The American presence in Israel and the region is on the rise, with presidential envoys, members of Congress, delegations representing Jewish organizations, warships, philanthropists, business people, academics, bona fide tourists, and new immigrants following each other in quick succession, and sometimes two or three of the above in Israel at the same time.
Among the Americans seen in Israel over the past week was Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman emeritus of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, who came as a member of a large delegation of the Conference of Presidents. As someone who has devoted nearly all his adult life to advancing Israeli and Jewish causes, Hoenlein has been to Israel more frequently than most other Americans and continues to come several times a year in his capacity as president of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue.
When he was part of the delegation that met with President Isaac Herzog this week, the president, who last year conferred the Presidential Medal of Honor on Hoenlein, made a point of saying that Hoenlein has met “everyone who is anyone” around the world.
Hoenlein himself admits that one of the reasons he had so much access to people in high office is because he had a reputation for never leaking information about those meetings.
Over the years, he has been approached by leading publishing companies, offering him handsome advance payments for writing a book about some of the world leaders he has met and what they discussed. He had consistently refused, but now that he’s ex officio, he is giving serious consideration to writing his memoirs.
The problem is that he knows too many secrets, and he doesn’t want to hurt anyone by revealing what may still be classified information. He is even hesitant about revealing the secrets of deceased leaders. If he decides to go ahead, the book is bound to be a bestseller because most of its content will not have been previously published.
Grant for establishment of Sally Einstein Brain Research Program
Israeli academic institutions and other institutions receive significant grants and donations from American foundations and institutions. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, for instance, recently received a NIS 1 million grant from the Sim Einstein Research Foundation Inc. for the establishment of the Sally Einstein Brain Research Program, which will be led by Dr. Or Shemesh and his team at the Hebrew University School of Pharmacy.
The Sally Einstein program is an extension of the team’s two-year research project on the infectious etiology of brain disease. The grant will enable further research into a broad spectrum of brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and epilepsy.
While these conditions are often studied in isolation, Shemesh and his team aim to identify shared pathways and pathogens that may drive brain pathology across all of them by comparing disease mechanisms across seemingly different conditions.
Shemesh explained that “by uncovering the ‘common denominator’ pathogens that trigger brain inflammation and degeneration, as well as identifying disease-specific pathogens that may define a unique cranio-biome for each neurological disorder, we are taking the first step toward developing innovative treatments that could halt disease progression.”
Jesse Jackson's complicated relationship with Jews
Controversial, Charismatic US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson – who died this week – was responsible for restoring and enhancing the dignity and self-worth of America’s African-American population, yet he had a convoluted relationship with the Jewish people.
While Jackson, early in his career, was on good terms with Jews, he lost significant political credit with US Jewish communities, particularly in New York, with his reference to “Hymietown,” his meeting with Yasser Arafat, and his relationship with fervent antisemite Nation of Islam (NOI) head Louis Farrakhan.
While Jackson tried to make amends, many American Jews refused to forgive him for what they regarded as antisemitism. There were other Jews, however, who realized that Jackson was torn between advocating for Palestinian self-determination and simultaneously pressing for secure borders for Israel. One such person was the founder of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and of the Hampton Synagogue,
Rabbi Marc Schneier, who, in a tribute to Jackson, wrote:
“With the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson, America has lost a towering pillar of the Civil Rights movement, and I have lost a cherished friend. For over 30 years, it was my privilege to share an extraordinary relationship with him in working to rebuild the historic alliance between the Black and Jewish communities.
“I was honored to facilitate his reconnectivity to the Jewish community, culminating in November 1999, when I welcomed him to the main campus of Yeshiva University to keynote a groundbreaking conference on Black-Jewish relations, sponsored by the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.
“Our partnership extended far beyond dialogue; year after year, for several decades, I joined him as a keynote speaker at his Wall Street Project Economic Summit in New York City.”
Schneier ended his tribute to Jackson by saying, “May his memory be a source of blessing, and may his legacy of bridge-building continue to inspire us all.”
Dani Cushmaro on adventures and journalism
Channel12 journalist and news anchor Dani Cushmaro, known to be an extreme sports enthusiast, engaging in several dangerous exploits, was the guest speaker last week at a lunch meeting of the Israel-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce, led by Gideon Hamburger at the Sheraton Grand Tel Aviv hotel. Cushmaro – whose adventures include diving with an orca in the icy waters around the North Pole and a motorcycle expedition across the African deserts of Namibia – told Swiss Ambassador Simon Geissbuehler that he would soon set out on a journey through the Swiss Alps.
For the most part, Cushmaro spoke about his experiences as a war correspondent and the challenges faced by journalists in reporting from war zones.
Among the participants at the event were some of Israel’s leading captains of industry and commerce, namely property developer and hotelier Alfred Akirov; CEO of Pictet Bank Moran Alon; CEO of UBP Bank in Israel Avi Weinberger; attorneys Orly Neshitz and Uri Asher; representative of SWISS RE Israel Hillel Demelin; Attorney Eran Yakubovich; Delek Israel’s Avi Levy; Tel Aviv University Prof. Dan Weiss; and former governor of the Bank of Israel Prof. Yaakov Frenkel.
Also in attendance were Electra Israel’s Eli Wesely; Doron Sabag of ORS; accountant Aliza Sharon; Attorney Avi Elrom; Chairman of Harel Insurance and Finance Yair Hamburger; Deputy CEO and CFO of Harel Insurance and Finance Group Arik Peretz; Attorney Gilad Shapira, head of Harel Insurance and Finance Group Legal Division; CEO of Harel Finance Michael Benvolgi; Chair of Harel Finance Hagit Citiyat Levin; Roi Geva, director of Harel Finance Real Estate Financing and Development Division; and Shlomit Engel, head of Harel Finance General Accounting Division.
MDA conducts large-scale training for better preparedness
The Boy Scouts’ motto, “Be prepared,” has been adopted by Magen David Adom. Close to 40 MDA volunteers were killed on October 7, 2023, and over the ensuing two years. In reviewing its operations during that period, MDA decided that it was essential to be better prepared in dealing with future crises. Toward this aim, it conducted a large-scale exercise in preparation for transitioning from routine operations to emergency status and carried out a war game.
The exercise, led by MDA Director-General Eli Bin, included the participation of all management and frontline units of the organization. During the simulation, MDA personnel practiced a series of operational scenarios, including missile impact in open and urban areas, damage to infrastructure, and the activation of nationwide reinforcement systems.
As part of the drill, decision-making processes, personnel management, coordination between headquarters and front-line operations, and the ability to rapidly and efficiently transition from routine to emergency operations were assessed, while maintaining full functional continuity and the ongoing provision of medical care to civilians.
The drill included MDA’s Blood Services, immediate response units, helicopter unit, and logistics division, ensuring full organizational readiness to provide an optimal response during emergencies. MDA operates with approximately 38,000 volunteers and employees, supported by some 1,800 ambulances, 800 emergency motorcycles, 300 immediate response vehicles, five helicopters, intensive care buses, off-road Unimog vehicles for difficult terrain, and more.
This emergency exercise was an addition to routine exercises conducted throughout the year, such as surprise drills for MDA regions, dispatch centers, field teams, and regional management, in order to assess readiness levels, improve operational competence, and strengthen the ability to provide fast, professional, and coordinated medical response at all times, in close cooperation with the IDF, Israel Police, Fire and Rescue Authority, local authorities, and other emergency agencies.
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