Reporting by Leah
The America-Israel Friendship (AIFL) League hosted its 2010 Partners for Democracy Awards Dinner on October 20, 2010 at The Plaza in New York City. Over 500 guests attended this years Awards Dinner where honorees included Shari Arison, Owner of Arison Group, Efrat Peled, Chairman & CEO of Arison Investments, Yair Seroussi, Chairman of the Board of Bank Hapoalim, Zion Kenan, President and CEO of Bank Hapoalim, and Charles D. Davidson, Chairman and CEO of Noble Energy, Inc. The reception began at 6:30pm followed by the dinner at 7:30pm. Tickets started at $1,000 per person.
The 2010 Partners For Democrary Award is bestowed upon distinguished individuals and organizations who have demonstrated their support of the United States-Israel friendship. The award recognizes and pays tribute to successful efforts in the United States and in Israel that cultivate and strengthen relations, common bonds and mutual respect between the people of the two countries.
AIFL Chairman Kenneth J. Bialkin and AIFL President Harley Lippman began the dinner with welcoming remarks. The National Anthems of the United States and Israel were delivered by Gan-ya Ben-Gur Akselrod and Natalie Tenenbaum, Piano. Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Senior Rabbi of Park East Synagogue delivered the Invocation. Additional remarks were delivered by Itzhak Tshuva, Owner, El Ad Group, Ido Aharoni, Acting Consul General of Israel to New York, and Binyamin Fuad Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Industry, Trade & Labor of Israel. Ambassador Dan Gillerman, Former Ambassador of the State of Israel to the United Nations, and Mort Zuckerman, Editor-in-Chief of U.S. News & World Report and Publisher of the New York Daily News and Chairman and Co-Founder of Boston Properties, gave commentary on the state of US-Israel Relations.
The Partners for Democracy Awards Dinner capped off an exciting day of events which began with a breakfast at the New York Stock Exchange for Israel Day at the New York Stock Exchange. The breakfast was part of a day long schedule of events organized by the Israel America Chamber of Commerce Conference in New York City and the AIFL.
About The America-Israel Friendship League:
The America-Israel Friendship League, founded in 1971, is a non-sectarian, non-political, not-for-profit organization strengthening ties between the people of the United States and Israel, bridging distances to reveal the humanity and the modern democratic values that define both nations. The AIFL is dedicated to strengthening the ties between the United States and Israel through its people-to-people programs. The AIFL leadership delegations enable students and teachers, civic, and religious leaders, and many others from diverse communities across America to visit Israel and experience its vibrant democracy, common heritage and shared values.
Past honorees include George P. Shultz, Former U.S. Secretary of State, Elliott Broidy, Founder and Chairman, Markstone Capital, Alan S. Elkin, Chief Executive Officer, Active International, Eli Hurvitz, Chairman Teva International, and Yitzhak Tshuva, President, El Ad Group.
For more information about the AIFL please visit their website at http://www.aifl.org