This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel, and there will be many celebrations in 2018.

Consul General of Israel Dani Dayan spoke at the Jewish Community Center, Allentown, Feb. 6 to begin the first of a year full of festivities.

Eva Levitt, president of the Jewish Federation Lehigh Valley, introduced the program on behalf of the federation.

Dr. Eric Fels, board president of the Jewish Day School, introduced Dayan.

Fels spoke of Dayan’s history and long list of accomplishments.

Dayan’s father, who was born under repression and anti-Semitism, escaped with his family from Russia, eventually settling in Argentina, where they learned to speak Spanish.

Dani Dayan was born in Buenos Aires but his family moved to Israel when he was 15.

His father was appointed a representative to Guatemala, and Dayan spent almost eight years in the Israeli Army.

Dayan and his family went from persecution to freedom and it was the establishment of Israel that made it possible.

After he married, Dayan moved to Tel Aviv, a bustling city.

Dayan said when he moved there, the economy was bad but, today, the shekel is the strongest currency in the world.

Dayan established an information technology firm for which he was the first CEO and later eventually hired about 200 employees. He has since sold the business.

Very proud of his daughter who was born in Israel and was an officer in the army, Dayan said he sees a self confident Jew in his daughter.

That day, before speaking to the evening group, he had already spent time visiting Allentown and speaking at Muhlenberg College and Lehigh University where he discussed Israel’s history as a startup nation.

He talked about how great Israel is doing with relationships to world communities and how much they are investing over the world.

The Jewish Day School students were honored by the Consul General speaking to them about Israeli-American relations.

Before speaking at the JCC, he met with members of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Clergy concerning their desires and concerns for Israel.

He now lives in New York, where in 2016 he was appointed the consul general of Israel.

Dayan said India’s relationship with Israel is very close, as it is with China as well.

Israel has strong economic relations with most countries of the world and is renewing its relationship with African countries.

“We have two extra obligations - to keep the relationship with Israel strong and that every country that has a Jewish population needs to continue Jewish life to keep Israel strong and safe and striving,” Dayan said.

During a question and answer period, Dayan said Israel has no problem with the United States embassy being in Jerusalem or in Tel Aviv, just so it is in Israel.

He said if the Israeli Embassy to the U.S. is in Jerusalem then all foreign embassies should be in Jerusalem.