TO commemorate President Manuel L. Quezon’s 145th Birthday and his 79th Death Anniversary, the Philippine Embassy in Israel led a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the open doors monument in Rishon Lezion, participated by some Filipino community leaders, holocaust survivors, and government officials.
The open doors monument honors former President Quezon’s compassionate act of providing refuge to 1,300 Jews fleeing Europe during the holocaust in the late 1930s.
The late President’s rescue of Jewish refugees, also known as Manilaners, has since become a significant foundation of the Philippines-Israel relations.
It is important to continue honoring former President Quezon’s legacy and shine a light on his open-door policy.
The participation of the living Manilaners and their kin, the Filipino community in Israel, and the Rishon Lezion municipality made the commemoration more meaningful.
The initiative will help create more awareness of the said event in Israeli society, and therefore foster our friendship and good relations with this country.
Jewish refugees were admitted to the archipelago due to the effort of Quezon who served as the second President of the Philippines after the late Emilio Aguinaldo.
He established the open-door policy by issuing Proclamation No. 173 on August 21, 1937, which paved the way for Filipinos to welcome refugees and provide refuge to 1,300 Jews.
The program started by playing the national anthems of both countries- namely Lupang Hinirang and Ha Tikva.
The wreath-laying ceremony was headed by Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr. accompanied by Madame Carijane D. Laylo.
Also in attendance were Mayor and Council Member Michael Raif who represented the Israeli City of Rishon Lezion, Mayor Raz Kintslich along with Director Annette Ben-Shahar, Mr. Danny Weissler representing the Manilaners together with their kin Asher, Daisy, and Doryliz Gofer.
The event was highlighted by the message of the Philippines Ambassador to Israel, as he stated that we should not only honor former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon but also live the ideals he had stood and fought for.
He also urged Filipinos to follow in his footsteps of being champions of open doors, open minds, and open hearts.
“Indeed, one of Quezon’s post-enduring legacies…1300 Jews were saved from the horrors of Nazi Germany because of Quezon’s efforts,” Pedro Laylo Jr., Philippine Ambassador to Israel, said.
The open-door policy showed the humanitarian spirit of the Filipino people, where love, compassion, and mercy are the basic foundation of culture and tradition, at the same time displaying the unwavering dedication to freedom, democracy, and human rights.
