Arthur Stark, Chairman and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations issued the following statement:
The Conference of Presidents mourns the loss of a great leader of Israel and dear friend of the Presidents Conference, Minister Moshe Arens. Minister Arens served Israel in many capacities, including as a very impactful and successful Ambassador to the United States, Foreign Minister, and Minister of Defense. Beyond his many accomplishments in these positions, Minister Arens was known for his integrity, thoughtfulness, and deep devotion to the Jewish state and Jewish people. Minister Arens continued to appear at Conference events in Israel, including our annual mission last year.
For more than four decades, he worked closely with the Conference of Presidents, appearing often in the United States and in Israel. As Ambassador, he worked to strengthen the ties between the US and Israel and was a visionary about the need for Israel to utilize modern technologies and methods to get its message across. His clarity of thought and well-reasoned arguments never failed to impress even Israel’s opponents.
It is a national loss for Israel and world Jewry and a personal loss for us. Minister Arens will be sorely missed both in Israel and by his friends around the world. We extend our condolences to his wife and family and pray that they will be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
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