Guests 1

Ambassador Ido Aharoni - Israel's Longest Serving Consul-General In New York, Public Speaker/News Pundit

Ido Aharoni was Israel’s longest serving Consul-General in New York. He held that position with the rank of Ambassador for six years overseeing the operations of Israel’s largest diplomatic mission worldwide. Ido Aharoni serves as Global Distinguished Professor for international relations at New York University’s Graduate School of Arts and Science. He is a member of the International Advisory Council of APCO Worldwide, a Global Ambassador for Maccabi World Union, Chairman of the Charney Forum for New Diplomacy and a co-founder of Emerson Rigby Ltd. Amabbasdor Aharoni is a 25-year veteran of Israel’s Foreign service. He is a public diplomacy specialist, founder of the Brand Israel Program and a well-known nation branding practitioner. He is a writer for the Jerusalem Post and has been featured in Time Magazine, The Washington Times, The New York Post as well as CNN, CBN, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg TV, Fox News and i24 News among others. For more information about Ambassador Ido Aharoni visit; https://www.idoaharoni.com/

Yonatan (Yoni) Yagodovsky - Spokesperson - Magen David Adom - Israel's Ambulance & Emergency Service

Yonatan Yagodovsky is a spokesperson and the Director of Fundraising and the International Relations Department of Magen David Adom in Israel. He was previously the manager of the Magen David Adom station in Jerusalem. Magen David Adom (Hebrew: מגן דוד אדום, abbr. MDA, pronounced MAH-dah per its Hebrew acronym, מד”א) is Israel’s national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means “Red Shield of David”. It is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation. Magen David Adom is mainly staffed by volunteers and has over 10,000 people volunteering. MDA has a dedicated medical emergency phone number in Israel, 101. MDA can become an auxiliary arm of the Israel Defense Forces during times of war. To support the important work of Magen David Adom visit: https://www.cfmda.com/ or https://www.mdais.org/en/donation

Brigadier General Gal Hirsch - Commander 91st Division Israel Defense Forces During 2006 Lebanon War

Brigadier-General Gal Hirsch is a reserve General in the IDF and considered one of the most experienced officers in the areas of counter terrorism, counter insurgency and guerrilla warfare. Brigadier General Hirsch commanded the 91st Division of Israel Defense Forces during the 2006 Lebanon War and spearheaded Israel’s fight against terror for 34 years in all fronts as a commander of several elite units. He is a decorated soldier and has been featured in the Associated Press, Ynet News, The Jerusalem Post, Israel National News, ILTV News and SKY News Australia. To obtain his book: ‘Defensive Shield: An Israeli Special Forces Commander on the Frontline of Counterterrorism’ visit: https://www.amazon.com/Defensive-Shield-Commander-Frontline-Counterterrorism/dp/9652298654

Nimrod Eisenberg - Medical Clown - The Dream Doctors Project, Israel

Nimrod Eisenberg is originally from Jerusalem and is one of the pioneers of medical clowning in Israel. He has been part of the Dream Doctors Project since 2003. The Dream Doctors Project is a unique non-profit organization integrating medical clowns –”Dream Doctors”- into the hospital healthcare system in Israel by training them to work as part of the multidisciplinary care teams in various medical units carrying out procedures to improve patient well-being and advance care. It aims to promote medical clowning as an officially recognized paramedial profession. Dream Doctors’ trailblazing model of collaboration with medical teams and research-proven techniques show that medical clowns significantly improve the wellbeing of patients, alleviate anxiety, and accelerate recovery. Today, 100 Dream Doctors work hand-in-hand with doctors and nurses in 30 hospitals across Israel. Dream Doctors provide specialized care to over 200,000 child and adult patients every year. For more information or to support the work of The Dream Doctors Project visit: https://dreamdoctors.org.il/

Amit Barak - Co-Founder & CEO of Jnnovation, Israel

Amit Barak was born in Israel and is the Co-Founder & CEO of Jnnovation. He previously worked for Siloam – Building Bridges, The Shomron Regional Council, The Face of Israel and in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), He is an expert on Jewish – Christian relations and is a pioneer of the historic movement to integrate Israeli-Christians into the Israeli Army and Israeli society. He also documents and researches the activities of anti-Israeli Christian organisations in Israel. He is a reservist in the Israeli army and is currently working on The Jerusalemite Initiative which is helping Christian Arabs to learn Hebrew to integrate into Israeli society. He writes for Breaking Israel News and has been featured on Fox Business News & in Israel National News, The Jerusalem Post and Israel Today. For more information or to support the work of The Jerusalemite Initiative visit: https://www.jerusalemitei.org/

