Yuval Dayan, a female Orthodox Jewish singer, who performed at the event held in honor of US President Joe Biden declined to shake the president’s hand following the performance.
Singers Ran Danker and Yuval Dayan performed Thursday evening at a ceremony in Jerusalem during which Israeli President Isaac Herzog presented his American counterpart with a Presidential Medal of Honor.
Biden, apparently moved by the performance, stood up and approached the two singers, hoping to shake their hands.
After shaking hands with Danker, Biden reached out to Dayan, who bowed towards the president, while declining to shake his hand.
- Herzog explained to Biden that Dayan, as an observant Jewish woman, avoids direct physical contact with men.
- Afterwards, Dayan said that she meant no disrespect in declining to shake hands with the president, and emphasized that prior to the performance, she made it clear that she would be unable to shake hands with members of the opposite sex.
“Last week, during preparations for the ceremony, I made sure to notify everyone from the President’s Office a number of times that I refrain from physical contact [with members of the opposite sex].”
“I had no intention, God-forbid, of insulting anyone. I just wanted to represent our country honorably while remaining true to my values as a religious woman.”
Source: Arutz Sheva