On Monday, January 6th, Mayor Tony Perry and Ofakim, Israel Mayor Itzik Danino signed a sister city pact to symbolically unite the two cities they govern. This is Middletown's first sister city agreement in its 361 years of history. Mayor Perry’s bond with Mayor Danino first began in January 2024 when he visited Ofakim following the aftermath of October 7, 2023 and its heartbreaking loss of 48 residents. Middletown lost 37 residents on September 11, 2001 and continues to feel the impacts from that fateful day. As a result of their communities’ experiences with terrorism and grief, Mayor Perry and Mayor Danino quickly built a friendship rooted in resilience and remembrance.
As part of the sister city pact, Middletown and Ofakim will form a committee of representatives from both cities to uphold the principles of their agreement. The committee will meet on an annual basis to review their progress and discuss technology, agriculture, and sustainable development practices, encourage business partnerships, share first responder training tips, and promote research opportunities and educational innovations throughout the year.