The honorable President of Israel: Truth be told, I'm a little envious of you. In a short while, you will find out exactly how magnificent the privilege of the presidency is. Over the next seven years, you will meet Israelis from all walks of life, and let me tell you right now – you'll want to embrace all of them. You'll want to share their laughter and their tears; and all the excitement they experience.

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I'm sure you feel that you already know this, having such extensive experience as a public servant, but believe me – you have yet to find out what a wonderful country we have, and what wonderful people live among us. They will all find their way to your heart, where they will remain forever.

Amid the social rifts and polarity, you will find brave people who don't speak of coexistence – they simply live it. Every day, every hour, in their homes and places of employment; in their visions, dreams and family: Secular with ultra-Orthodox, rightwingers and leftists, Jews and Arabs, veteran Israelis and immigrants, the young and the old; members of all religions, sectors and ethnicities – they are all Israelis. Beautiful, enlightening and kind. Kind beyond anything you can imagine.

These men and women have given me so much hope over the past seven years. Israeli hope, that's what I called it, and I'm sure you will call it that as well because they gave me hope that was quintessentially Israeli.

They were my beacon on the horizon and you, our darling president, will find that they are the horizon. You will find them in cities and rural areas, in hospitals, in the military, in the universities, in the police, in kindergartens and in schools, in the nearest and farthest localities, and on the street. You won't even have to search. They will always be there, in happy moments, in the most difficult moments, and as storms loom near, as they so often do.

On some nights, you will lose sleep. Your mind will wander back to the soldiers you met at a checkpoint on the border; to the lone soldier who hasn't seen his mother in six months and you couldn't be happier that he will attend the Passover Seder at the President's Residence.

You'll think about the olim who came here at the height of the coronavirus pandemic; about the 12-year-old boy suffering from depression – actual clinical depression – you met while visiting the Geha Mental Health Center. Has his condition improved with time? And what about Yonatan Levy, still hospitalized with horrific injuries he suffered during the 2006 Second Lebanon War? And what about his mother, who never leaves his side? How is she doing?

And what about Yossi, the amazing IDF officer whose criminal record I had expunged so he can start a new life? He'll be alright, right? And what about the daughter of Druze police officer Zidan Seif, who was murdered in a terrorist attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem? She was just four months old her father was killed and now she would be getting ready to start first grade.

You will look upon the photos of Hadar Goldin and Shaul Oron and yes – you will lose sleep over them. Over our missing and captives. Over Ron Arad. Over the bereaved families. Your heart will break yet somehow pound strongly and proudly to the beat of this nation's story, just like mine did.

You will be proud. The president of this country has so much to be proud of. Here, it is the excitement that will keep you awake.  Excitement over the overflowing crops in the fields, over the latest scientific invention and the advances in medicine, in research, and in sports.

The excitement after meeting a 90-year-old woman who still volunteers, or another young man who broke through the glass ceiling. When you watch the families of the three teens present the Israel Unity Award year after year.

You will find everything suddenly exciting anew. Torah scholars, and those who farm the land; Holocaust survivors, heroes of the revival, and the leaders in the fight against domestic violence. The list goes on – oh, how it goes on.

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You will be surprised. Fall in love. Be proud. Take to heart. You will try to do everything to make things better and easier for them. You will work for them tirelessly with love.

Many times, while in meetings or traveling, I thought to myself, that the title "Citizen No. 1" was born simply because it is the number one people. Today, I'm sure of it.

Here's to you, Mr. President, and to this people. Long live the 11th president of the State of Israel. Long live the State of Israel.

Yours always,

Ruvi.

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It has been 101 years since the historic San Remo conference took place in the country of a great ally, Italy. Without a doubt, Israel would not be the country it is today were it not for the unprecedented agreement that was reached in San Remo by the Allied Powers. A seed was planted back then, which would turn into a mighty tree, bearing luscious fruit. 

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The San Remo conference was a key milestone in making the Zionist dream a reality and restoring the Jewish people's sovereignty over their land. The mandate over our territories was given to Britain, which representatives determined, would be "responsible for putting into effect the declaration originally made on November 8, 1917 ... in favor of the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people."

