President Yitzhak Herzog and his wife Michal received President Joe Biden on Thursday afternoon at the ceremonial plaza at the President’s House. From there they entered the Presidential Palace, where Biden signed the guest book. At the end of the working meeting, they went out into the courtyard of the President’s House, where they made statements to the media. After Herzog presented the Presidential Medal to Biden, singers Ren Danker and Yuval Dayan performed a song in honor of the American president.
The two performed a special arrangement for the event for the songs “Lou Yehi” by the poet and composer Naomi Shemer, and “Let It Be” by the British rock band “The Beetles”. After the end of the speech, the two presidents went to shake the hand of Dayan and Danker, but Yuval Dayan, who repents, was forced to thank the presidents without shaking their hand for religious reasons.
“I am so excited about the class and the privilege I have been given, in the last week during the preparations for the ceremony I have taken care to inform as many people as possible on behalf of the President’s House that I am keeping in touch,” read a statement issued on Dayan’s behalf. “God forbid I had any intention of hurting, but only representing our country with dignity and staying true to my values as a religious girl. Thank you for all the exciting responses, and lots of love.”
Watch the song and the refusal:
Recall that last month Dayan released a new song, explaining that she had the courage to talk about the process of repentance. “In writing the lyrics, I had the courage to speak openly about my journey over the past ten years, about childhood in Ashdod, through publicity and repentance. The song has a light and rhythmic melody, and tells the story in an honest and happy way. And indeed working with them was a huge experience, I enjoyed every moment. ”