Gavot Maradah Tahrer, Rabbi Mavis, Gvada Shagria, distinguished visitors,

Avaravarovathai friends.

May I begin simply by thinking of the person who has been with us

with these celebrations for at least 50 years, whom we missed this evening, I refer, of course,

to Aria Handler, who at the young age of 90, has made Aliya.

And we say to Aria and Ahene, may they have every happiness in Yushalai Mirakodes.

And may we celebrate next year's Yomah Tsmath together with them,

Shana Abba, Birushalim, Habnuya.

Friends, tonight as we celebrate the 58th birthday of Medina to Israel, one phrase comes powerfully

to mind, and that is the phrase from the second Psalm, Vigilu Biraadha, rejoice with trembling. We rejoice for all that Israel has done, all that Israel represents all that Israel means to us and to Jews around the world.

And if we seek to define that, all we have to do is remind ourselves of the words we say every Shabbat, every Yantif, after the

Haft Torah, Raheim, Aalzion, He He, Beechayana.

Have compassion on Zion because it is Bechayenu, the home of our lives as Jews. It is 4,000 years ago

where our people began, where our people was born, and where 58 years ago, our people was reborn.

Our people was reborn.

And for that we rejoice, and we thank Hashem,

Sejana, and we thank Hashem Sechiyanu,

but we also tremble.

We tremble that after 58 years, 59 years after the United Nations vote called the State of Israel into existence still.

There are those who deny Israel's right to be.

Alone among the 192 nations that make up the United Nations, Israel still finds itself

having to fight for its very right to exist.

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