5 Jewish Americans Making the World a Better Place

The concept of tzedakah isn’t directly mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, but it’s one of the biggest reasons why so many people of Jewish descent get involved in philanthropy. Tzedakah isn’t charity, exactly; charity implies giving from generosity of spirit or compassion. Tzedakah is an obligation, borne from an ancient understanding that your money belongs to G-d anyway, and he expects you to give some to others as part of good stewardship. Some argue that tzedakah is as much about giving time as it is about giving money. According to Maimonides, the highest form of tzedakah gives others the ability  Read More…

Adam Milstein: The Making of a Philanthropist

Adam Milstein’s family foundation distributes upward of $1 million annually to dozens of organizations. Photos by Carla Acevedo- Blumenkrantz Adam Milstein is among Los Angeles’ most visible Israeli-American philanthropists. Through the family foundation that he runs with his wife, Gila, the San Fernando Valley resident gives upward of $1 million annually to dozens of organizations, including the Birthright Israel Foundation, the American Jewish Committee’s Project Interchange and Hillel. But Milstein, 63, who was born in Haifa and served in the Israeli army during the Yom Kippur War with Ariel Sharon’s brigade, wasn’t always so giving. Three years after moving to  Read More…

Unbroken and Unbreakable: Adam Milstein’s Mission to Strengthen Israel and the Jewish People

In Israel, they call it the Conceptzia. It’s a term used to describe Israel’s assurance of its own invincibility following the Six Day War. It was a decisive victory in which Israel seized the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. Arab attackers lost over 20,000 forces; only 776 Israelis were killed. By 1973, Anwar Sadat had claimed he’d attack Israel multiple times, but he’d never followed up on his promise. When Egypt began amassing ground forces and bridging equipment on the Sinai, Israel dismissed the movements as simple training exercises. As Syrian forces simultaneously gathered near  Read More…

Why Emigration Has Actually Been Good for Israel

To ardent Zionists, leaving Israel for any reason is a betrayal of the Jewish people. In reality, the yerida has been good for Israel and continues to benefit the country in many ways. From the positive contributions of Israelis in the diaspora to the way Israelis abroad have brought significant investors back with them, it’s time to acknowledge that those who left aren’t yordim; they’re essential ambassadors for their homeland. Not as Many Have Left as You Think Despite certain rhetoric about how too many Jewish people have left Israel for other countries, Israel actually has fewer citizens living abroad  Read More…

Key Lessons From America’s Real Estate Tycoons

If you’ve dreamed of building a fortune as a real estate investor, you’re not alone. But if you think real estate is an easy way to get rich, you’ll be disappointed. According to real estate investor and attorney Bill Bronchick, 90 percent of people who attend a real estate investing seminar give up after three months. They just don’t have what it takes to succeed. Investing in real estate requires capital, hard work, and significant business savvy. Many investors over-extend themselves through borrowing, and they have no cash flow for renovations and for day-to-day repairs. Also, many discover that returns  Read More…

Boosting Charitable Giving in Israel: A Challenge From Diaspora Philanthropists

Most people associate American Jews with a devotion to philanthropy. In fact, Jewish people comprise five of six of the world’s top donors to charity, giving over $966 million to cherished causes. Compared to their counterparts in America, Israeli Jews give much less overall to philanthropic endeavors. Israel hasn’t developed a strong philosophical culture for several important reasons. The country isn’t a bastion of old money; in fact, most of Israel’s wealthy citizens became rich during the tech boom. Unlike America, it isn’t full of long-established wealthy families with a history of service and philanthropy. Also, high individual and corporate  Read More…

Israeli-Americans: Not only a new identity, but an historical game changer!

Source: The Times of Israel  By: Adam Milstein In his opening remarks, in front of the Israeli American Council’s 2nd Annual National Conference this month, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu said: “I appreciate all of the work that the Israeli-American Council does to strengthen the critical US-Israel Alliance”. The event – representing largest gathering of Israeli-Americans in history, with more than 1,300 attendees, up from 650 the year before – marked an important milestone in the development of a new Movement across the United States. During the conference, Israeli government officials on the left and the right – from Isaac Herzog to Yuval Steinitz  Read More…

Ethics of Fathers: Adam Milstein’s Lessons on Business and Life

In 2011, Israeli-American real estate investor and philanthropist Adam Milstein spoke to a gathering of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi). After an introduction from his son-in-law, who jokingly called him “the Israeli Donald Trump,” Milstein shared his life lessons for success. Most of his speech focused on one Talmud verse: Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Fathers) 4:1. In this passage, ancient Jewish scholar Simeon ben Zoma discusses four principles for living well. The guidance Milstein shared to AEPi offers much wisdom both to Jews and non-Jews. They aren’t just words Adam Milstein says; they’re principles validated by a life well lived. Who  Read More…

Ahead of Tel Aviv Shows, Seinfeld Headlines Israeli Charity Ball in LA

Source: The Times of Israel DURING TIME OF INCREASED CONFLICT IN ISRAEL, A RECORD-BREAKING $12M IS RAISED AT AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM EVENT BY KELLY HARTOG October 25, 2015, 11:06 pm LOS ANGELES — It was an evening to rival any number of Los Angeles red carpet events as The American Friends of Magen David Adom celebrated its third annual Red Star Ball at the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom on October 22. Men donned smart suits and tuxedos and women shimmied in tulle, taffeta and silk, many in MDA’s signature red and black colors as they sat down  Read More…

Becoming a movement: 2nd National Israeli American Conference Draws 1,300

Source: JNS.org (JNS.org) The fast-growing Israeli American Council (IAC) recently drew 1,300 Israeli Americans to its second annual national national conference in Washington, DC, with conference sessions ranging from the Iran nuclear deal to Israeli culture to fighting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Expanding beyond its Los Angeles headquarters in recent years, the fast-growing IAC says it now reaches 250,000 people nationwide through its nine regional offices. “We have become a movement,” said IAC National Chairman Adam Milstein. “America is our home. Israel will always be our Jewish homeland. And as Americans of Israeli descent we are uniquely  Read More…