Monday, Oct. 22, Tel Aviv
The General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America opened Monday for the first time in Tel Aviv. Irina Nevzlin, President of the Nadav Foundation and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot, delivered her speech at the opening plenary of which the President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, was the keynote speaker.
Nevzlin thanked the GA for choosing to focus on the burning topic: “Israel and the Diaspora – We Need to Talk”, and added, “We definitely need to talk, but talking is not enough. We must decide what it is we are talking about. Israel was established 70 years ago based on the book Medinat Ha’yehudim, that Herzl wrote 50 years before that. Medinat Ha’yehudim was a forward-looking vision that united the majority of Jewish People. It is now time to create “Herzl, Volume 2”. The new vision for Israel and the Jewish people includes both universal values as well as practical solutions. But spelling out our vision is also not enough, because it’s all about doing and doing it together”.
At the ensuing panel, Nevzlin and Andrew H. Tisch, Co-Chairman of the Board, Loews Corporation, discussed the upcoming opening of the Andrew H. and Ann R. Tisch Center for Jewish Dialogue at the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot. The Center was established as both a physical space and virtual platform that encourages respectful, ongoing dialogue about the critical issues at the heart of Jewish life today. Founded in response to the serious threat of bipartisanship and divisiveness in Israel and the Diaspora, The Tisch Center ensures that every legitimate voice in the Jewish world, in times when polarization and dissension dominate our landscape and discourse, has a seat at the table.
Watch Nevzlin’s full speech:
Sunday, Oct. 21, Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot
The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot hosted the annual Board of Trustees meeting of The Jewish Federations of North America. The meeting took place the evening before the opening of the 2018 General Assembly, which takes place for the first time in Tel Aviv.
Irina Nevzlin addressed the leaders group and, thanking them for making sure a visit to the museum was a part of this important event and thanked the JFNA’s Board of Trustees for holding this reception at the Museum of the Jewish People. She added special thanks to Richard Sandler, Jerry Silverman, Mark Wilf, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
“We are the only museum in the world that tells the story of all Jewish people – Past, Present and Future,” said Nevzlin, and added she is very happy that the GA chose to concentrate on the importance of an essential dialogue between all Jewish people around the world.
During Three days of the conference, visitors kept flowing our booth to get a taste of the Museum, where we also launched a demo App enabling every one to create their own family crest, and feel they truly are part of the story. Coming soon to App stores near you!
