The Regional Review-News from the AFHU Northeast Region

What's Inside This Issue:
- Henry Neufeld (z"l): Leaving a Legacy
- Charitable Giving and The New Tax Laws
- Dor L'Dor
- Friends Around the Region
everyday
Tova! Shana
LEAVING A LEGACY THAT HONORS THE PAST
AND LOOKS TO THE FUTURE
Henry Neufeld (z"l), a self-made man, was a philanthropist. As the sole Holocaust survivor of his
immediate family, he understood the importance of fostering the next generation. This led him to
sponsor a nursery school in Herzliya, donate to build a playground in Riverside Park on the Upper West
Side of Manhattan and now, to leave a lasting legacy at the Hebrew University’s Edmond & Lily Safra
Brain Sciences Center, not only to honor his memory, but that of his parents; Esther and Shlomo
Neufeld and his brothers; Baruch and Menachem Neufeld.
Once a chemical importer, Mr. Neufeld’s desire was for his family to be remembered in Israel.
The Jewish Communal Fund of NY (JCF) made his wish a reality by establishing a JCF fund
with assets from his estate and his fund distributed almost $1 million in grants to educational
institutions in Israel between 2000 and 2019. His final wish was carried forth by the Jewish
Communal Fund in July of 2019, as they saw it to be well aligned with his wishes and a social
hub at the Goodman Brain Sciences Building now has a new name. The Neufeld Family Memorial
Fund will be honored with a ceremony in January of 2020, inscribing them on the Hebrew
University’s Wall of Benefactors on Mount Scopus, as well as a plaque honoring the family at
ELSC’s spacious new home in the Suzanne and Charles Goodman Brain Sciences Building on
the Edmond J. Safra Campus. The Neufeld Social Hub is a modern, open concept space
designed to encourage intellectual collaboration and social interactions between faculty,
students and researchers.
Henry Neufeld Social Hub at the Edmond and Lily Safra
Center for Brain Sciences
The Suzanne and Charles Goodman Brain Sciences Building's outer facade

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T S
Dear Friends,
You are receiving this publication as a supporter of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. With
another brilliant year of innovation, discovery, growth, and vision behind us, you can feel
proud to be a part of our Hebrew University community. Recently the Hebrew University
marked the 100th anniversary of the laying of its cornerstone. Lord Edmund Allenby, Chaim
Weizmann, Zeev Jabotinsky, and James Rothschild, along with 6,000 other dignitaries
gathered on the summit of Mount Scopus in 1918 to lay the cornerstones for the foundation
of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. They placed 12 stones - corresponding to the 12
Tribes of Israel - firmly into the ground and forever solidified their legacy.
As a patron of American Friends of the Hebrew University and a member of AFHU’s
Northeast Regional community, you too are keenly aware of the impact a gift or a legacy can
leave. With this inaugural issue of The Regional Review, we are laying the virtual
cornerstones for our community. With this quarterly publication, we aim to keep you
informed, inspired and connected with your fellow members of our AFHU community as well
as with the Hebrew University. There is a traditional Jewish blessing that’s purpose is to
mark a special occasion or milestone. In honor of this Jewish new year, 5780, and in honor of
this new initiative, let us recite a “shehecheyanu” to acknowledge the privilege we share to
be part of the Hebrew University’s centennial celebration, and the gratitude we all have as
we usher in a new year.
Shana Tova,
Pamela Nadler Emmerich
Neil D. Grossman
Co-Presidents
Pamela Nadler Emmerich
Neil D. Grossman
President Emeritus
John S. Siffert
Honorary President
Lawrence J. Zweifach
Board of Directors
Kenneth S. Abramowitz
Emily M. Altman
Paula S. Blumenfeld
Elana M. Bourkoff
Peter A. Chavkin
Dr. Henry Citron
Allen L. Finkelstein, DDS
Robert E. Friedman
Juliet Y. Gal
Paul M. Kaplan
Brad S. Karp
Frances R. Katz
Mark A. Kirsch
Meyer G. Koplow
Michael S. Kurtz
Susan Masri Lawi
Marc O. Mayer
Avner Mendelson
Jeremy Merrin
Gary P. Naftalis
Joshua M. Olshin
Yaakov A. Ringler
George A. Schieren
Dafna E. Schmerin
Ralph D. Sinsheimer
Ira Lee Sorkin
Elliott Z. Stein
Robin L. Topol
Richard D. Weinberg
Andrew R. Wilshinsky
Catherine D. Wood
Northeast Region Staff
Suzanne K. Ponsot
Executive Director
Jodi Popofsky
Associate Executive Director
Maura Milles
Associate Director
Michael Zimmerman
Senior Development Executive
Elaine Schneider
Events Coordinator
Ilana Fish
Development Assistant
Olivia Drummond
Office Manager
Joan Rambudhan
Administrative Assistant