If the Balfour Declaration constituted the first formal recognition of the Jewish people's right to their land, then the San Remo conference was the first time this recognition was incorporated into international law, requiring the superpowers to take action and fulfill their promise to the Jewish people. The significance of the conference, which established the legal right of a Jewish state in the land of Israel, is unparalleled. 

The paramilitary organizations that fought against the British did so out of the same belief that the mandate over Palestine was entrusted to Britain for the sole purpose of fulfilling the commitment to the Jewish people. In their efforts to establish a national home for the Jews, not only did they rely on historical justice, but also international law, which affirmed our right to self-determination in our homeland. 

Had it not been for the dedication of the founding fathers, the sacrifice and courage of soldiers and others who fought and defended our country, we might have never seen the establishment of a sovereign Jewish state. The San Remo conference laid the international foundation for such an event to occur, as well as the foundation for Zionism in Europe, the United States, and others parts of the world. 

Israel's sixth Prime Minister, Menachem Begin used to say that sometimes even that which is obvious has to be said. The San Remo conference, which incorporated the Balfour Declaration, affirmed the establishment of a Jewish state with the understanding that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

These words, including the promise of guaranteeing full rights to all citizens of the country and all Jews worldwide, are the fundamental values on which the future State of Israel would be built. 

Israel, a Jewish and democratic state, is committed to the rights of all its citizens, and whoever tries to undermine or question this is threatening the Zionist dream. As it has done all along, Israel continues to support all who live here and believe that we are all meant to live in unity. 

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The Beta Israel communities left the land they knew, their property, and set out on an exhausting journey, clinging to the longing that had passed from generation to generation: Jerusalem. They bore not only their longing for Zion, but also paid a heavy price for it.

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In his book The Journey is not Over, Danny Adeno Abebe shares the heartbreaking story of one of the women from the community who made aliyah: "I had a baby girl who was born in Ethiopia a few months before we started on the journey. She had beautiful eyes and a gentle face. She made it through the journey by foot to Sudan safely. In the camp she got a little sick, but got better. I prayed that we would make it through the difficult days. Then, one day, it was our turn to make aliyah. We were so happy. I dressed the baby in a few layers of clothes and I put her on my back, like we do in Ethiopia. But when I got off the plane, my back was cold. A few minutes later, they told me the most awful news a mother could hear: my baby had died. I did all I could to bring her here safely, and at the moment that was supposed to be the happiest one in my life, I was carrying a dead body on my back."

Not everyone made it home, not everyone survived the exhausting march. We carry their memory in our hearts, forever. Jerusalem carries their memory in her heart. Their love for Jerusalem burns as an eternal flame that reaches the heavens. A column of fire, that lights the way for the Jewish people.

The Ethiopian community taught us all the meaning of devotion, love of Jerusalem, determination, and faith that they would arrive. Thousands of Jews are still waiting to make aliyah from Ethiopia, and the government, even in this difficult time, needs to find a way of arranging it. Along with the honest desire to bring all our Jewish Ethiopian brothers and sisters to Israel, we all have an obligation to fight discrimination of any type. We as a society have an obligation to do everything to tackle racism among ourselves and root it out. Immigrants from Ethiopia have experienced discrimination from both the establishment and society as a whole, and are the subject of negative stereotypes. At the Office of the President, we are calling on young Ethiopian Israelis to appeal for clemency (and the requests will be considered favorably) as an additional step in this struggle.

We have a long way to go to fully integrate all the populations in Israel into society. This is a national mission, and throughout my term as presidents I have been inspired by my meetings with young Ethiopian Israelis, whose eyes burn with determination to break the "glass ceiling" and serve as examples for their community. At the Sigd ceremony, we call for introspection. This year, more than ever, Israeli society and the state need to look at themselves. For us to grow stronger together, so we can confront the present, and prepare for what is to come.

From Jerusalem, from Zion,

President Reuven Rivlin.

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My fellow citizens of Israel: I am very concerned about the difficult scenes we are witnessing on the streets. I call and plead with all leaders, citizens, parents - do everything in your power to stop the terrible thing that is happening. We are currently amidst the danger of rocket fire, yet are dealing with civil war for no reason. There are people need to let the police take care of things. Please stop this crazy madness.