Ruth Guggenheim - Resource Development Cordinator at World Emunah, Israel

Ruth Guggenheim went to the Yeshiva of Great Washington and emigrated to Israel three years ago from Baltimore, USA. She has served as the Executive director at Jews for Judaism and is currently the Resource Development Cordinator at World Emunah. World Emunah is the international arm of Emunah, a leading social action organization caring for some of Israel’s most vulnerable children and families. In this role, World Emunah serves as the liaison and umbrella for dynamic Emunah affiliates in many countries throughout the world. World Emunah is also a prominent member of Israel’s national institutions, including, the World Zionist Organization & Keren Kayemet (the Jewish National Fund). World Emunah, with offices in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is run by a small but dedicated team of professionals. For more information or to support the work of World Emunah visit: https://www.worldemunah.org/

Ilan Greenfield - Owner & CEO Gefen Publishing House, Israel

Ilan Greenfield was born in Israel, studied in Tel Aviv & joined the Israeli Army for three years as a medic in the paratroopers. Following his military service, he studied at Fullerton College in California and became a Zionist activist on campus & was a founder of Telem which encouraged Jews to make Aliyah. He returned to Israel in 1982 and joined the family publishing company, Gefen Publishing House. He is now the CEO and has been featured on CNN, ILTV News as well as Ha’aretz & Israel National News. Gefen Publishing House publishes and prints more than 30 original books in Israel each year. Subjects are diverse and include a wide variety of themes – among them biblical commentary, Israeli historical novels, Holocaust memoirs, multi-language dictionaries, Haggadot and award-winning children’s books. For more information or to purchase books from Gefen Publishing House visit: https://www.gefenpublishing.com/default.asp

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum - Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum was born in London, UK, and grew up in Gibraltar. She is the daughter of Sir Joshua Abraham Hassan who served as Chief Minister and Mayor of Gibraltar and his wife Marcelle Bensimon. In 1991 Hassan-Nahoum moved back to London to study law at King’s College London. After qualifying as a barrister in 1997, she practiced law in London and became campaign director of World Jewish Relief. In 2001, Hassan-Nahoum immigrated to Israel. On 13th November 2018 Mayor Moshe Lion named her Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem in charge of tourism and foreign relations including philanthropy, international economic development, business relations and Diaspora affairs. Hassan-Nahoum is the only British-born citizen currently holding a senior political role in Israeli politics. As deputy mayor, Hassan-Nahoum sees increasing participation in the workforce and improving education in the Arab sector as major challenges for the municipality. Among Hassan-Nahoum’s responsibilities is accommodating new embassies in the city. For more information about Fleur Hassan-Nahoum visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur_Hassan-Nahoum

Dave Mason - Author, Social Entrepreneur, Rabbi, and Business Strategist

Dave’s journeys have taken him through over twenty countries, and into jobs as varied as environmental litigator for the Natural Resources Defense Council, personal assistant to the current Interpol Secretary General, and CEO of an Ecommerce Network. Born in Connecticut in 1974, Dave now lives with his family in the eclectic Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem. The Key of Rain, the second book in The Age of Prophecy series, transports you back 3000 years to the epic battle between the Israelite Kings and Prophets. In his war against the idolatrous King Ahav and his Queen Izevel, the Prophet Elijah has brought a devastating drought upon the Kingdom of Israel. While all search in vain for Elijah, the Queen hunts the remaining prophets, driving the survivors into hiding. The story follows Lev, an orphaned musician, who scrambles to keep the prophets alive while trying to mend the rift in the Kingdom. To purchase a copy of ‘The Key of Rain’ visit: https://www.amazon.com/Key-Rain-Age-Prophecy-Book-ebook/dp/B07JMYTJTB

Aaron Rosenberg - Business Relations Co-ordinator for JerusalemU/Imagination Productions in Israel

Aaron Rosenberg is originally from London and moved to Israel in 2014. He studied Psychology, served in the Israeli Army as a Commander and is also a Rabbi. Jerusalem U is a non-profit organisation dedicated to film-based Jewish and Israel education. JerusalemU produces feature-length films, film classes and experiential and interactive learning initiatives. Programs feature world-class educators, experts and Hollywood personalities including TV actor Mayim Bialik, Martin Gilbert, Elliott Gould and others. Jerusalem U’s educational programs are distributed via the internet, social media, television, grassroots campaigns, live events and educational partnerships. For more information about JerusalemU visit: https://jerusalemu.org/ For more information about Imagination Productions visit: https://imaginationproductions.com/?utm_source=JU-website&utm_medium=brands

Rabbi Eliezer Ben Yehuda - Grandson of Eliezer Ben‑Yehuda - Zionist Pioneer & Father of Modern Hebrew