D o r L ' D o r :
C e l e b r a t i n g M u l t i - G e n e r a t i o n a l
C o m m i t m e n t t o K n o w l e d g e
Some call it kismet or fate, while others call it
karma. Here at American Friends of the Hebrew
University, we call it beshert. We are referring
to the special relationship between current
Northeast board member, Andrew Shapiro, and
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. When
Andrew spent a year abroad at the Rothberg
International School in 1988 he never imagined
he would discover – albeit three decades later –
that he had deep ties to the university.
Andrew’s paternal grandfather, Ezra Z. Shapiro
z"l, was an attorney and leading American
Zionist who moved to Israel with his wife in the
late 1960s and became World Chairman of Keren
Hayesod. What Andrew didn’t know was that
Ezra served on the HU Board of Governors – or
that HU’s Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive
contains a home movie made by Ezra in 1930
during a visit to Israel, which includes footage of
the university. Andrew also didn’t know that the
family of his paternal grandmother, Ezra’s wife
Sylvia Lamport Shapiro, had donated land on Mt.
Scopus to HU in the late 1920s that became the
National Botanical Garden of Israel.
Ezra Shapiro (left) and his siblings
Andrew is the founder of Broadscale Group, an
investment firm working with leading
corporations, family offices, and other strategic
partners to invest in and commercialize
innovative technologies that transform
traditional industries in ways that benefit
society. Ever since connecting with American
Friends of Hebrew University, Andrew has been
an enthusiastic supporter of the Hebrew
University. He was among an illustrious group of
presenters at NEXUS:ISRAEL in 2017 and 2019
and is an active member of the NEXUS:ISRAEL
Advisory Board and a member of the Northeast
Regional Board.

FRIENDS AROUND THE REGION
NEXUS:ISRAEL and NexusTalks
1
2
3
4
8
5
6
7
Torch of Learning Award Luncheon
9
10
11
13
14
15
12
1: Guy Setton, Harley Frank, Robert Gerber; 2: Anna Pinedo, Phyllis and Joseph Korff; 3: Arianna Huffington, Aryeh Bourkoff; 4: Yaakov Ringer, Yossi Vebman; 5: Dan Senor, Avner
Mendelson; 6: Andrew Wilshinsky, Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, Scott Berrie; 7: Mindy Grossman, Richard and Renee Steinberg, Jon Steinberg, Neil Grossman; 8: Prof. Amnon Shashua,
Maxine Fassberg, Avner Mendelson; 9: Pamela and Adam Emmerich; 10: Jason Conti, Laura Handman, Jordan Lippner; 11: Bret Stephens addressing guests; 12: Dean Daphna Lewinsohn-
Zamir; 13: Mark Kirsch, Hon. Paul Engelmayer; 14: Mark Kirsch and Hilary Corman; 15: Lawrence Zweifach, Eleanor Grosz and their children