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I call on all the rioters – stop and do not make things worse, we are one society, one country. You can not say I am a citizen but against it, and you can not say I am any more of a citizen. It's time to calm the public. Religious leaders, local leaders, ministers, MKs – we all need to wake up to the same country, the same jobs. These things are getting worse and God forbid, we could lose what we have created – the State of Israel.

Ours is not a simple country, but we have educated ourselves, despite the differences of opinion, among all parts of the nation. All of these things need to remain at the level of debate, God forbid we become enemies. There is a war between civilians. The country belongs to us all.

How hard was it for us to overcome and establish such a wonderful country. Sometimes there are arguments but it is our job to let the army do its job, and let the police make sure there is quiet. You can argue, but to get to this point? To the sights we see? I shout to the whole of Israeli society, to the silent majority - let us shout a cry and say in our house, in our city, everyone in the synagogue or in the mosque: Stop it. We live here, this is our future. There is no other way.

I call and plead with all leaders, citizens, parents: do everything you can to stop this terrible thing that is happening.

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Waking up on Election Day is always exciting. The site of ballot boxes carrying the state emblem reminds me of days long ago, when we were not allowed to wave the Israeli flag.

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I was only nine years old when the most amazing miracle of modern times happened for the Jewish people – the inception of a Jewish and democratic state and the renewal of our sovereignty in the Land of Israel. We were like dreamers. And today, Israeli citizens are privileged to walk through the gates of the polling stations and exercise their democratic right to elect their representatives in the Israeli parliament – the Knesset.

I will admit that today, this festive excitement is mixed with feelings of worry and apprehension. Going to the polls for the fourth time in less than two years following the prolonged political crisis that has been plaguing us, is not festive for any of us.

The dire consequences of this situation do not stem only from the impairment of the state's ability to appropriate budgets and operate the essential services it provides the public in the fields of healthcare, education, employment and welfare – areas that seem more critical than ever in times of a global pandemic.

This situation has eroded the public's faith and confidence in the state's democratic institutions – the Knesset, the government, and the political parties – in an unprecedented way.

The feeling of despair that threatens to creep into the hearts of many Israelis cannot be allowed to stake its claim. A people's resilience depends on the extent to which they believe in their ability to work together, and in their willingness to do so.

While our elected officials in the Knesset have not succeeded in this important task over the past two years, the coronavirus crisis has proven that Israelis, on the ground, can meet this challenge. In hospitals, at police checkpoints, in charity and aid organizations – Israelis from all walks of life came together, working shoulder to shoulder to weather the storm.

Touring our country over the past year, I saw the commitment demonstrated by the Israeli public – the determination, optimism and urgent sense of mission – and I was filled with profound hope; sincere faith that we have the power to join forces and continue to build and develop our Jewish and democratic state.

This hope must takes us – all of us – to the polling stations to vote. This hope should fuel our demands of our elected officials to find a way to foster politics based on compromises; the kind of politics that is committed to integrity, to a partnership, and to all sectors of the Israeli public.

My fellow Israelis, do not let despair take hold. This is the time to effect change. Whatever your political beliefs may be – you have the power to shape the nature of the country you want to live in. Take pride in your choice and be hopeful of the result. Go vote.

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In October 1958, then-Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion sent a letter to 50 preeminent Torah authorities in Israel and the Diaspora, asking for their learned opinion on an issue that concerned the young country – the definition of a Jew.

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Ben-Gurion believed that Judaism did not end at the border of the Jewish state, but was nurtured from a variety of sources that had grown up within different cultural fabrics and turned into separate Jewish heritages, each in its own way. The initiative of Our Common Destiny Declaration is based on a similar view, according to which Judaism must include all the different faces that make up our people.

During the years of our exile, and even now, in Israel and the Diaspora, the Jewish people shapes its image in accordance with our ancestors' legacy and through contact with the cultures around us. We have always been able to maintain the delicate balance between the aspiration to cling to what makes us unique and to our ancient roots and the desire to keep Judaism up to date, relevant, and in touch with changing times.

Our culture of religious study, as well as our character as a "stiff-necked people," a name given to us by Moses, lead us to emphasize our differences. Indeed, our Judaism today includes endless shades and interpretations that are to a large extent its very essence. Still, there is something that connects us. There is a common denominator, something that makes us a single camp – from east to west, from Zion to the rest of the world, from Right to Left.

