Members of Tennessee’s legislature, community leaders, and clergy, joined Israel’s Consul General to the Southeastern United States in celebration of Israel’s 75th birthday. Led by Senator Mark Pody (TN-17), the event included prayers, the blowing of a shofar, the singing of Hatikvah and The Star Spangled Banner. Israel’s Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon shared historic insights about the development of the Jewish state. “When U.S President Harry Truman first recognized the creation of the Jewish state, five percent of our people lived there. Today, 47 percent of our people now live in Israel.” She highlighted Israel’s leadership as a technology hub, “Israel is the start-up nation. We are second only to the Silicon Valley.”

 

To further commemorate the occasion, Sultan-Dadon and Pody, along with other members of the Tennessee General Assembly in attendance, signed a resolution acknowledging and affirming Israel’s strong friendship with both the United States and the State of Tennessee.