Speeches

Statements by Senior

Embassy Officials

DEDICATION CEREMONY OF
THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (AIS)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2007 AT 6 P.M.

I am pleased and proud to be with you this evening on this magnificent new campus. Legend has it that in the Holy Land you can simply plant a seed in the ground and in no time at all it becomes a fruit-bearing tree. But legends are one thing, experience is another.

This new campus did not just sprout from the ground overnight. It was, instead, the result of a lot of long and hard work by a dedicated group of parents, board members, community leaders, administrators and faculty. They should be proud of their work; I am certainly quite proud of them! I am sure the whole AIS community shares my gratitude for a job well done.

This community is the lucky beneficiary of seeds planted more than 40 years ago when a visionary group of parents, students, and teachers began the school. Through the dedication and efforts of many over the years, the school has evolved to become one of the top international schools in the world.

As AIS celebrates its 40th year, this is a good time to reflect on the symbolism of this new campus. Israel will soon celebrate its 60th birthday. Israel’s 60 years of history have been full of turmoil and existential threats, yet Israel has emerged as a prosperous, strong and democratic country. What better way to mark American commitment to a country that has managed to thrive despite so many travails than to dedicate this new campus? Could there be a more tangible symbol of an optimistic future than a school, especially a school as wonderful as this?

The U.S. and Israel share history and share interests, but most of all, we share values. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, who visited Israel earlier this year, pointed out the importance of education as a shared value among nations. As she said, “It is the key to progress and development – the development of a region, a nation, and an individual life.”

Education encompasses teaching and learning specific skills as well as something less tangible though more profound: the imparting of knowledge, positive judgment and well-developed wisdom. Education has as one of its fundamental aspects the passing on of culture from general to generation. The education of an individual begins at birth and continues throughout life.

While this campus is new, I am sure that as AIS begins its next 40 years, its tradition of educational excellence will not change. I wish the students, faculty and administration a successful academic year and I wish AIS and the whole AIS community continued success for many years to come.