Center Bulletin Volume 3, Issue 36

Volume 3, Issue 36
June 20, 2007

Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 294,541

Popular Events At The Begin Center

The Begin Center is a popular venue for many events arranged by important government departments, City of Jerusalem and other public bodies in these weeks marking the end of the school year, the start of the summer vacation, and festivals in Jerusalem.

At the beginning of July, the Ruben Hecht Auditorium will be one of the central venues for the Israel Film Festival, which will run for several weeks.

The last weeks of June will feature a major event organized by the Hasbara Center for teachers and schools.

On Monday evening, June 18, the B'nai Brith held its annual award ceremony for journalism. The principle award was given to Avner Hofstein, a certificate of merit to Amir Mizroch, and a lifetime achievement award to Yeshayahou Ben-Porat. The guest lecture on the subject of "The Media in the Second Lebanon War" was given by the Justice (ret) of the Supreme Court of Israel, Dalia Dorner, President of the Israel Press Council.

On Friday, June 22, a book on the subject of Dir Yassin will be launched in the Center. The author of the book, military historian Dr. Uri Milstein, is expected to present an insightful lecture on the subject.

An evening devoted to the poetry of the national poet Uri Tzvi Greenberg is to be held on July 2.


Junior Knesset on Television

The Begin Center's leading educational program, the Junior Knesset, was again featured on Israeli television, which highlighted a discussion among students from Kiryat Gat that participated in the program, and told the story of the Junior Knesset.

The director of the Begin Center, Herzl Makov, was interviewed briefly, and he used the occasion to explain the purpose of the Junior Knesset and its operational program.


Begin Center Founder Addresses 500 Guests

The founder of the Menachem Begin commemoration project, Harry Hurwitz and his wife Freda were guests of honor at the inaugural dinner for a group of nearly 500 participants in the 20th anniversary celebration tour of Israel for the Word of Life organization.

The organization's leaders, Pastor Ulf and Birgitta Ekman, were the hosts of the evening. In his brief address to the gathering of people from 34 different countries, Mr. Hurwitz spoke of the liberation and unification of Jerusalem and what these events meant to the people of Israel at the time and now. He said that the war, in advance of which Nasser of Egypt threatened to destroy Israel, is still going on. He asked these devoted friends of Israel to pray for the kidnapped Israeli soldiers: Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.

Pastor Ekman led the assembly with prayers for their safety and early release.


Ariel College Visits The Begin Center

Among the groups visiting the Begin Center in the past ten days was a top-level mission from the College of Judea and Samaria in Ariel, which was led by the retiring director of external affairs, Michael Stoltz.

The mission included a number of professors of the college and supporters of it.

After a tour of the Begin Center, they gathered in the Ben and Rose Milner lecture room, where they were addressed by Danny Ayalon, who was until recently Israel's ambassador in Washington D.C. and is now the chairman of Nefesh B'Nefesh.


Congratulations

We congratulate Yisrael Medad, the director of information and educational resources at the Begin Heritage Center on the recent celebration of his 60th birthday.

A private function was attended by members of his family from Israel and the US and a small number of persons with whom he has worked over the years, from his days in Betar New York to the Knesset, where he was secretary of the Techiya faction, his efforts for Israel's Media Watch and in recent years, his role at the Begin Center.

Recently, a special invitation was extended to Mr. Medad, to participate in an academic seminar addressed by University of Pennsylvania's Professor Ian Lustick. The seminar, convened by the Political Science Department of the Hebrew University on June 13, heard Prof. Lustick lecture on "Leaving the Middle East: Israel and the Middle East Muck" in which he expanded, inter alia, on the current perspectives and trajectories of Jabotinsnky's "Iron Wall" policy. Present at the seminar was the chairman of the Political Science department, senior professors and doctoral students.


Visitors

New York State Senator Seymour Lachman and his wife Susanne visited the Begin Center at the end of last week and were greatly impressed by its educational activities and moved by the hi-tech museum. Senator Lachman was a friend of Menachem Begin and especially of his son Dr. Ze'ev Benjamin Begin.

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Halperin of Detroit, Michigan, visited the Begin Museum on Wednesday and were greatly impressed by its presentation and message.