US President Joe Biden has sent a congratulatory letter to the Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv to commemorate its reopening.
The letter, addressed to former US ambassador to Romania Alfred H. Moses, who also sits on the museum’s board, congratulates him on the reopening and praises the facility as a “necessary message in a time when so much seeks to divide us, and so many are struggling to connect.
“The Jewish people and their history have always held a special place in my heart,” Biden wrote in his letter. “Over the course of my career, I have had the honor to meet and work with every Israeli prime minister since Golda Meir.
“I’ve been lucky to form friendships with, and to learn from, great Jewish leaders like Tom Lantos and Elie Wiesel. And all these experiences continue to shape me as president of the United States,” Biden added.
The president spoke about the relationship between Israel and the US, noting that the two are “great partners, and the bond between our two countries remains unbreakable today, as it has been since 11 minutes after Israel’s founding.
“I am proud that Israel has no greater friend than the United States,” he said.
Discussing the concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), Biden said that the concept represents the “commitment of the Jewish people to work towards the betterment of all humankind,” adding that it is necessary to continue the tradition to ensure peace and security in the future for all.
The 42-year-old museum held a virtual inauguration on February 21 commemorating its transformation, which will be anchored by an interactive, 6,700-square meter permanent exhibition.
Spearheaded by the museum’s Manhattan-based programmatic arm Beit Hatfutsot of America, the global inauguration celebrated the museum’s rebirth, newly named “Anu” – Hebrew for “we.”
Spanning over a decade of planning and execution, the reenvisioned role of the museum uses innovative film and interactive technologies to tell the story of the Jewish people across four wings of exhibition space.
Haley Cohen contributed to this report.