By COLlive reporter
Photos: Moshe Navon/COLlive
Chairman of Israel’s Shomron Regional Council Yossi Dagan was warmly welcomed at a by-invitation solidarity event held in Crown Heights on Sunday evening.
Joined by members of the Shomron Leadership Delegation, representing 36 Jewish communities in the northern West Bank, the spirited crowd welcomed Dagan at a reception at Basil Pizza and Wine Bar.
The event was hosted by local young businessmen and activists Yaacov Behrman, Mendy Margolin, Yossi Rapoport, Mendel Pershin and Yankee Pearson.
While enjoying Basil’s famed pizza and hors d’oeuvres and sipping fine wines from the Shomron region, participants heard Dagan describe the challenges for those living and working in the Shomron, dealing with Arab terror and other hardships.
Dagan had strong words for the anti-Israel BDS boycott movement and those who call for the boycott of Israeli products, particularly from the Shomron.
“Palestinians call to boycott the industrial zones in Israel. This is ridiculous, because one of the only places that Jews and Arabs work together and drink together and coexist, is in the industrial zone,” he said. “So those who call for a boycott – they don’t love Palestinians, they hate Jews.”
Dagan added, “we are strong, because we believe in G-d, and we know that G-d gave us a big gift – to build our land of Israel. We will continue to build communities and towns in the Shomron.”
He also encouraged the crowd of New Yorkers to visit the Shomron, “where you will enjoy the wonderful factories, the Jewish towns and villages.”
While in Crown Heights, Dagan crossed Eastern Parkway for a private visit at Lubavitch World Headquarters – 770, a first for him which he found “very moving and overwhelming.”
“I have a great appreciation for Chabad and the Lubavitcher Rebbe,” Dagan told COLlive. “There are many Chabad Centers in the Shomron, and when I was elected I called all the Chabad houses and told them I’m doubling the funding that they were receiving.”
During the New York visit, Dagan prayed at the Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens and toured Ground Zero in lower Manhattan on the day of 9/11 to commemorate the terror attacks.
“On this day I was humbled to visit Ground Zero to share my sympathy for the families and solidarity with the American people,” Dagan said. “Coming from the Shomron and representing a community that has suffered from terrorism, I understand how difficult this is,” he said.
Thank you for clarifying. I was assuming the general format of what usually happens.
a) Yossi Dagan didn’t make a single appeal for donations to any of his own orgs. He simply invited people to come visit. b) The shluchim in Yitzhar and the heads of the Yeshiva were very happy with his visit to Crown Heights.
*I agree that directly supporting Chabad of Yitzhar is a worthy endeavor.
Take a typical American teenager who steps on campus for their first year of college. In high school it is trendy to think about clothes, iPhones and stuff. But when they get onto campus they want for feel grown up. They are met by the well coordinated programs of BDS. It offers the fresh student a chance to have a higher purpose in life. Their first chance to show they care about others, not just themselves. They are going to care about the ‘Palestinians’ whose land is being occupied by the Jews. Instead of terror – which everyone knows is… Read more »
What does the abbreviation “BDS” stand for? Please write out abbreviations the first time you use them. Many Thanks.
I presume this was a fund raising trip. It’s sad that we don’t give directly to the Chabad centers in the Shomron. It feels like the Hebron Fund saying it is fundraising for Chabad in Hevron. I would have felt more comfortable if some Chabad centers were mentioned by name and what projects they are doing. It is possible that the Chabadnikim from the Shomron will be coming during Tishrei – and will find that donors already feel they gave to the Shomron. The rest of the conscientious Jewish world gives to Yossi Dagan. In most cases, only Chabad gives… Read more »
BDS is the umbrella organization for a group of organizations that are successfully spreading antisemitism on campuses and in churches. Yes I know, the Jew hatred is there below the surface – but why bring it above the surface and spread it to people who never really gave much thought about Jews. BDS claims to be anti-Israel, but it is anti-Jewish. It builds its following slowly and depends on Jews like the #1 comment to be complacent about it. Black Lives Matter has not let the ‘Palestinian’ cause go unnoticed. BLM is well funded and has an agenda of hatred… Read more »
Great jobs to the organizers and Yossi Dagan is a true friend of Chabad and very possibly a future minister /Prime Minister.
Stand Strong, Schoyach, Moshiach Now!
Nice to see all this! If you could truly understand what value the wines of Yehuda and Shomron capture, consider that France exported about 9 billion in wine last year while Israel exported 40 million…
Forget BDS, the key is to get Yehuda and Shomron as major tourist regions and focus on wine food and hospitality.
The head of Peace now admitted that Israel will not give away the Shiloh bloc due to the Shiloh and Gvaot wineries.
I rarely meet a wine lover that cares the leas bit about BDS or such politics..