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B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
B’nai B’rith International co-sponsored an event on Tuesday at the Queens Museum in New York in honor of the 70th anniversary of the historic U.N. vote that called for the establishment of a Jewish state.
 
The unique event included a re-enactment of the historic vote in favor of the 1947 partition plan.
 
United States Vice President Mike Pence gave the keynote address, which was hosted by Israel’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon. Israeli Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz also spoke at the event.
 
At the ceremony, Israeli singer Ninet Tayeb sang Israel’s national anthem and performed “Jerusalem of Gold,” which was originally written and sung by Naomi Shemer.
 
B’nai B’rith’s Chair of the International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy Charles Kaufman represented us at the event: “What a thrill it was to witness history of the 70th anniversary passage of U.N. Res. 181, establishing the Jewish State of Israel. It was particularly heartening to hear Vice President Mike Pence share words of friendship with Israel. We are all fortunate to witness the miracle of a modern, innovative, democratic Jewish homeland.”

Watch some of the ceremony below.