Mayor Nir Barkat thanks CVI delegation for 50,000 tulip bulbs contributed to Jerusalem, during tulip presentation ceremony at Jerusalem City Hall.
(l-r) Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat; Keren Hayesod World Chairman, Eliezer (Moodi) Sandberg; CVI Chairman, Dick Schutte.
Attending the ceremony, was a delegation of 10 CVI members, including Mrs. Henriette Heuvlman, who has headed the CVI tulip project for many years; Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat; Deputy Mayor, Naomi Tzur; Keren Hayesod World Chairman, Eliezer (Moodi) Sandberg and Reuven Rozen, Director of the Keren Hayesod Friends of Israel Department.
Thanking the CVI for their wonderful gift, Mayor Barkat spoke warmly of the annual tulip contribution to Israel, adding: "All of Jerusalem's children know the city's tulips mean the love of Dutch Christians for Israel". During the ceremony, the mayor personally asked Jerusalem's head gardener to plant the tulips along the 'Jerusalem Marathon' route, where they will visibly represent the special relationship between Dutch Christians and Israel and will be viewed by over 10,000 runners and spectators. The Mayor personally asked the CVI delegation to convey Israel's deep and sincere appreciation for the gift, on their return to Holland.
Ms. Henriette Heuvelman presents Delft porcelain tulip to Deputy Mayor, Naomi Tzur.
(l-r) Head of CVI tulip project, Ms. Henriette Heuvelman; Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Naomi Tzur; CVI Chairman, Mr. Dick Schutte
Keren Hayesod World Chairman, Eliezer (Moodi) Sandberg, warmly addressed the delegation, and spoke of CVI's special friendship and relationship with Keren Hayesod and their outstanding contribution to Israel through Keren Hayesod programs. Thanking the CVI for their "actions and prayers", Mr. Sandberg spoke of how CVI "manages to touch and impact Israel in a very significant way". Deputy Mayor, Naomi Tzur, who heads the city's environmental committee, spoke of the gift's material and spiritual importance, both in terms of its contribution to 'greening' Jerusalem and even more importantly, in terms of the great love, support and alliance it represents.
Receiving a gift on behalf of Holland CVI from the Mayor, CVI Chairman, Mr. Dick Schutte, spoke of the tulip gift as "a token of friendship" and talked of CVI's important work in bringing Jews home to Israel. Mr. Schutte expressed CVI's deep commitment to fulfilling the teachings of the Bible and quoted the Biblical verses: "He will bless those that bless you" and "I will be with you and will not abandon you". Mr. Schutte ended his address with the words "May God bless you and keep you ".
In June 2010, Chairman Dick Schutte was awarded the prestigious Keren Hayesod Yakir Prize, on behalf of CVI, for their outstanding contribution to Israel.