ملف:Aviram Dahari (6398904675) (cropped).jpg

U.S. Ambassador Daniel Shapiro on his first official visit to Kiryat Gat, met with the mayor, Aviram Dahari, and the 17 council members, who presented him with the key to the city in a short ceremony. A 7-piece elementary school string band representing Kiryat Gat's diverse population played Hanukkah tunes at ceremony. The Ambassador was also introduced to Ethiopian elementary school students who attend Moadon Ivzan, a community center in Kiryat Gat run by Mr. Yaakov Uzan. This was followed by a visit to Fidel youth club (Fidel is Amharic for alphabet), accompanied by the mayor and deputy mayor, where he met with staff and students, and saw an exhibition of Ethiopian arts and crafts organized by the NGO Ehete (Amharic for "My Sisters").