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FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com JULY 3 , 2014 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 49 victoria’s secrets VICTORIA SCHNEPS vschneps@queenscourier.com tweet me @vschneps A picture perfect weekend Dynamic $1000 off Lumineers $500 off Invisalign DENTAL WORK Free Whitening included the inViSiBle WAy to Some excluSionS Apply StrAighten teeth third generation dentist 175-15 Jamaica avenue, Jamaica 718-297-4100 • 718-297-4106 It was our annual Yunis family gathering hosted by Stu’s daughter Mimi Broner in Kent, Conn., but what added to the joy was that Stu’s son Jon, who lives in Sarasota, bride Hillary. in the eyes of the bride and groom. to walk down the aisle with the bride’s mom. The event was held in a handsome art gallery just near the Kent Country Inn where we were staying. It was a magical moment. I know all brides shine, but Hillary’s dress and her beauty were outstanding. I hope their life together will be as happy as they were that night. A Legend Says Farewell The line moved quickly on Madison Avenue as a band of 10 receptionists cleared guests, including Claire Shulman Park Avenue Synagogue,seats and every inch of the two levels of the auditorium were jammed with people as we waited for over an hour to see and hear the legendary Peres. To my delight, when he entered the sanctuary, he was accompanied by my favorite journalist, Charlie Rose! The two-hour session fl ew by as Rose talked him through his passions, beliefs and opinions. Claire and I were mesmerized by Peres’ message of optimism, both personal and for his nation. He went on to share that as an optimist he believes but it will be in a two-country solution with Israel having a majority of Jews and a separate Arab-majority Palestine. Charlie asked him what infl uence his mentor the late Prime Minister David Ben Gurion was on his life. President John F. Kennedy. He recounted that when Ben Gurion had met with President Kennedy (and Peres was a young attaché), he asked the Prime Minister how he could help Israel, and he said, “Be a great president! Because, as a world power, the United States is Israel’s best friend.” He talked about the sadness of Hamas spending their money on guns destroying the lives of their young people and their state. Peres explained with pride that Israel may be a small country but it has tamed the dry and insect-infested land through science, hard work and optimism and it is now a model for the world. Charlie then asked him how Israel has become a center for technology. I laughed when the Peres quipped, “It’s in the Jewish DNA — we can’t be satisfi ed.” And Charlie cracked up the overfl owing crowd by replying, “Then I must be Jewish!” He was then asked how Israel survived the fi ght for its creation and Peres boldly replied, “We did it with the courage of the soldiers and the brains of the leaders! Israel is rich in talent. The country may be small but is great in freedom.” I was impressed when he shared his three most important values: to respect the Ten Commandments; to learn, to learn, to learn; and for Israel to seek peace. But what I came to love most in his conversation with Charlie Rose was to hear his optimism and belief in the future. “I don’t pay attention to the past,” he said. “It’s a waste because you can’t change anything, but you can change the future and tomorrow is a godsend. We can do better tomorrow.” It was a profound fi nish to a wondrous two hours fi lled with the wisdom of man who has proudly served his country. gathering Florida, was getting married to his lovely It was a glorious sunny weekend and made even brighter by the love It made me so happy to be asked reception- and me, to pass through the security gates to enter the sanctuary of the where 91-yearold Shimon Peres, the president of Israel, said his farewell as he retires in a few months. People packed themselves tightly onto the bench there will be peace in Israel Peres said he had known Ben Gurion since they had lived together on a kibbutz over 60 years ago. He was Peres’ mentor, a man without cynicism, a moral person who could be counted on in whatever he said. Another gem of the afternoon was when Charlie asked Peres about his relationship with past United States presidents. Peres said that he had worked with 10 of them, starting with Charlie Rose interviewing Israel President Shimon Peres Assemblyman David Weprin and Manhattan Borough President Gail Brewer The Yunis family reunion Michael Miller, Executive Director JCRC with Claire Shulman. Jon and Hilary Yunis at their wedding


QC07032014
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