JEWISH GROUP TO HONOR HUSSEIN; WIESENTHAL CENTER PLANS TRIBUTE TO PEACEMAKER.Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer A special tribute for the late King Hussein Noun 1. King Hussein - king of Jordan credited with creating stability at home and seeking peace with Israel (1935-1999) ibn Talal Hussein, Husain, Husayn, Hussein of Jordan is scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the Simon Wiesenthal Center  This article is currently semi-protected to prevent sock puppets of currently blocked or banned users from editing it. in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. - a testament to the far-reaching bonds forged between the Arab leader and Israeli and American Jews American Jews, or Jewish Americans, are American citizens or resident aliens who were born into the Jewish community or who have converted to Judaism. The United States is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. . Dignitaries expected to attend include Gov. Gray Davis, Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. , and Consul General consul general n. pl. consuls general Abbr. CG A consul of the highest rank serving at a principal location and usually responsible for other consular offices within a country. of Israel Yorem Benzez, said the center's founder and dean, Rabbi Marvin Hier. Hier first met Hussein on a trip to Jordan in 1995. Five weeks after Hier's visit, the king took up the rabbi's invitation and visited the center's Museum of Tolerance The Museum of Tolerance is a multimedia museum in Los Angeles, California, with an associated museum in New York City, designed to examine racism and prejudice in the United States and the world with a strong focus on the history of the Holocaust. with his wife, American-born Queen Noor, and three of their children. Hussein and Hier maintained a relationship ever since. ``He stayed (at the museum) for more than four hours,'' Hier recalled. ``He visited the entire section on the Holocaust and was deeply moved by his visit.'' Hier called today's memorial gathering for an Arab king unprecedented for a Jewish organization. Hussein's sense of humility and humanity, and efforts toward building peace in the Middle East, inspired the occasion, he said. ``He was a king. He acted kingly but he didn't have that aura about him that made him unapproachable,'' Hier said. ``He was self-effacing, almost. Very humble.'' Hussein accepted the Museum of Tolerance Peace Award - a unique honor for a Jewish organization to give an Arab leader. Hussein donated to the museum the text of a eulogy one of his children wrote for slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Hier's most vivid memory of Hussein stemmed from the king's request that he help reopen strained lines of communication "Lines of Communication" is an episode from the fourth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. Synopsis Franklin and Marcus attempt to persuade the Mars resistance to assist Sheridan in opposing President Clark. between Hussein and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 1997 - a move that nearly landed Hier in a car accident. His cellular telephone was on a car speaker ``but when the king came on the phone . . . I took the phone off speaker and when I did, the car nearly went on the sidewalk,'' he said. During that conversation, Hussein said that he was sending his chief of staff, Gen. Ali Shukri, to meet with Hier and ask his help in setting up a meeting with Netanyahu. Hier and the Israeli consul general arranged to have Hussein call Netanyahu during the Israeli leader's tour of the Museum of Tolerance. Netanyahu spoke with Hussein for 10 minutes and agreed to fly directly to London, cutting short his United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. trip so the two leaders could re-establish their relationship, Hier said. On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein released a statement recalling her various meetings with King Hussein, including one in 1994 during his historic trip to Washington, D.C., with Rabin. ``I have nothing but the greatest respect for the king, his queen and for King Hussein's leadership in bringing peace in the Middle East,'' said Feinstein, D-Calif. ``No other leader has done more to promote peace in this important region than King Hussein. This is a leader who truly leaves big shoes to fill.'' Today's special tribute will be held at 11 a.m. at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, 786 W. Pico Blvd. The Associated Press contributed to this story. |
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