June 1, 2003
A packed hall moved from tears to laughter as they honor Gen. (retired) Liber Seregni, recipient of the Jerusalem Prize.

Over 600 people packed the hall for the Jerusalem Prize / Yom Yerushalaim program held in Montevideo. It was a magnificent ceremony divided into two parts - the presentation of the Jerusalem Prize 2003 to Gen. (Retired) Liber Seregni, and the performance of Einat Sarouf, Israeli entertainer. Awe inspiring speeches were heard by Gabriel Heymann, President of the Zionist Organization of Uruguay; Mr. Joel Salpak, Israeli ambassador to Uruguay; Mr. Bernardo Olesker, President of Honor of the Zionist Federation of Uruguay; and the recipient of the prize - Gen. Seregni.

Gen. Seregni, visibly moved, thanked the Zionist Organization of Uruguay for honoring him with the Jerusalem Prize 2003. Setting aside his prepared speech, he spoke from the heart telling the audience about his relationship with the Jewish community since he was 6 - 80 years ago, how he learnt about the plight of the Jewish people in Europe, the Holocaust, the revolt of the Ghetto of Warsaw, the Jewish right to the land of Israel, and the Arabic opposition to that right; the importance of Jerusalem as the source of the three main monotheistic religions and its importance to the Jewish people. He asserted that the Middle East would have peace when all the parties in conflict accept each other, and that Israel had the right to have Jerusalem as its Capital.

And then the fiesta began. Einat Sarouf, who had been sent by the Department for Zionist Activities, started to sing and to talk with the audience moving them to tears when she dedicated a song to her father, who had died during the 6 Days War in 1967 and causing great laughter when she told stories about her twin daughters in Tzahal. She sang and the whole audience sang with her, clapping their hands and following the rhythm of her songs. She was joined on stage by Ambassador Salpak, who danced with her and by Gen. Seregni who accompanied her in a song she had learnt especially for this occasion

Israeli entertainer Einat Sarouf celebrates with Israeli ambassador to Uruguay, Joel Salpak