in working for us? The Intifada began, and the designation
of the hotel was changed from overseas businessmen to Israelis,
and we are looking for someone to do guest relations?I eventually
turned into a public relations and entertainment director,
and then, following a Hungary month I did with Peretz Altman
and chef Sander Goldstein, Ami Federman gave me my break,
and I was made spokesman for the Dan Hotels Company.
Later, Baruch Ibtcher, whom I knew through Yollanda Rosenthal
who worked with me at the Dan Panorama, opened with me Ran
Rahav Communications and Public Relations Ltd.
So this breakfast today is twice as exciting for
me.
About six months ago, I was offered the position of honorary
consul of the Marshall Islands in Israel. I went to the general
assembly; it was a time of black rain in New-York, the villain
?Ahmadinejad was participating at the general assembly,
and the atmosphere was harsh.
After leaving the assembly with his Excellency, the president
of the Marshall Islands ?Kessai Note, I felt that there
were still, at the end of the world, people who love and
admire my people ?the citizens of the state of Israel.
You can’t imagine what an amazing feeling it is, after the
visit of the Iranian villain in New-York, to suddenly meet
a man, whose only wish in life is to preserve relations with
the state of Israel.
I have been privileged to represent the Marshall Islands
in Israel, thus trying to convey to about 70,000 citizens
of this country the gratitude of the state of Israel.
I am proud that the flag of the Marshall Islands is raised
next to the flag of Israel at the entrance to our home and
office, and of course here, at the Dan Panorama in Tel-Aviv.
I truly hope that one day we shall be able to hold such a
breakfast in the Marshall Islands. It is, indeed, a 30 hour
flight, but it will be well worth flying there together?/p>
This is a wonderful opportunity to thank the head
of ceremonies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador
Yitzhak Eldan, to the Israeli ambassador to the Marshall
Islands and to 11 other countries in the Pacific Ocean, Ambassador
Michael Ronen, for their tremendous assistance and for their
professionalism.
I have found a huge Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with amazing
people, whose only wish is to perform explanatory works regarding
Israel and show Israel diplomacy at its best.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Rina Cohen
from the Ceremonies Department and all the wonderful people
who are performing holy work for our country in Jerusalem.
Before I finish, a short word on friendship.
We have with us here today friends who have accompanied us
for over 20 years, some of them are third-generation friendships?
one of these is Eyal Davids, honorary consul for Brazil in
Haifa, the son of Rivka and Moshe, who were of my first friends.
He has helped me at the beginning of my diplomatic road,
and I wish to thank him deeply.
One last thing in conclusion. Yesterday, sixteen years ago,
some of you were with me in the most important celebration
of my life. To remind you, it was the same breakfast, at
the very same time, it was in Dan Acadia.
I will not end before mentioning again and again
that my loved ones ?the prime-minister and minister of defense
Yitzhak Rabin RIP, murdered by a heinous murderer, and his
beloved wife and my dear friend Lea Rabin,
are terribly missed by me, today more than ever.
Thanks:
Head chef Dan Panorama in Tel-Aviv ?Mickey Nir
Events director of the hotel - Sigalit Horowitz
The entire team of waiters, headed by Mr. Bebber
Hemi Michaeli, CEO of Bold Productions
Music Plus
Hanni Levin
Sharon Goldberg
CO45
