Send Page to a Friend Wayland welcomes Consulate of Israel   By Sarah Bergeron The Jewish Advocate   Consul General of Israel to New England Nadav Tamir and Consul Rony Yedidia were welcomed by the Jewish community during an event hosted by Temple Shir Tikva of Wayland and the Jewish Community Relations Council's Israel Action Center on Thursday. Building stronger partnerships between Israel and Boston was one of the prevalent messages Consul General Tamir emphasized as he spoke to an audience of 300 community members who attended the event. It was co-sponsored by the JCRC, the Metrowest Israel Leaders Committee and other community agencies including Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. During her remarks, Consul Rony Yedidia praised the Jewish community of Boston for its "quality and quantity of Jewish events that show a tapestry of Jewish culture". Tamir reinforced Yedidia's praise for Boston adding: "There is a great sense of community in Boston - whether the cause is for the elderly, Israel or other issues around the world". The Consul General gave a briefing about current events in Israel. He spoke of his desire for continued progress in Israel and increased exposure of issues beyond the conflict. He talked about Israel's technological innovations, medical advancements and resilience as a tourist destination. A brief question and answer session was moderated by JCRC Executive Director Nancy K. Kaufman, who was also recognized for making the Forward 50 list of most influential members of the American Jewish Community of 2006. The Consul General ended the night by saying that "Israel is fun and I want to make it a cool place [to visit]". The audience joined him afterwards at a reception.