[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Philanthropist and businessman David Hager hosted Jewish officials from the Saban Forum in his Washington DC suite this past Shabbos for some of the tefilos and the meals. Organized by the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, the Saban Forum is an annual dialogue between American and Israeli leaders from across the political and social spectrum who gather to discuss Middle East issues and US-Israel relationships, exchange ideas, and seek solutions in an unofficial format and framework.

Among Forum participants who joined Hager for Shabbos tefilos and meals were Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman; Haim Saban; International Fellowship of Christians and Jews President Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein; former Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor; former US senator and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman; US election strategist Mark Mellman; former US ambassador to the Czech Republic and close friend of President Obama Norman Eisen; Israel Hayom foreign news editor Boaz Bismuth; Haaretz reporter Yair Ettinger; political journalist and historian Professor Yoaz Hendel, and others.

The minyan was arranged for the benefit of Rabbi Eckstein who is currently in the year of mourning for his father. This is the first time that the exclusive Saban Forum has offered guests an option for joint Shabbos tefilos and meals. Since the start of the Forum, Defense Minister Lieberman and David Hager, renowned as one of the chief supporters of Netzach Yehuda Charedi Brigade, were seen conversing at several opportunities.

Among the speakers at the event were US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was interviewed before the guests by Jewish-American reporter Jeffrey Goldberg, and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu who also gave an interview through video conference and answered questions posed by Haim Saban.

It is pointed out the photos were taken on erev and motzei Shabbos.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)