PHILADELPHIA: Daniel Kutner, who served as Israel’s consul general in Philadelphia, ended his four-year run earlier this week. “Today I am writing to you all to say goodbye,” Kutner wrote on the Consulate’s newsletter. “I am leaving with a sense that in this period, we at the Consulate have managed to do much to bring Israel closer to our region, but also with the feeling that a lot more can be done.”

“I had the opportunity to meet many good friends in Philadelphia and throughout the Consulate’s jurisdiction, and it was a pleasure to work with them all in bringing Israeli culture, assisting with speakers, arranging visits of prominent Israeli figures, and in general, helping more Americans become better acquainted with Israel and its fascinating story.”

Prior to assuming his post as Consul General of Israel in Philadelphia, Mr. Kutner headed the Bureau for Economic and Strategic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Center for Political Research. The Philadelphia consulate is the official representative of the State of Israel in the Mid Atlantic Region, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, Kentucky, West Virginia and Southern New Jersey.

Mr. Kutner holds an M.A. cum laude in History of the Muslim Countries (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1986) an M.A. cum laude in Political Science/National Security Studies (University of Haifa, 2005), and a dual-major B.A. in European History and Middle Eastern Studies (Hebrew University, 1977). He is a graduate of the National Security College (2005), the Senior Inter-Service Intelligence Course (2002) and other specialized programs.

Mr. Kutner was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and immigrated to Israel in 1973. He is married to Shirley and has two daughters, Maia and Adi.