TRENTON — State senators welcomed Israel's new envoy for New Jersey, Ido Aharoni, and affirmed their support for Israel as a key trading partner and crucial ally in the Middle East at a Senate session today. "Everyone in this room stands strongly in partnership with Israel," said Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), who led Aharoni's official presentation to the...
TRENTON — State senators welcomed Israel's new envoy for New Jersey, Ido Aharoni, and affirmed their support for Israel as a key trading partner and crucial ally in the Middle East at a Senate session today.
"Everyone in this room stands strongly in partnership with Israel," said Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), who led Aharoni's official presentation to the state legislators.
Aharoni, who is also the country's lead diplomat for New York and Connecticut, officially assumed his post last month after serving in an acting capacity since August. He said that although Israel and New Jersey are often mentioned in the same sentence because they are roughly the same size, the two states also share deeper bonds because of New Jersey's large Jewish community.
"The No. 1 sports legend in Israel was actually born and raised in Trenton," Aharoni said. "Every Israeli knows that Tal Brody is from Trenton, New Jersey."
Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) told Aharoni that "Israel is our biggest ally, and if it weren't for Israel, I don't know what would happen in that region." Sweeney said New Jerseyans "share Israel's deep-seated desire for peace, security and understanding in a region of our world that has seen too much unrest."
New Jersey is also one of the biggest trading partners for Israel in the U.S., housing offices for more than 70 Israeli companies.