The General Assembly (GA) of the United Jewish Communities, which opens today in Los Angeles, will be addressed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday, the day after his meeting with President George W. Bush.

Various Israeli cabinet ministers will also address the assembly, with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to take part in the opening plenary, whose theme is "one people, one destiny." The session will be hosted by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, known for his warm relations with the local Jewish community.

The 75th GA will be attended by approximately 4,000 delegates from Jewish communities across the United States, all of whom are active in their local Jewish federations.

The decision to focus on the international arena was made following the war in Lebanon. The Jewish federations worked intensively during the war to raise money to rehabilitate northern Israel after the war, putting all other projects on a back burner for the past two months.

Among other issues on the agenda, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer will speak on the Israeli economy and investing in Israel, as will media tycoon Haim Saban and Bank Leumi CEO Galia Maor, who is also the Israeli chair of the General Assembly.

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