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Maccabi’s Championship, Bloomberg’s Million…

[additional-authors]
May 24, 2014

My journey to Israel this week started off with an experience that could only happen on El Al. It was Sunday morning, May 18. While we were busy checking in and boarding, 5-time European Basketball Champions Maccabi Tel Aviv were playing against Real Madrid in the Euroleague finals, in a quest for a sixth Euroleague title. Over 10,000 Israeli Maccabi fans travelled to Milano, Italy where the game was being played, turning the arena into a Maccabi “home away from home.”

Being a big Maccabi fan, the timing for me couldn’t have been worse. On the one hand, I’m excited about going to Israel, but at the same time…why now? I was missing the championship game that I could have been watching at home, and I felt so removed from it all. I called my dear friend Shlomo Mussali in Israel, and he told me he would provide play-by-play updates. Indeed, by the time I was about to board the plane, I must have had over 50 text messages from him! I arrive to the door of the El Al plane, and a little “happening” is taking place. There are a few Israelis – including some flight attendants – who stood at the door, all standing around someone’s phone, trying to watch a live stream of the game. There were five minutes left in a very close game. I joined them, and when their live stream went dead, I called Shlomo. He started announcing the game to me, play-by-play, and I announced it to everyone else. The rest of the passengers are sitting in the plane, when suddenly I announce: “Tell the pilot we’re not leaving yet — overtime!” More flight attendants come out, and one goes back to tell the pilot! We’re told to board the plane so they could close the doors, but we were promised that the plane would not take off until the game was over. The live stream resumed, and I stayed on the phone with Shlomo. With great anticipation, everyone was waiting for the final results. I suddenly announce to the passengers – “Maccabi are the champions of Europe!!” As I announce this, everybody cheers and applauds, and a flight attendant pops open a bottle of champagne, passes cups around to everyone, and the party begins! All of this, and we haven’t taken off for Israel yet. Only on El Al!!! Thank you Shlomo, thank you Maccabi, and thank you El Al. It all came together so beautifully, and looking back, this little experience was even better than watching the game itself.

Last night, I was privileged to attend a unique event at the Jerusalem Theater. The Genesis Philanthropy Group, one of the Jewish world’s most prestigious philanthropic foundations, awarded its inaugural “Genesis Prize” to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The who’s who at this gala included Prime Minister Netanyahu, Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, former Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and a host of Knesset members, Israeli celebrities and Israeli business tycoons. Our MC for the evening was Jay Leno, who said, “The Genesis Prize is being billed as the Jewish Nobel Prize. Funny, I always thought the Nobel Prize was a Jewish prize…who else wins that thing?” Leno also took some jabs at politicians: “President Obama recently spoke of the unbreakable bond between Israel and the United States. The president knows first hand how unbreakable a bond this is, for he has been trying – unsuccessfully – to break it for the last five years!” It was then Israel’s turn: “You know, I heard there are so many Israeli politicians doing jail time, that when you speak to an Israeli politician and ask them for their cell number, it really changes the meaning of the question.” When Bloomberg was presented the prize – a check for one million dollars – Leno remarked, “I bet all of the Israeli Members of Knesset here tonight are saying ‘I didn’t know that you could get that kind of money legally – amazing!’”

So, what does a man worth 27 billion dollars do with a million dollar prize? He is using it to encourage young Jews to create and innovate, and is launching a worldwide contest where the top ten most creative and innovative “start-up” ideas from young Jews will each be awarded a $100,000 prize. It was a beautiful evening celebrating Israeli culture, innovation and progress. There was music, short films, dance…and lots of great humor from Jay Leno.

Meanwhile at the SEC, I am sitting here in a gorgeous new guest room with a breathtaking view of Jerusalem. Our campus is looking so beautiful, and I am proud and inspired to be working here everyday. My week has been busy with meetings, amongst them the exciting meetings I have had solidifying our plans to establish and launch our new full time Sephardic rabbinical program opening in the very near future. Talk about innovative ideas – this is one that’s long overdue.

If all of this was not enough for fun and inspiration, I am now off to prepare for Shabbat here at the SEC, where we are hosting the Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy’s 8th grade class Israel trip group, along with their partner school students from Tel Aviv’s Zeitlin School. I am always excited to host groups here, but this one is a bit special, as it includes my son Ilan!

From another European Basketball Championship to billionaires helping to build and assure the Jewish future, this week brings me a lot of hope. In case the naysayers and prophets of doom try to deter us from continuing to believe in and support Israel, I look back on this week and say to them what Tal Brody — the captain and star of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s first European Champion team in 1977 – said after Israel’s historic victory: “Now we are on the map, and we are staying on the map – in sports, and in everything!”

37 years later, Brody’s declaration still stands…as do Israel and the Jewish people.

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