Birthright Boost

Adelson gift of $25 million a year
gives huge boost to Birthright Israel.

more than 120,000 young Jews from
51 countries to Israel for free. It has
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
become widely accepted as the most
successful and formative Jewish expe-
New York
rience for young adults.
The program has been jointly
he Adelson Family Charitable
funded
by private philanthropists, the
Foundation made its first
Jewish
Agency
for Israel, the Israeli
official gift last week as bil-
government
and
the North American
lionaire Sheldon Adelson and his wife,
federation
system. Bringing
Dr. Miriam Adelson,
Adelson
into
the funding
pledged $25 million a
picture
could
remarkably
year for the foreseeable
change
the
program's
reach.
future to Birthright
Adelson,
CEO
of
the
Las
Israel.
Vegas
Sands
Corp.,
which
The gift will allow
owns the Sands and Venetian
Birthright to send
casinos in Las Vegas, is
20,000 Jews between
building
a Las Vegas-like
the ages of 18 and 26
strip
in
Macao,
China. The
on free 10-day trips
project,
which
could
cost up
to Israel this summer,
to
$11
billion,
has
caused
doubling its previous
Sheldon Adelson
LVS stock to skyrocket, along
capacity.
with Adelson's wealth.
According to
Forbes magazine esti-
In
September,
Birthright officials, the money will
mated
Adelson's
worth at $20.5 billion,
continue for several years, provided
placing
him
behind
only Bill Gates and
the program's other funders, who con-
Warren
Buffet
on
the
list of wealthiest
tributed $51 million last year, main-
Americans.
Adelson,
who
is believed
tain their levels of giving.
to
make
about
$1
million
per hour,
The announcement comes at a time
could
overtake
Buffet
as
the
richest
when Birthright was turning away
American
within
the
next
year.
young Jews because its funding didn't
The Adelsons' Jewish philanthropy
keep pace with the demand for space
also
has been growing. In October,
on the popular trips.
the
couple
gave $25 million to the Yad
It also comes as sociologists, Jewish
Vashem
Holocaust
Memorial in Israel.
communal professionals and philan-
In
December,
they
gave
$5 million to
thropists have pointed to a greater
Birthright
to
pay
for
2,000
Jews who
need to engage Jews in their 20s and
had
been
on
the
waiting
list
for winter
30s in Jewish identity-building pro-
trips.
grams. They tout Birthright as among
Days before the December
the most successful programs in that
Birthright
gift was announced, word
endeavor.
leaked
that
the Adelsons would start a
"The Birthright Israel program is
foundation
that could dwarf anything
one of the best ideas our time has seen
the
Jewish
community
has seen from
because it has the greatest potential
an
individual
philanthropist.
to maintain Jewish continuity in the
In early January, Adelson tapped
face of growing assimilation:' Adelson
Boston-based lawyer Michael Bohnen
said in a news release announcing the
to serve as president of the Adelson
gift Feb. 6."By founding the Birthright
Family Charitable Foundation.
program, Michael Steinhardt and
Speculation on details of the foun-
Charles Bronfman have given one of
dation has been rife for months.
the greatest gifts to the Jewish people
Initial reports said it would disperse
in our generation. We applaud their
$200 million to $250 million per year
creativity and generosity, and we are
to Jewish causes. But those close to
privileged and honored to provide the
resources to enhance the program and Adelson, including Bohnen, have
remained mum about the reports. I
solidify its future'
Since 2000, Birthright has sent

Jacob Berkman

T

The earth is running out
of fresh water.

By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will live in
water-stressed conditions, according to U.N. estimates.
Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
have developed techniques that today enable Israel to recycle
up to 60°/0 of its wastewater, more than any other country.

Working with Jordanian and Palestinian scientists, these
researchers have developed recycling ponds for small
villages that yield water for crop irrigation. New Technion
developments, using membranes to remove salt, promise to

desalinate water at lower costs.

The American Technion Society is proud to be a partner in
these efforts. With your help, we can ensure that Israel's
scientists continue shaping a stronger Israel and a better,

safer world. Join us.

NO CHALLENGE TOO GREAT

V American
Technion
Society-

To find out how you can participate in events
email detroit@ats.org , call (248) 737 1990
or visit www.ats.org/water

-

Jerome J. Kanter, President

Jo Strausz Rosen, Detroit Chapter Director

Matt Engelbert, East Central Regional Director

32506 Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334

1211830

February 15 • 2007

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