A Letter from the President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, to Asa Keisar

29.11.2017

The president of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, has sent the following letter to Asa Keisar:


The President
Jerusalem, 26 Heshvan, 5778
November 15, 2017
To:Asa Keisar

Dear Asa,

I am happily obliged to thank you for your book, "Before the Blind", which allowed me to become familiar with your work as a supporter and promoter of Veganism and animal rights in the Orthodox and Haredi Judaism spheres. It is clear that you are doing ground breaking and courageous work, nothing less than a true revolution.

I have never forgotten the life changing experience I had as a child when my beloved dog Stefan was taken into quarantine in the dog pound, which was right near a slaughterhouse in Jerusalem. Every evening I clearly heard the sounds and saw the fear in the helpless animals' eyes. I always loved animals, but from that day on I became a Vegetarian and I believe with all of my heart that animals have the right to live as creatures in their own right and not only to serve man.

Sharing the message with people as you do as a grassroots movement is complex and multilayered and yet the number of Vegetarians and Vegans in the world has been steadily increasing over the years and Israel is one of the world leaders in the percentage of Vegetarian and Vegan residents. The references to our Biblical sources, the engaging of the warm Jewish heart and the imparting of the knowledge that Veganism is not only a moral imperative but also a Jewish imperative, is undoubtedly a significant step in the direction of the awaited and desired change.

I am very hopeful that over the next few years more and more people will join your righteous journey and that soon, the Jewish people and the State of Israel will be a light among the Nations of the world and be proud, among other things, of the compassionate and conscientious policies towards animals.

(In the President’s handwriting: "I am a Vegetarian!")

Respectfully and appreciatively yours,

Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin

Jerusalem

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The original letter in Hebrew:


The article about the letter in Hebrew: