With the participation of senior government officials: Guatemala marked its relations with Israel - voila! Judaism

The event held in Guatemala to mark warm relations with Israel (Photo: Monetary Coalition)

It's not every day that we in Israel get a heavy dose of love that comes from overseas. Last week it happened. Guatemalan government and presidential officials, together with public figures and businessmen from all over the world, gathered at an event marking the special bond between Israel and Guatemala, a bond that began 75 years ago and continues to this day.

The event held in Guatemala to mark warm relations with Israel (Photo: Monetary Coalition)

Five years ago, Guatemala moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and swept other countries behind it. The issue of the embassy came up again and again at the event, and it was at the top of the agenda.

The relationship between the two countries focuses on many areas, chief among them the humanitarian issue, which is led by the humanitarian coalition, which operates in 5 countries around the world, and is headquartered in Guatemala. The international organization is headed by Rabbi Yosef Garmon, who was also behind the planning of the conference together with businessman Jonathan Michael, president of the Sabres organization. The two spoke and received high praise from all the speakers for their work on behalf of Guatemala.

The event held in Guatemala to mark warm relations with Israel (Photo: Monetary Coalition)

Also participating in the event were: Jimmy Morales – the president who signed the embassy to Israel and his wife, Mario Bucaro – Guatemala's first foreign minister and ambassador to Jerusalem, the foreign minister at the time of the embassy transfer and the former president of the Congress, Supreme Court justices, members of Congress, Sheikh Ibrahim Motofa from the United States, dozens of mayors – including Mayor Jorge Pinto, who was the first to name a street in his city after Jerusalem, Pastors from all over Guatemala, mayors and representatives from El Salvador and Honduras, members of Guatemala's Jewish, Christian and Muslim community, Guatemalan presidential candidates in the upcoming elections and hundreds of invitees from all sectors of the country.

The event held in Guatemala to mark warm relations with Israel (Photo: Monetary Coalition)

Among the conference participants was international Hasidic activist Yaakov Plitschkin, who even spoke movingly, "I come now from the United States and I stand and admire the warm and special connection Guatemala has with Israel. "I intend with God's help to work among businessmen and politicians from the United States, so that they will help the weaker sectors of Guatemala," Plitschkin added.

The Humanitarian Coalition has contributed greatly to Guatemala, and only recently has it headed the initiative to establish a technological school to be built in the New Jerusalem neighborhood, established in 2018 for volcano victims. In recent months, the coalition led by Rabbi Garmon has raised containers loaded with clothing and food for malnourished children in Guatemala.

"I am excited to stand here," said Rabbi Garmon, "and I thank each and every one of the dignitaries who came to this important conference from all over the world. Our great message is connection and peace through looking forward, not backward."

The event held in Guatemala to mark warm relations with Israel (Photo: Monetary Coalition)

Chairman Michael said: "I have been working here for over 30 years and I am happy to lead humanitarian projects. We have been privileged to save thousands of children and change their quality of life for the better for thousands more," he said.
Pastor Raul Marroquin said: "I have been working with the Humanitarian Coalition in recent years to advance humanitarian goals. It is very important to strengthen the ties between the countries through the private sector as well, and not only through the political sector. I call on businessmen on both sides to work and prosper together."

The event held in Guatemala to mark warm relations with Israel (Photo: Monetary Coalition)

During the conference, those present watched the congratulations of Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi, who wished to convey Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's greetings.

David Berger, in collaboration with Shova Israel

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