Special magazine THE JERUSALEM POST In search of Israeli heroes By STEVE LINDE TABLE OF CONTENTS In search of Israeli heroes 7 Facilitating the hidden desire 46 Steve Linde of a generation Dear friends 8 Tal Brody Natan Sharansky 48 The goose that lays the golden eggs ’ll never forget a life-changing conversation I had with Michael Siegal at the pool of the Tel Aviv hotel at which he staying with his family several years ago, before he became chair of JFNA’s Board Judah Massias The philosophy of giving 10 of Trustees and I became editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. I don’t remember his words verbatim, Juan de la Roca 50 but I do remember the thrust very clearly because I wrote these three words in my diary: “Find Israeli Cover photo Retirement residences abound in Israel I The battle to combat poverty in Israel heroes!” Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post 12 Jochanan Altman Juan de la Roca 52 It was part of the media’s mission, Michael suggested, to find and foster heroes in Jewish communities Accommodating the religious in North America and around the world but especially in Israel, the source of our strength. Just as JFNA The GA’s collective energy defuses the population had launched a successful Internet campaign in 2009 for the Jewish Community Hero Awards, celebrating collective sigh over the Pew survey 16 54 “the selflessness and courage of those who are helping their communities through service and outreach,“ Editor Lisa Samin Judah Massias so we in Israel should honor our own homegrown heroes. Juan de la Roca Some personal perspectives South Africa in Israel Michael, the chairman and CEO of the successful Denver-based company Olympic Steel, was at the [email protected] 20 time chairman of the Israel Bonds’ Board of Trustees. As managing editor of The Jerusalem Post, I had Sam Berk Yochanan Altman 56 just compiled our annual list of the 50 most influential Jews in the world and remember thinking that VP Sales and Buisiness A poor rich country 24 Banking on the Bank of Jerusalem we must put him on one of our future lists. “Man of Steel, just like Superman,” I wrote in my diary. Development John Benzaquen Juan de la Roca Our 2013 list, published in May, came under criticism from all quarters. But I was personally pleased that Sraya Kerner Michael was on the list, mostly because I think he deserved to be. He is inspiring and insightful, and JFNA Integrating into the right circles is fortunate to have people such as Michael and Jerry Silverman, its smart and savvy president and CEO, holding its reins. [email protected] Jason Blackshaw 30 The latest intel on Intel Juan de la Roca 58 After being appointed editor, I was motivated by my discussion with Michael to introduce a number of innovations at The Jerusalem Post, Chief Commercial Office Historical sights to see such as our partnership project with SHALVA, the Jerusalem-based Association for Mentally and Physically Challenged Children in Israel, Alon Sivan Yochanan Altman 36 Financing in the real estate market which runs a biweekly comic strip online and in the newspaper, produced by renowned cartoonist Uri Fink and his students at the Bezalel Ehud Lahav 60 Academy of Art and Design. It is titled “True Superheroes.” [email protected] IDC Herzliya: An innovative approach “We at SHALVA undoubtedly believe that the children here are superheroes,” read the preface to the series, which began last to success Keeping up appearances year. “They teach us what life is all about, how to live to the fullest, and they continually inspire us with their every smile and step Head of the Magazines 40 Jonathan Davis Jason Blackshaw 61 forward. It is this side of the world of special needs that we strive to show others – their strength and talents and unique abilities.” and Cooperation Department Through humor and art, the comic strip aims to empower children with special needs and help create a society of tolerance and Social investment as a new avenue Yehuda Weiss Giving more than money acceptance. Gilad Schalit, who was released on October 18, 2011, from more than five years of Hamas captivity in a prisoner exchange, for philanthropy [email protected] will be joining Team SHALVA in the Jerusalem Marathon on March 21 next year. I sincerely hope that Jonathan Pollard, the Israeli agent James Harris 42 Yochanan Altman 62 who has been sitting in an American jail for some 28 years, will also be a free man by then. Manager of Classified section Catering to the business traveler Masa has mass appeal We need Israeli heroes now more than ever. Combating anti-Semitism and countering the delegitimization of Israel are crucial but, by Aviv Mizrahi Ehud Lahav 44 Andrew Davis 63 definition, reactive in nature. Creating Israeli heroes is proactive and ultimately much more productive. [email protected] What is clear from the recent Pew survey of Jewish Americans is that US