On Tuesday, April 16, 2019, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, welcomed His Excellency David Saranga, the new Ambassador of Israel to Romania, at his patriarchal residence in Bucharest.
The meeting was attended by Mrs. Tova Ben Nun Cherbis, the president of Laude-Reut educational complex in Bucharest.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel noted the rich diplomatic activity of Ambassador Saranga, stressing the good ties between Romania and the State of Israel.
A relevant example in this regard are the pilgrimages organized to the Holy Land by the Romanian Patriarchate through its Basilica Travel Agency.
The Israeli Ambassador thanked His Beatitude for the warm welcome and expressed his joy and honour to visit the Romanian Patriarchate.
His Excellency briefed the advanced stage of mine clearing at the Jordan River, expressing his hope that the Romanian settlement in Jordan will be restored as soon as possible and consequently consecrated by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.
The Ambassador said he is hopeful that the Embassy of Romania to Israel will relocate from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
David Saranga also pointed to an important project, that is to identify and bring together in an event the descendants of the 65 people from Romania upon whom the Yad Vashem memorial to the victims of the Holocaust bestowed the Righteous among the Nations award, an honorific given to non-Jews who risked their lives during World War II to save Jews.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel expressed his appreciation for this initiative.
Gratefulness for those who risked their own lives to save the lives of others is a sacred duty towards them and an act of thanksgiving to God, whose will they fulfilled.
The educational value of such events and constantly underscoring the friendship relations between the Romanian people and the Israeli people can make a significant contribution to preventing the repetition of historical horrors such as the Holocaust.
The Romanian Patriarchate will cooperate to identify the Romanians who received the Righteous among the Nations title and their descendants.
At the end of the meeting, Patriarch Daniel wished the Ambassador a successful diplomatic mission in Bucharest.
Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
