President Zalman Shazar arrived here today on a special Brazilian Air Force plane at an airport decorated with Israeli flags where 1,500 people applauded, waved banners and sang “Havenu Sholem Aleichem” as the President and his entourage disembarked.
After receiving military honors, the Israeli visitors were greeted by Fransisco Negrao de Lima, the Governor, and other leading officials. The greeters included Jewish community leaders and a delegation of children from 11 Rio Jewish schools who presented flowers to the visitors.
At a luncheon, the President replied to a welcoming speech from the Governor. He said that he knew Rio de Janeiro well enough to be able to say that besides being one of the world’s most beautiful places, it was also the home of a hard-working people who were the fruit of “fusion and integration of races.” He added that Israel, “which is gathering the dispersed and the tribes, knows how to appraise the admirable humanitarian spirit dominating the hearts of your inhabitants.”
The entire Brazilian press devoted considerable space to the visit, praising Israeli-Brazilian friendship. Gen. Juraci Magalhaes, the Foreign Minister, said that Mr. Shazar had left a great impression on all Brazilian authorities, particularly by his “brilliant speeches.” The local newspapers stressed the fact that Mr. Shazar was the first foreign President to visit Brazil without bringing security personnel.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
