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President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday afternoon 6 Adar hosted a delegation from Apple, led by CEO Tim Cook, currently on a visit to Israel. The President warmly welcomed Mr. Cook and his team. He said, “It is a great privilege to host you and your team here in Israel.”

He continued, “Your contribution to humanity is unprecedented. Even for me as one who prefers to write with a pen and paper, it is clear to me, when I see through my staff, and my grandchildren, what a great miracle you have created.”

Mr. Cook thanked the President for his warm welcome and said, “We have an enormous admiration for Israel, not just as an important ally for the US, but as a place to do business.”

The President congratulated Mr. Cook on the opening of the new Apple center in Herzliya, and expressed his hope it would be a source of employment for the full spectrum of Israel’s population. He said, “True innovation can only result from full access to education for all, regardless of race, religion, or sex. We would like to learn from your experience in the US, in bringing education and technology to periphery groups and communities.”

Mr. Rivlin also noted his pride at the inclusion in the delegation of Johny Srouji, Vice President for Hardware Technology at Apple, a member of the Israeli Arab community, born in Haifa. The President said, “Imagine what the world would be like with another five ‘Johny Srouji’s, we are proud of him, and all he has achieved.”

Mr Cook told the President, “Diversity for us is part of how Apple achieves what it achieves. Employing people for who they are and not because of their ethnicity or background. When we work like this, we celebrate diversity, and benefit on all sides.” Mr. Cook said to the President, “I personally admire your work in human rights. You are an inspiration for us to work even better.”

The President and Mr. Cook spoke at length about the role of education in the advancement of different populations, and about the wide range of Apple’s educational activities in underprivileged areas, and about possible future cooperation to promote equal access to education in areas where it was needed in Israel. “We must learn from you how to help our students also in difficult places, as you have done in many schools in the US.”

Mr. Cook told the President about their educational activities in different areas to aid access in education to technology. “We are huge believers in education, and always felt that education is the great equalizer. We are working hard to bring schools that have under-served children, to a much higher level. We chose 120 schools from across the US, and we are working hard in the classroom, to help the children and their access to education.”

Mr. Cook concluded by saying, “The will to leave a better world for our children and grandchildren is perhaps the greatest motivator, and listening to you, Mr. President, speak about your beliefs, is incredibly inspiring, and it has to be making a difference across the region.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)