EDMOND—Consul General of Israel to the Southwest U.S. Eitan Levon spoke to 110 Imperial Academy and Armstrong College students and Philadelphia Church of God members in an assembly at the Dwight Armstrong Performing Arts Conservatory on March 23. In his 40-minute lecture during the noon hour, Ambassador Levon spoke about Israel’s allies, its foreign- and domestic-policy issues, and its contributions to the world.

After showing several Youtube videos and slides of problems Israel faces living in the “tough neighborhood” of the Middle East as well as a video about the multitude of Israeli inventions used in everyday life, Mr. Levon answered questions asked primarily by Herbert W. Armstrong college students. During the question-and-answer session, Mr. Levon emphasized the value he put on Israel’s alliances with America and Germany. After being questioned about his ideas for creating peace in the Middle East, he stressed the importance of being an optimist for anyone who lives in that region. “It’s very important not to succumb to terror,” Mr. Levon said. “We want to show them that terror is not the way.”

After the assembly, Mr. Levon attended a special reception in the balcony of Armstrong Auditorium for 62 season ticket-holders and Herbert W. Armstrong faculty members. After the reception, he attended the Jerusalem Quartet concert, part of the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation’s performing arts series. The foundation’s other main project is support for Bible-related archaeological excavations in Jerusalem. Mr. Levon was personally invited to Armstrong Auditorium in May last year by marketing director Shane Granger at a celebration of the State of Israel’s 68th anniversary in Houston.

Several Israeli dignitaries have visited the Herbert W. Armstrong campus since it was established in 2001. Consulate representative Beylanesh Zevadia spoke at the campus in 2008, and former Ambassador Yoram Ettinger spoke in 2009. Two of the Israeli consulate’s directors of cultural affairs, Ben Stinsman and Guy Cohen, viewed the “Seals of Jeremiah’s Captors Discovered” exhibit at Armstrong Auditorium in 2011 and 2012, respectively. In 2014, Ambassador Meir Shlomo delivered an assembly and attended an Armstrong Auditorium concert featuring Israel’s Haifa Symphony Orchestra. Israel Deputy Consul Daniel Agranov toured the archeological exhibit in 2015.