U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro and his wife, Julie Fisher, made a point of traveling extensively throughout Israel, visiting Muslim, Christian and ultra-Orthodox communities.

Elana Simon was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer when she was 12. Her tumor was removed, leaving her cancer-free, but her interest in the disease remained strong.

The clash between the American and Israeli leaders is not unprecedented, and the rift in the relationship need not be irreparable.