Peres Ends U.S. Trip with Gathering at Ambassador Oren’s Home

Max Samis — June 15, 2012 – 12:03 pm | Israel Comments (0) Add a comment

Following the ceremony awarding Israeli President Shimon Peres with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Peres ended his trip to the United States with a “lighthearted event” at the home of Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren in Washington, D.C. Multiple Jewish dignitaries from the U.S. were in attendance, including White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. When addressing the gathering, Peres said:

... the best thanks to President Obama who did more than he promised. Contrary to what is being said. I don’t know any request that was put before him and wasn’t met with consideration ...

Watch the video below for more. 

Natasha Mozgovaya from Haaretz covered the event and wrote:

The joke of the evening was that it was an event for those who didn’t receive an invitation for the ceremony at the White House Wednesday evening, at which Peres received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the U.S. President Barack Obama. White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew, Senator Joe Lieberman, and many other Jewish dignitaries, however, were present at both events.

Also in attendance were Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, several Congress members, including Ohio Senator Rob Portman, who rumored to be included on a short list of Mitt Romney’s possible running mates; Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Chabad Lubavitch Rabbi Levi Shemtov, and many others.

Presented by Ambassador Michael Oren and introduced by the White House Chief of Staff Jacob Lew, Peres said his goal was to express his deepest respect and love for America.

Peres made sure to go out of his way to praise Obama for his leadership. JTA wrote:

Peres described Obama as “unique” in his qualification for the presidency.

“He was the tough Harvard editor of the Law Review, who must be precise and strong and unforgiving” and also “the community leader who has all the time for the people, for their mistakes,” Peres said of Obama. “He is the greatest representative of a new age.”

Below, you can watch video of the event provided by Haaretz, or you can view the video on the original article by clicking here.

Click here to read a recap of the Medal of Freedom presentation ceremony.

Click here to read the NJDC’s statement congratulating Peres on receiving the Medal of Freedom.

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