Learning from Hebrew University Professors and Alums
1 2
3
4
5
Visiting the Hebrew University
6
8
9
10
7
International Board of Governors and Innovation Forum
11
12
13
Professor Aron Troen, Mindy & Neil Grossman and AFHU
CEO Left Beth to right: McCoy HU Professor enjoy Food Aron for Troen, Thought Mindy at the & Neil
Grossman and Grossman's CEO of AFHU, home Beth McCoy pose for a
photo at the Food for Thought friends gathering
1: Prof. Aron Troen, Mindy and Neil Grossman, Beth McCoy; 2: Prof. Rachel Elior, Frances Katz; 3: Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund; 4: Kevin Dwarka; 5: Avner Mendelson, former Mayor of
Jerusalem Nir Barkat, Elana Bourkoff; 6: Prof. Hermona Soreq, Jeremy Merrin; 7: Patti and Daniel Lehrhoff; 8: The Musher Family ( David and Ruth center) with Shluchei Tzibur program
students; 9: Alexander and Erica Friedman with their children; 10: Meyer Koplow, Sandra Goodstein; 11: Juliet Gal, HU President Asher Cohen; 12: Catherine Wood (upper left), Sharon
Stern (upper right), HU President Asher Cohen (center); 13: Dr. Aviva Barzel, HU President Asher Cohen; 14: Rhoda Kaufman with her scholarship student
14

C o n t r i b u t i o n s o f N o t e . . .
$334,000 is supporting scholarships
in Computer Science
$100,000 is supporting Ph.D.
scholarships in Hebrew Literature
$300,000 is strengthening urban
development in Jerusalem's diverse
communities.
$100,000 is advancing Alzheimer's
Research
$10,000 is helping to unearth
important archaeological discoveries
$50,000 is enabling HU to convene
a Legal Conference in Israel
$4,000 is supporting partial scholarships
for new immigrants to Israel pursuing
degrees in Business Administration
Charitable Giving Under New Tax Laws-
What Have We Learned?
by Neal Myerberg, Principal, Myerberg Philanthropic Advisers
There are many reasons to be philanthropic and support organizations that we believe in such
as American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU). Charitable giving can be personally
fulfilling when contributions pave the way for research achievements or contribute to the
success of talented, hard-working students. In particular, making a planned gift such as a
Hebrew University Gift Annuity (CGA) enables individuals to create legacies that will benefit the
Hebrew University community in future years, essentially “paying it forward” and helping new
generations while receiving high fixed-rate, lifetime income (much of which may be paid taxfree),
and tax-savings for itemizers.
Under the new tax laws, there are many opportunities for income tax savings when making
charitable gifts. Among these strategies are gifts of appreciated stock (to avoid capital gains
taxes), accelerated giving to reduce adjusted gross income to lower marginal tax rates, making a
gift using a tax-free withdrawal of the required minimum distribution from an IRA, or
transferring appreciated real estate to a charitable remainder trust (CRT) to eliminate initial
capital gains and receive fixed-rate income for life.
Charitable giving can provide tax benefits and lifetime income, contribute to sound estate
planning and furnish additional economic advantages. Equally important, philanthropic
investments support the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, enabling the University to conduct
pioneering research and meet global challenges now and in future years.
For further information, please visit afhu.org/plannedgiving or call us at 212.607.8510.

D i d Y o u K n o w ?
Your Generosity:
Recognized in Perpetuity in Israel
Establish an Endowed Chair: Gifts of $1.5 million or more will
ensure a living legacy for you and your loved ones, as well as
an inscription of your choice at the Mount Scopus Forum
1925
Become a Benefactor: With cumulative gifts of $1 million or more
your generosity will be recognized with a special ceremony and an
inscription on the HU Benefactors’ Wall overlooking the Judean Hills.
Become a Guardian: With cumulative contributions of
$100,000 -$999,999, to ensure the university’s future, you
will be recognized with a ceremony and inscription on the
Wall of Life on the Mt. Scopus Campus
Become a Founder: Contributors of $25,000 – $99,999 will
be honored during the International Board of Governors on
the Mt. Scopus Campus where your name is inscribed on the
Founders’ Wall
Our Organization by the Numbers
$4,000
950+
8
21%
The year American
Friends of the Hebrew
University was
founded. This makes
us the oldest friends
organization of the
Hebrew University.
The Northeast Region
stretches from Maine to
Philadelphia, encompassing
eight states.
The amount that
provides a one-year
scholarship for a
student pursuing an
undergraduate degree.
The percentage of funds
raised for the Hebrew
University in the U.S. that
come from the Northeast
Region.
The number of
technologies that the
Hebrew University
has licensed.
call 212.607.8510 visit www.afhu.org email northeast@afhu.org
Knowledge
Moves Us.