Ahead of 4th of July celebration, US Ambassador to Belgium, Howard Gutman, was honored by the Jewish community in Brussels at a farewell ceremony on Tuesday.
The Ambassador, who will leave his post this month after four years, was presented the ‘’EU Jewish Building Friendship Award’’ for the strong friendship he has maintained with the Jewish community.
Managed by Rabbi Michael Rosenblum, the EU Jewish building (EUJB), which is located in the EU area, close to the EU Commission and Council of Ministers, is home of several Jewish organizations working in various fields on European level. It was opened almost ten years ago.
In his address, the Ambassador, the son of a Holocaust survivor, recalled the fact that has established links for all religious communities in Belgium. “I love building bridges. The Jewish community is amazing and I appreciated very much the Jewish holidays I shared with several families,” he said.
The award ceremony coincided with the inauguration of an extension to the EU Jewish building dedicated by world-renowned Belgian violinist and contributor Michael Guttman in memory of his father.