Jewry is facing a future crisis: American Jews, especially the younger generation, feel increasingly alienated from both Israel and Jewish life. We must find ways to get them engaged and involved in Advertising production their local Jewish community and strengthen their relationship with Israel. One way is clearly via their local federation. Other ways include programs such as Birthright and Masa or linking issues they are Merav Ifergan, Roi Kadosh interested in to being Jewish and Israel, from archaeology to zoology. Letter from the Editor Another way is to introduce them to modern-day Israeli heroes -- people such as Noam Gershony, who won a gold medal in the Advertising Designer Paralympics last year; Profs. Arieh Warshel and Michael Levitt , who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry this year; Karnit Flug, the new Daria Cohen, Doran Avidar Dear Readers, governor of the Bank of Israel; and Bar Refaeli, the international supermodel who is now hosting Israel’s version of the TV show The X Welcome to this special magazine in honor of the GA 2013 conference in Israel. And for the Factor. participants of the GA, welcome to Israel and may you have a fruitful and rewarding conference. Graphic Design In this magazine, which is heavily oriented towards social issues, we have an interview with Meir We need to find new Israeli role models who will inspire others to say, “If he or she is Israeli and proud to be so, then I am happy to Doran Avidar Cohen, the minister of social affairs and social services, who talks about the current social problems be a supporter of Israel.” Let’s locate Israeli personalities who inspire us all. A plethora of prominent and promising Israelis is scheduled in the State of Israel. to address the JFNA General Assembly, from President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to Finance Minister Advertising We also have a story on the nonprofit charitable organizations in this country, as well as stories Yair Lapid, Economy Minister Naftali Bennett and opposition leader Shelly Yahimovich, and from Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and City Tel: 03-7619002 on two organizations which, each in its own way, operate on the assumption that helping people to Council member Rachel Azaria to Jewish organizational leaders and trailblazers in philanthropy, business, religion and culture. better themselves is best. And we have a story about philanthropy in the ultra-Orthodox community. This is indeed “the most important gathering of Jewish community leaders.” I urge you, as Michael Siegal once urged me, to turn on A community of very limited means, it nevertheless has one of the most elaborate philanthropic your hero radar, listen carefully to the speakers, talk to them, and invite those whom you believe possess the heroic X factor to visit your NOTE: The content of the networks in Israel and perhaps in the world. Despite its being a very poor community, no one goes communities and inspire your youth. Help us to create true Israeli superheroes! advertisements is the sole hungry and everyone has a roof over their heads. Congratulations to the GA on its 65th anniversary, and welcome to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, the home page of the Jewish people responsibility of the advertisers and the homeland of our national heroes. Sincerely, Juan de la Roca The writer is editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. GA 2013 The Jerusalem Post November Dear Friends, am delighted to welcome you to the 2013 Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly here in Jerusalem. That the North American Jewish community is of tremendous contemporary importance is axiomatic. An overwhelming majority of the world’s Jews outside of Israel reside in the United States and Canada. North American Jews have, for centuries, Ioffered the Jewish world new and innovative ways of experiencing Jewish life. The community is one of incredible vitality, influence and generosity, and its support for Israel has been one of the Jewish state’s greatest assets throughout its existence. But with great opportunities come great challenges, and as the much-discussed Pew survey has shown, those challenges must be addressed. Young North American Jews view Jewish identity and Jewish life in starkly different terms than did their parents and grandparents, and they must therefore be reached in a wholly different manner. We at The Jewish Agency are proud to be at the forefront of this effort. The single greatest way to strengthen young Jews’ connections to Jewish life is by bringing them to experience Israel, and the effect is amplified by repeat visits. That is why the Taglit- Birthright Israel must be followed by a profound, long-term Israel experience such as our Masa Israel Journey program and why we are devoting ever more resources to bringing young Jews to experience the Jewish homeland.