The Chanukah celebrations at Manhattan Day School were even brighter this year, thanks to a visit from Consul General of Israel Dani Dayan. Ambassador Dayan visited MDS on Thursday, December 14, meeting privately with the Israel Advocacy team, Stand With Israel, before a powerful talk with seventh and eighth grade students.
“Ambassador Dayan’s moving words about the message of Chanukah, the eternal connection of our people to Israel and Israel in the world today really resonated with our students,” noted Head of School Raizi Chechik. “We are grateful for his partnership in inspiring the next generation of leaders at MDS.”
The Stand With Israel team’s presentation, “An Analysis of Israel: Surviving and Thriving, A Modern Approach to Zionism,” focused on several key areas of study: The Biblical/Religious connection, by Ava Eden and Henya Fortgang; NGO: Agenda and Narrative, by Tyler Fischman; BDS: The Campaign against Israel, by Cailey Erber; Hate and the American Campus, by Sophia Heller, Shoshana Horowitz and Leah Roth; Propaganda and the Press, by Max Korenman and Eitan Zomberg; Israel’s Technological and Environmental Advances, by Eitan Weinberg; and The Advances in Defense and the World of Medicine, by Avi Herman.
“Ambassador Dayan motivated our MDS Israel advocacy group to educate all who will listen about Israel’s accomplishments and achievements,” commented Judy Melzer, associate principal and Israel Advocacy Program coordinator.
The students appreciated the respect and encouragement they received from the Ambassador.
“Ambassador Dayan was impressed with our presentation, which emphasized the legitimacy of the biblical and historical connection of the Jews to the land of Israel,” says Ava Eden, who presented with Henya Fortgang. “It was a huge honor, as a proud advocate for our nation’s homeland, to be able to present in front of such an important Israeli figure.”
The Ambassador also stressed the significance of relaying a positive message about Israel. He praised the presentations about the advances Israel has made in the medical, environmental and technological areas given by Avi Herman and Eitan Weinberg.
“I really enjoyed Ambassador Dayan’s speech,” says Herman. “It opened my eyes to the anti-Israel campaigns and how prevalent they are. It’s amazing how Israel deals with this on a daily basis and always takes the high road. I am so proud of Israel’s behavior.”
The visit encouraged the formation of a new component of Stand With Israel by Agam Ackerman and Danielle Mero, who will research Israel’s present day contributions to third world countries.
Ambassador Dayan connected to the students on a personal level, sharing intimate stories about his years of service to Israel. After his visit, the Ambassador commended MDS students on their tremendous leadership and support, tweeting that visiting Manhattan Day School was “the best investment I made today for our future—Thanks Manhattan Day School!”
