University President Frederick Lawrence visited Israel on Wednesday to take part in an alumni event hosted by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro '91 and his wife Julie Fisher '90. The event coincidentally occurred on the same day that Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire, ending a recent spell of violence that resulted in hundreds of fatalities.

According to a BrandeisNOW press release, the event "turned into a joyous celebration of the peace," for the more than 200 alumni, parents and friends of the University who had convened at the ambassador's home.

When his turn came to speak, Lawrence talked about the deep connection between Brandeis and Israel, which were both founded in 1948.

"Our students and faculty will be strengthened by our profoundly broad and sustained engagement with Israel's institutions of higher learning," he said, according to BrandeisNOW. "It's a natural partnership given Brandeis' identity as a nonsectarian, diverse university with deep roots in the Jewish community."

Fisher wrote in an email to the Justice that she and Shapiro were very impressed with Lawrence when they met him for the first time. "President Lawrence is a terrific speaker and a warm and engaging person," she wrote.

"He spoke movingly about the history of Brandeis and the impact the Brandeis experience has had on students and alumni as they move through their lives. It was really inspiring to hear him speak to such a highly-engaged group of Brandeis alums and friends."

Though Fisher and Shapiro were "determined to hold the ... event as scheduled," according to BrandeisNOW, the welcome news of the ceasefire almost caused a slight hitch in the plan.

"[Ambassador Shapiro] was late for the event because he was in meetings at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem," wrote Fisher in her email. "The guests expressed a lot of excitement and relief when they heard the news."

In addition to Lawrence and Shapiro, other speakers at the event included Forsan Hussein '00, CEO of Jerusalem YMCA, and Galia Golan-Gild '60, an esteemed professor of government at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya. The two "spoke of the profound impact their Brandeis experience had on their lives and on what they were able to achieve in Israeli society because of it," according to Fisher.

"Especially coming on the evening that a ceasefire was reached, this event really underscored the unique nature of the Brandeis-Israel relationship," said Glen Shear '81, president of the Alumni Club of Israel, according to BrandeisNOW.

The event attracted a wide range of participants, according to Fisher.

"In attendance at the event were leaders from universities here in Israel who had the opportunity to hear more about Brandeis University directly from President Lawrence as well as alumni themselves. There was even a student who is on her way to Brandeis as a freshman next semester," she wrote.

"For Dan and I as Brandeis alumni, it was an absolute pleasure to be able to host a crowd of over 200 people coming together to celebrate Brandeis, an institution that we adore and that had a profound impact on our lives," said Fisher. "It was wonderful that President Lawrence was able to be here to continue to strengthen the connection between Brandeis University in Waltham to the Brandeis community that is spread around the world."

Lawrence's trip to Israel followed a stop in London last Sunday to attend an annual event, the Alumni Club of Great Britain's Alumni-Student Thanksgiving Day Tea.
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