From Southern California, halfway across the world, the Lincoln Club of Orange County is making major steps in its efforts for more globalized financial ties and prosperity, beginning in Israel and the surrounding region. The Club’s delegation of 40 top members concludes the final leg of their Middle East tour today in Israel, having met with top Israeli officials such as Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch, former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, as well as top Palestinian officials, innovative Israeli start-ups and leading experts on the geopolitical situation in Israel.
Founded in 1962 by some of the most prominent business leaders in Southern California, the Lincoln Club has helped shape local, state, and national politics based on the principles of preserving the American way of life. As the largest conservative donor network in California, the Lincoln Club has historically been a key player in the political arena and is now positioning itself as the intersection between global business leaders and top political officials.
This is the Club’s second international delegation, spearheaded by Benny Mor, the Club’s Chairman of Foreign Affairs and International Financial Relations. Born in Israel and based in California for the past 39 years, Mor is bringing the American conservative values to the global stage. “We are connecting both the centrists and right wing,” Mor explains, “We want to be moderate, without being extremists, but bringing the ideals of conservatism to the political and business sectors.” And many of these initiatives challenge the misconception of conservative idealism.
One of Mor’s current initiatives is in the field of alterative energy sources, focusing on natural gas and non-recyclable waste materials to reduce the cost of electricity and environmental damage. “Israel has natural gas resources and Egypt is one of the most polluted countries and looking to get rid of waste. These can be potential partners,” adds Mor, “When you put this together, you can understand our mission. We can [simultaneously] lower electricity rates and help the environment.”
For many international business and political leaders, the Lincoln Club is the destination to provide cross collaboration that can help bring about global change. Throughout their tour, Lincoln Club delegates met with Israeli leaders on both sides of the political spectrum, as well as Palestinian leaders in Ramallah, giving delegates the tools to formulate their own opinions. It is that objective approach that Mor feels will propel the Lincoln Club onto the international stage.
While major global leaders are privileged with unobstructed access to players that will help further their agenda, the Lincoln Club’s tour in the Middle East also helps build relationships with those that cannot break into American national politics. The Lincoln Club plans to regularly send smaller delegations to other regions around the world to build relationships and identify collaborative opportunities to connect with their robust network in the US.
The impact of the Lincoln Club extends well beyond its geographic location, capitalizing on the immense wealth and influence of its Orange County members to become a key connector and agent for change in bringing American ideals to the world. For the Lincoln Club, this is just the beginning. “There are endless financial opportunities between the United States and the Middle East,” Mor concludes, “The Lincoln Club is made up of diverse industry leaders and this visit to the region is the first step in building important ties with executives and governments, which will ultimately become tangible projects and achievements.”