Thank you Dr. Kissinger for your heartfelt and powerful remarks.

Vivian Dinitz, Michael, Dorit, Tamar, distinguished friends and guests:

Today we gather to honor and remember not only an accomplished diplomat and true leader, but also a warm and gracious man - a mentsch.

Simcha Dinitz was Ambassador of Israel here in Washington DC, also served as Vice President of Hebrew University, member of Knesset, and Chairman of the Jewish Agency. His life was first and foremost about devotion and service to Israel and the Jewish people.

During his more than 40 years of public service, Simcha exhibited personal warmth, rhetorical eloquence, leadership by example, and the courage of conviction.

There is a famous Jewish idea that states that a person's name often reflects character traits of that individual. Simcha's name means "happiness" in Hebrew, and is truly appropriate for his life's accomplishments. He brought simcha to the more than 1 million Soviet Jews making Aliyah who he helped when he chaired the Jewish Agency. He brought happiness to 14,000 Ethiopian Jews when he headed Project Solomon to airlift them in one day to their new homes in Israel. And he brought joy to countless other individuals who's lives he touched throughout his.

If you all look over at the wall, you can see pictures of all former Israeli Ambassadors in Washington. Looking at their pictures and remembering their triumphs and tribulations is a humbling experience.

They all did so much to form, deepen, and promote the intimate relationship that Israel and the United States share. And Simcha stands out as he had such a significant role at such a critical time in our history.

Simcha Dinitz was the first person that came to my mind after I was nominated to serve here in Washington. When I went to see him, he was so gracious and generous with both his time and his advice to me, and he was full of insight, astute observations, and wisdom. His good words still resonate so freshly in my mind, and I try to follow and implement his guidance every day.

He told me that the United States is the only country from which Israel can expect assistance when the chips are down. It was as true then as it is today. He knew this not only in theory but also in reality, as he served in one of the darkest times in Israel's history during the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

The results of this war, the thin line between destruction and victory, painful as it was, rested on the shoulders of Simcha Dinitz. It was he who made the difference with his firm grasp of the situation, his tenacity, his wisdom, and his warm relationship with Dr. Kissinger.

As Dr. Kissinger can attest, their relationship went beyond fellow diplomats in a professional and formal sense. And it's a good thing that the two were friends, given that Simcha had the task of waking Dr. Kissinger up in the middle of the night so many times in crisis situations. It is amazing though that this friendship withstood all these wake up calls in the middle of the night.

During Simcha's time here as ambassador, our relationship with the United States became one of the pillars of Israel's national security. This special relationship is not only one of Simcha Dinitz's accomplishments; it is also part of his legacy.

Shimon Peres, who visited Washington here today, sends his best to Vivian and the family. Shimon mentioned that I would be remiss when I talked about Simcha Dinitz if I did not mention that he was the only Israeli ambassador who beautifully translated Shakespeare into Hebrew. And he was also the only Israeli ambassador who started here, working in the embassy, as a watchman, before he made it all the way up to ambassador. And to that I say he was a watchman then and he was a watchman throughout his career. He was a watchman for his family; he was a watchman for the State of Israel and the people of Israel. We are so indebted to his legacy and his contributions to Israel's well-being, security, and future.

We will always remember Simcha as a man who gave so much courage, wisdom, and happiness to both those who knew him personally and to so many others who's lives were bettered by his service. May the memory of Simcha Dinitz be a blessing to us all.