Windows Winter 2006 - Jerusalem Foundation

From North America
Desk Director: Moshe Fogel
Senior Director, New Leadership Group: Oren Rosenstein
United States
Board Visit to Jerusalem
U. S. Board Chairman Alan G.
Hassenfeld led an unprecedented delegation
of Board Members and visitors from the
U.S. on a 3-day visit to Jerusalem from
June 5- 7, 2005 (see pages 16-17). One
of the highlights of the visit was the Teddy
Kollek Award Ceremony at the Israel
Knesset at which John C. Whitehead,
Allen Model and the Constantiner family
all received awards for their significant
contributions to the city of Jerusalem (see
pages 14-15). In the context of the visit,
the U.S. Board convened an official meeting
in Jerusalem for the first time, with the
participation of Board Members from
Europe, Israel and the Jerusalem
Foundation's staff. The meeting focused
on projects chosen for implementation
by the Project Review Committee of the
U.S. Board and future directions for donor
outreach. Board Members and staff
discussed upcoming trends and goals of
the Foundation and how to employ the
"best practices" method in the operation
of the Board. A team of architects and
planners presented ideas for the construction
of a donor park in honor of Teddy Kollek
and brainstormed about how best to draw
visitors both from Israel and abroad. Board
Members were unanimous in their
enthusiasm and all shared an overall feeling
of renewed inspiration for the future of
Jerusalem.
West Coast Representative
Doron Nesher has been appointed as the
Jerusalem Foundation's West Coast
Representative responsible for development
and donor outreach, primarily in Los
Angeles and San Francisco. He has had
a wide-ranging career in Israel that included:
acting, stand-up comedy, talk-show host,
novelist, journalist, teacher, director of
TV commercials and political strategist.
He also wrote a screenplay for one of the
best-known films in Israel, "Late Summer
Blues," about a group of high school
students in the late 70s, during the summer
before the Yom Kippur War. Doron has
worked in non-profit development in San
Francisco for the past five years and will
work for the Foundation in marketing and
fundraising efforts in California.
Donor Reports
The Crown Family Foundation in
conjunction with the Jewish Federation
of Chicago has generously allocated funds
to fight poverty in Jerusalem. Single parent
families in two Jerusalem neighborhoods
will benefit from a two year program
designed to empower families below the
poverty line and help mothers and children
enter the mainstream of life in Jerusalem.
Guilford Glazer from Los Angeles has
chosen to support the Info Program at the
Mishkenot Sha’ananim Culture Center.
The program is designed to provide foreign
journalists based in Israel with the
information and updates that are vital to
presenting Israel’s point-of-view to the
mass media. Elias Buchwald, former
senior partner of the Public Relations
Firm Burson-Marsteller, is overseeing
the project and evaluating it in order to
ensure its success.
Bill Ackman, former Chairman of the
U.S. Foundation, has pledged to renovate
the Beit David Sports Hall in East
Jerusalem. Bill's understanding of the
needs of East Jerusalem residents inspired
him to join Allen Model, a long-time
supporter of Beit David, in upgrading its
facilities and services.
Irving Taylor has chosen to fund a major
Young Friends of the Jerusalem Foundation hosted Bilingual School co-principle
Alah Khatib and founder Lee Gordon at the home of Julian Steinberg in April.
renovation of the Rose and Isaac Taylor
Community Center. Renovations are
commencing in 2006.
The Samuel H. Kress Foundation has
allocated funds for the restoration of the
antique Conegliano Veneto Italian
Synagogue built c. 1626. The synagogue
is a shining example of the richness of
the Italian Jewish heritage and continues
to proudly serve the Italian Jewish
community in Jerusalem today.
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Windows on Jerusalem Winter 2006