Mayor Daley's visit to Israel

Mayor Daley focuses on global economy and security during first visit to Israel

On May 8, Chicago's Mayor Richard M. Daley concluded a five-day visit to Israel during which he advanced his global priorities for the city of Chicago while making "people-to-people" contacts of a sort dear to himself and his wife, Maggie, who accompanied him.

View video clips of Mayor Daley's statement following his visit to Yad Vashem, and during a visit to Chicago's Sister City, Kiryat Gat in JUF's Partnership 2000 Region. Also see excerpts from the more than two hours of cumulative local TV coverage, including Mayor Daley in Kiryat Gat and Daley in Tel Aviv and Yad Vashem. Also read a Jerusalem Post article, Chicago Mayor Says He's Impressed by Israel's Technological Society, and two articles from Haaretz: Midwest or Mideast, All Politics is Local and From 'Beirut On a Lake' to 'America's Urban Paradise'.

The visit was coordinated by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Accompanying the Mayor were Midge Perlman Shafton, chairman of JUF/Jewish Federation Board of Directors; Steven Nasatir, JUF/JF president; Michael Kotzin, JUF/JF executive vice president; and Daniel Shure, chairman of the Chicago-Petach Tikvah Sister Cities Committee. (Read Michael Kotzin's summary of the trip.)

"During his visit, Mayor Daley witnessed the dynamism and energy of the State of Israel. He saw the land and its people and was able to learn about Chicago connections while taking from the trip much that he regarded of value to the people of Chicago," said Nasatir.

"It was a pleasure and honor being with Mayor Daley and Mrs. Daley during this exciting visit and seeing Israel through their eyes," said Shafton.

In addition to meetings focused on economic ties and anti-terror measures, the Daleys visited sites with historical and religious significance, Daley visited JUF's Partnership 2000 Region of Kiryat Gat, Lachish and Shafir, meeting members of the area's Ethiopian community. Mayor Daley also visited an Israeli Arab Christian village, Fassouta, where the Federation and the Chicago Catholic Archdiocese jointly funded a computer lab. He met with the mayors in Jerusalem and Petach Tikvah, Chicago's Sister City, and visited Yad Vashem.

• View a photo album of the Mayor’s trip
• http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_125175042.html