The Jewish people, the State of Israel and the world lost a great statesman and gentleman with the passing of Shimon Peres Z"L. Regardless of your politics, one has to recognize the greatness of this man and all that he accomplished through his final days on earth. He held virtually every office of Israeli government and was deeply respected worldwide. The last of Israel's "Founding Fathers" has left us. It is the end of an era. I am sure we will be hearing much about him on the coming days, some of which we already knew, and much, i suspect, we did not.
I have spent a lot of time reading about him over the last couple of days and I wanted to share with you the sentiments of Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks:
Shimon Peres was the great visionary of Israeli politics in our time. The tough edge of his early career softened over time into a distinctive economic and technological road map to peace in the Middle East. Though he received the Nobel Prize for the efforts in the Oslo peace process, his greatest achievements came toward the end of his long career in public life, as President of the State of Israel.
It was in this capacity that he became one of the great statesmen of our time, a living embodiment of the prophet Joel's remark that "Your old men shall dream dreams," helping the young to "see visions." He constructed a compelling vision of hope.
During those presidential years, he was a living embodiment of much that is best in Israeli and Jewish life, and he was an outstanding ambassador for his people.
With his death an era has come to an end - marked by a series of outstanding leaders who showed as much courage in pursuit of peace as they did in the course of war. We will mourn him and miss him.
May his memory and undying sacrifice and effort on behalf of our people and our beloved State of ISrael be for and everlasting blessing.
Shabbat Shalom