Rabbi Eliezer Ben Yehuda was born in Jerusalem on 25th September 1938. A descendant of illustrious scholars and authors, his great grandfather, Yehuda Lieb Perlman was a Hasidic Rabbi in Lithuania; his grandfather, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, a pre-Zionist visionary and pioneer of Jewish national renaissance and resettlement in Eretz-Yisrael, was a writer, lexicographer, newspaper editor, teacher and statesman. He founded “Va’ad Halashon” – the parent of today’s Academy of the Hebrew Language and the National Hebrew Library. He authored the “Ben-Yehuda Dictionary and Thesaurus of the Hebrew Language, Ancient and Modern” a 17 volume tome that is the most complete Hebrew language research tool in existence. He is recognized as “the man who revived the Hebrew Language” – and major thoroughfares in every large city and town in Israel are named after him. For more information about Rabbi Eliezer Ben Yehuda visit: http://www.benyehuda.us/

Iddo Netanyahu - Israeli Physician, Author and Playwright

Iddo Netanyahu is an Israeli physician, author and playwright. He is the younger brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, the longest serving Prime Minister of Israel, and Yonatan Netanyahu, who was killed leading Operation Thunderbolt at Entebbe in Uganda. He is the author of ‘Yoni’s Last Battle: The Rescue at Entebbe, 1976’. He works part-time as a radiologist, but dedicates most of his time to writing. Since 2008, after authoring several books he has been concentrating on playwriting. His plays have appeared worldwide, including off-Broadway in New York, Tel Aviv, St. Petersburg & Moscow amongst other cities. Recently, his Worlds In Collision has been picked up by Israel’s National Theater Habima in Tel Aviv. He has been featured in The New York Post, New York Times, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel and i24 News. To obtain a copy of ‘Yoni’s Last Battle: The Rescue at Entebbe, 1976’ visit: https://www.amazon.com/Yonis-Last-Battle-Rescue-Entebbe/dp/9652296287

Rafi Fischer - Public & Media Relations Director at OrCam

Rafi Fischer is originally from West Hartford, Connecticut and now lives with his family in Jerusalem. He has for many years been in the public relations field and is currently the Director of Media Communications at OrCam Technologies in Israel. He was previously Vice President with Finn Partners Israel and Lone Star Communications. He has been featured on CBS News, CNBC-TV18 Business News, i24 News and in The Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel as well as news media around the world. OrCam’s mission is to harness the power of artificial vision by incorporating pioneering technology. For more information about OrCam: Help for People who are Blind or Partially Sighted visit: https://www.orcam.com/en/ or to purchase the revolutionary new OrCam MyEye for the blind and visually impaired, the world’s most advanced wearable assistive device that instantly reads text, recognizes faces, identifies products and much more visit: https://www.orcam.com/en/purchase/?step=1&product=myeye

Dr. Haim Chikurel - Israeli Chemical and Environmental Engineer

Dr. Haim Chikurel is an experienced Israeli chemical and environmental engineer. He has 46 Years’ experience in different fields of research, production and engineering in the chemical process industries and in water and waste water treatment including bio-augmentation techniques. He has been responsible for different EU founded wastewater treatment research pilot plants for Mekorot National Water Company as an independent researcher since 1996 and has been active in submitting the proposals and operating the different pilot plants. Dr. Chikurel is currently a visiting lecturer at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. For more information about Dr. Haim Chikurel visit: https://en-wrc.tau.ac.il/sites/shtans1-english.tau.ac.il/files/media_server/WRC/CV%20Haim%20CIkurel%20Feb%20%202018.pdf

Gedaliah Blum - Director of Development for NGO Boomerang

Gedaliah Blum is originally from New York and is the Director of Development for NGO Boomerang – Fighting for Israel as well as being the co-founder of Dapei Katom – promoting business within Judea and Samaria. He is a passionate advocate about strengthening the communities of Judea and Samaria through economic growth and is also the co-founder of the first Chamber of Commerce in the area. He has been featured in The New York Times, Haaretz, Israel News Talk Radio, The Land of Israel Network, Israel National News, Breaking Israel News and is a writer for the Times of Israel. For more information about Gedaliah Blum visit: https://israelforever.org/interact/blog/fighting_fire_with_fire/ For more information about Boomerang Israel visit: https://www.boomerangfight.com/ To see the NO2BDS videos go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnFSwrU3FJCrosAvM_AxwWw

Abraham Truitt - Manager of Tourism - International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ)

Abraham is originally from Denver in the United States and is currently the Manager of Tourism for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews in Israel. He co-ordinates groups and outreach to people from around the world to engage with and connect to Israel. In 2018/2019, the Fellowship welcomed over 3000 visitors from around the world to the land. Abraham was previously the Director of Operations for Connection’s Israel and has served in the Israeli Defence Force. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is a philanthropic organization founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein whose stated goal is to promote understanding and cooperation between Jews and Christians, and build broad support for the State of Israel. For more information or to support the work of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) visit: https://www.ifcj.org/

shadow

Israel First Is A Non-Profit Organisation