Shalit family welcomed by Sarkozy, French Jewish group in Paris
Former IDF soldier Gilad Shalit meets Sarkozy, Carla Bruni at Elysee Palace; Gilad's parents received as guests of honor at annual gala dinner of Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions.
By Danna Harman

Noam and Aviva Shalit accompanied their son Gilad to the Elysee Palace on Wednesday to meet Nicolas Sarkozy, and thank the French President personally for his “commitment” to obtaining Gilad’s release. Noam, who had been in frequent contact with Sarkozy during Gilad’s long years in captivity, said the family was “very moved” by the meeting, during which Gilad also spoke on the phone to French first lady Carla Bruni and thanked her.

Later Wednesday, Noam and Aviva were seated next to the President at the annual gala dinner of the CRIF, the umbrella Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, where hundreds of distinguished members of the community mingled with the country's top politicians. The Shalits, who had been invited as the evening's guests of honor, were not joined by their son, because, as Noam explained, it is difficult for Gilad to be in big crowds, and his integration back into "normal" life is a "slow process."

Noam, who received a standing ovation when he and Sarkozy went up to the podium, addressed the guests in French, thanking them all, as well as all "all the other French -the well known ones and the anonymous ones - who kept Gilad's spirit alive and were with us on this journey." He also thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his courage in going ahead with the deal and bringing Gilad home.

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