Today, now that we have established a national home in which we are sovereign in our land and anchored our status as equal members in the family of nations and citizens of equal rights in the nation states in which we are scattered, we have the power to redefine our shared destiny, together.

A global crisis that affects health and the economy, society and the individual, and humanity as a whole, demands introspection. These are days we will not survive as individuals, days that require togetherness. The time has come for us to ask ourselves what Jewish "togetherness" means. What is the basis for the deep feeling we have when we hear about Jewish victims of the pandemic in distant communities? Where does it come from, and where does it go?

Now, at a time when the world is cloaked in darkness, we will seek to light a torch that will light the Jewish people's way forward, that will formulate the values that characterize us as a people and light our way forward. Values of mutual responsibility, preserving the intellectual and values heritage of Jewish literature, of humanity, of innovation, and tikkun olam – making the world a better place.

Our Common Destiny does not seek to put an end to our disagreements. It seeks to stabilize the ground on which Jewish debate will persist and be renewed, out of a commitment to each other and a promise to stick together, take our fate in our hands, and look forward, toward our shared future.

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The Jewish people is one that remembers its past. However, while we have a duty not only to remember Nazi atrocities but also to remind the world of the lessons of history, to ensure a better future for humanity as a whole.

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A year ago, 50 world leaders convened at the President's Residence and at Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center to underscore our shared commitment to remember the Holocaust and fight anti-Semitism.

Since that historic gathering, a global pandemic has befallen us.  This pandemic has claimed the lives of 900 Holocaust survivors in Israel, who passed away in solitude. The loss of these lives – lives of struggle, survival, and revival in the Jewish state – is too hard to bear.

The global pandemic has brought with it social distancing and it has forced countries to close their borders. However, it has also reminded us of our humanity and the need to work together to rise to a challenge.

Just as the coronavirus has forced countries to work together to defeat it, so do the viruses of anti-Semitism and xenophobia require us to join forces against them.

We must show zero tolerance toward any form of anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia, regardless of whether they rear their heads in the street, online, or in the centers of power.

Unfortunately, anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial continue to spread around the world. Under the auspices of the coronavirus pandemic, more and more anti-Semitic conspiracy theories were born, and we continue to see attacks against synagogues and Jewish institutions.

This year, too, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, one of the most terrible symbols of the darkest period in human history, we pledge to continue to remind the world – and continue to work with the free world to make our oath of "Never Again" a common reality.

May the memory of our six million brothers and sisters, men, women and children, be blessed.

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I was sorry to hear of the passing of Sheldon Adelson, a Jew who loved his people and loved Israel. He was a huge American patriot, who saw anchoring the alliance between Israel and the US as a mission. While alive, his story about a kid who sold newspaper becoming a successful businessman fired up the imaginations of everyone around him. His determination and ability to spot opportunities, take risks, be daring, and carry out plans were his trademarks.

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Aside from his global businesses, in the last few decades Sheldon used his abilities to influence public life. It would be hard to count the many and varied philanthropic initiatives to which Sheldon contributed his wealth, most of which deepen the ties between the Jewish people to their land and legacy.

Sheldon fostered links between Diaspora Jewry and the state of Israel by giving to Yad Vashem, Taglit-Birthright, Garin Tzabar - Israeli Lone Soldier IDF Program, and medical and academic projects. The Innovation Center at Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya and the Adelson School of Medicine at Ariel University, where we met last Hanukkah, were an investment in Israeli research, medicine, and development. The importance of founding such an institution at this time cannot be overstated. Generations of doctors and other medical workers will thank him for the initiatives, and we will all benefit from the fruits of the investment and the belief that beat in Adelson when he was determined to launch an excellent new faculty of medicine that opened its doors to all Israelis and everyone who wants to learn.

In places where there were no men, Sheldon "strove to be a man," to invest his wealth and time, to be there, to help and offer support.

More than anything, Sheldon believed in the strategic alliance between Israel and the US, and saw deepening the ties between the two countries as the surest investment in the future of the Jewish people and the state of Israel.

