A very warm welcome awaited Israel's President Moshe Katzav when he visited the Mashadi Jewish Center of Great Neck. An Iranian by birth, President Katzav addressed an overflowing crowd on Sunday, June 3, ascending the bimah and telling everyone that he felt as if he were home. His words quickly turned to Israel and the heritage of the Jews.

President Katzav stated: ''We have survived for 2000 years ... and now in this century we have Israel ... we will overcome ... Israel has the best army in the world.'' (Although he did speak briefly in English, and a bit in Farsi, the main part of the president's address was in Hebrew and then translated into Farsi. The Great Neck Record was fortunate to have a friend who then translated some of the words into English.)

Speaking of the recent horrific attacks on Israel, ''one tragedy after another,'' President Katzav said that ''Israel respects families, all families ... but they don't respect us.'' He said that it is Israel's hope ''to see democracy on both sides.''

Stoning a young person, shooting a baby in his father's arms, President Katzav said that these terrorist attacks are done ''in the name of Islam and the Koran.'' And he said that he wished someone would tell these terrorists ''with hard hearts like stone'' that what they are doing is actually against the Koran.

Coming back to the State of Israel, the president spoke of a ''good economy, a good country.'' He said that he hopes Israel will ''survive this problem ... and have peace.'' And he blamed the terrorism on Yassir Arafat.

''We will not quit,'' said President Katzav. Then he touched on the attack at the Tel Aviv disco, with all of those young people killed and injured. ''We will answer. That is enough!''

And then the president asked the audience: ''Don't leave us alone. Help us. Don't be scared.'' He told the mainly Iranian audience, ''You are the best Jewish community ... you do the best you can for Israel ... I know everything that happened to you ... I am in touch with the membership.''

Again, he implored them to come to Israel: ''Go around the world, but the last stop is Israel.'' President Katzav spoke of the difficulty of ''taking your grandchild to synagogue in Iran,'' and he noted that ''in Israel it is much easier.''

Continuing on the topic of Iran, the president stressed that Iran does not want to see peace. President Katzav said that he hopes that ''the rest of the Jews come out of Iran ... it is dangerous.'' And then he spoke of the Jews missing in Iran, ''kidnapped ... we don't know what happened to them.''

In closing, President Katzav stressed unification, ''everybody together.''

In addition to the large crowd of Iranian Jews, various spiritual leaders, an ambassador, and a whole host of local public officials came out to greet President Moshe Katzav, including Senator Charles Schumer (who spoke briefly, but firmly, about support for Israel), Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli (who Senator Schumer said ''shares our passion for Israel''), Village of Great Neck Mayor Steven Tell, and Kings Point Mayor Michael Kalnick.

In honor of President Katzav's visit several donations were made by individuals for the State of Israel --- scholarships and the donation of an ambulance.