Ambassador Susan Rice warmly embraces Ambassador Gabriela Shalev. Photo: Ruvi Leider.

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations honored departing Israeli dignitaries Ambassador Gabriela Shalev, Consul General Asaf Shariv, Ambassador Daniel Carmon and Deputy Consul General Benjamin Krasna at the Prime Grill in New York this week.

US Ambassador Susan Rice addressed the gathering as a personal friend of Shalev, saying that although she wouldn’t like to have her job,  “she’s truly one of my favorite people.”

Prominent community and industry leaders were on hand to thank the diplomats for their years of dedicated service and wish them well for the future, including former New York Mayor Ed Koch and Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Shalev closed with a message to friends, quoting from Winnie the Pooh she said: “Promise me you will never forget me because if I thought you would I’d never leave.”

Philanthropist Mortimer Zuckerman exchanges warm words with Ambassador Susan Rice. Photo: Ruvi leider.