ByGREER FAY CASHMAN

With a cloud of doubt hanging in the air as to whether or not the school year will open on September 1 as scheduled, President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal decided to get in early and invited several staff members' children, who will all be entering first grade this year, to come to the President's Residence.

Altogether, there were 13 excited children including the twins of outgoing director general of the President's Office, Harel Tubi, whose youngsters were born during the term of President Reuven Rivlin.

The Herzog's, who are parents of three grown sons, may not remember their own first days in first grade experiences, but they certainly remember what it was like  preparing each of the boys, so they knew exactly what to say to the 13 eager youngsters who had been brought in by their parents who were no less excited.

Each child received a special certificate for the new school year, but before that Herzog told them that one of the things that he best remembered about being in first grade was learning how to write and read. It made him feel more grown-up, he said.  His teacher had been the daughter of David Ben-Gurion, he recalled, though it's doubtful that the name of Israel's founding prime minister would have meant anything to the young visitors.

Herzog admitted that he too was unaware at the time of the importance of Ben Gurion. "All we wanted to do was to go home," he said with a chuckle.

"If you are good students," he told them, one of you, like me, will become the president of the state."

Michal Herzog, who is the daughter of a schoolteacher, said that she was sure that the parents and grandparents of the children are no less excited than they themselves are about the start of their school journeys.

"Grade one is a most important grade," she said, "and I'm sure that you'll enjoy it.  Now I'm waiting for the end of the year to hear from you about your experiences. Meanwhile, good luck to all of you."