I extend my condolences to Miriam, the love of his life, and his partner on the path of contributing to building up the nation and the land, as well as to the entire family.

May his memory be a blessing.

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We must also take the deepest of breaths, inhale the new air, and try starting fresh. To shake off the fatigue of the recent period, the lockdown, and rally together in the common cause of fighting the pandemic. We are well aware that our existence, as a nation and culture, also hinges on the deep-rooted ties to our traditions, historical heritage, the path of our forefathers, and the vision of the prophets.

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The Simchat Torah holiday is a reminder that the bond between the people of Israel and the Torah -- the simple yet profound, honest joy of a people's connection to their most fundamental values – cannot be broken. This year, we cannot rejoice with the Torah as in years past. Instead of dancing in our crowded, happy circles, with our children on our shoulders, we will have to pray in limited gatherings in accordance with the directives meant to save our lives. It is very sad, but to ensure that next year we can return to dancing with our loved ones and Torah scrolls, I know we have no other choice.

If we don't fight together, shoulder to shoulder, in the battle for the public's wellbeing, we will fail. We must celebrate the holiday in adherence to the safety protocols, in the spirit of mutual guarantee for our fellow man, in solemn prayer that this scourge will be driven from our land.

I visit the hospitals, the clinics, and I see how hard people are working to stop the pandemic in its tracks. The nurses and doctors, the paramedics, the soldiers and officers, the scientists and the volunteers; I see from up close their unwavering dedication and sacrifice on behalf of us all against the raging virus − they are the embodiment of our mutual guarantee to one another in times of crisis. We must fight with the same strength and vigor to sever the chain of infection − to prevent the disease from spreading.

Now is the time to protect our lives, in no uncertain terms, in accordance with the biblical command. We must all protect ourselves, and our loved ones. We must rejoice with the Torah in the bosom of our nuclear families, read and study it intimately together.

We are strong enough as a people and country to overcome this crisis if we do it together. Follow the social distancing guidelines and avoid large gatherings. We will read Genesis on Simchat Torah a little differently this year; yet in the joy of welcoming a new beginning regardless. My prayer is for us to meet this pandemic head-on and defeat it − together, too seek improvement in unison, and in doing so return to celebrating this holiday, as we have in the past, as soon as possible.

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I remember the reports from the UN on Nov. 29, 1947, the dancing in the streets, and how Jerusalem immediately transformed into a battlefield; the harsh siege on the city, the exciting declaration of statehood on May 15, which was quickly clouded by the news of the fall of Gush Etzion, and later the fall of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem and the armistice agreements.

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In Jerusalem, the joy was intertwined with grave concern. We felt the fragility of the moment well, knowing we were living history. At every turn, be it happy and festive independence days or harder, somber moments, we've always had the Israeli sense of togetherness and unity.

This sense of togetherness saw us through the pain and lifted up higher in joyous times. Even on this Independence Day, in the shadow of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic that is claiming lives and the economic crisis, we will not forfeit our "togetherness." Not now and not ever. We celebrate together – even from a distance.

The State of Israel is a miracle and a wonder. We created an advanced industry, founded innovative agriculture, which the whole world looks to.

We have created a diverse and rich culture and become a country renowned for its development and invention, its entrepreneurship, technology, medicine, science and research.

We have proven that we are an ancient but innovative nation, a nation that draws its strength from its ancient traditions; a nation that grows and develops daily, even if it means being audacious, taking risks - and winning.

That is why even on this Independence Day, Israelis have managed to prove unparalleled. There is nothing like the Israeli people's solidarity, mutual guarantee, and their willingness to reach out and lend a helping hand.

These days require us to reach out to those who have fallen on hard times. This is the Israeli spirit that allows us to grow from the crises that befall us, to grow again and again, stronger than ever before.

I urge you, members of the public, to buy locally produced goods, to choose Israeli industry and agriculture, to support small businesses and bolster the Israeli economy.

This difficult crisis and our way of dealing with it – members of all sectors and groups in society - proves that the Israeli spirit can also meet this challenge.

This is the spirit that will carry us toward many more good independence days and hopefully, they will find us all in good health, prosperous, and socially cohesive.

Happy Independence Day, my darlings. Happy Independence Day, Israel.

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