Congressman Eliot Engel, addressing a breakout session at his 22d consecutive AIPAC policy conference :
You are the key to a safe and secure Israel… There is no more effective lobbying force on Capitol Hill than AIPAC. Bar none. It does make a difference. It's noted in Washington, it's noted in the Congress, it's noted in the White House… I can talk about this because I'm mishpocheh [speaking to Jewish family]… If you can only join one organization, AIPAC in my opinion is the Organization to join."
These views were just reflected by the rabbi who did the invocation for tonight's banquet. A Rabbi Krakoff, he described Israel as a "country we love with all our hearts and souls."
Then citing Genesis, and the charge to be our brother's keeper, he said, "We are absolutely our brother's and our sister's keeper." It is a charge fully understood by the 6500 people in this room. "Our Zionist dream has become a reality."
And then we rose for the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and the Hatikvah of Israel. More voices were raised to the strains of the Hatikva.
