Rosh
Hashanah Greeting
Peres urges Israeli and
Diaspora Jews to unite
in 'Tikkun Olam'
JERUSALEM (Press
Release)—As we stand
upon the threshold of
the Jewish New Year and
as I assume the
Presidency of the State
of Israel, I would first
and foremost like to
share with you my
deepest and most sincere
desire for the continued
prosperity, security,
intellectual wealth and
wellbeing of the Jewish
people throughout the
world, and that of all
those who seek peace and
tolerance.
It is a time for unity —
both at home and abroad.
Within the wider framework of the dilemmas and
challenges we face in the New Era, the Jewish people are
called upon to deal with issues and questions pertaining
to our existence, our role in global initiatives and the
shaping of our own identity.
For many years, Israel had been perceived as a global
“problem.”. Today, global challenges are as much on the
Israeli agenda as they are issues which trouble the
entire world. It is thus called for that we work
together to address these and future challenges — not
merely to respond to them, but to dream and to create...
to come up with strategic priorities, as profoundly as
our people have demonstrated throughout history... to
believe and to carryout... It is only via the
consolidation of our efforts — those of Israel and the
Jewish people —that we may truly lend a hand to shaping
the future and the wellbeing of our people.
Living in a globalized world, “reality” inevitably
becomes a dynamic and forever changing phenomenon,
within which different communities are faced with
varying circumstances and challenges. The Jewish people
must not neglect the importance of collecting the single
voices throughout the Jewish world and combining them
into a comprehensive and meaningful whole. Our
responsibility, as a people, is to allow for all such
voices to be heard. We must, both in Israel and
throughout the Diaspora, learn the art of sensitivity
and wisdom, which may allow us to extract the potential
embedded in such voices. Our aim, throughout this
process, must remain to promote an intellectual as well
as qualitative partnership for the good of our people.
It is an inherent part of the Jewish heritage to seek
global responsibilities within the framework of Tikkun
Olam. Despite its small size, Israel has proved that it
is capable of creating a unique economy.