Sheldon Adelson joins the ranks of Edmond Rothschild and Moshe Montefiore for his contributions to the Jewish people and Israel.
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There have always been Jews who, thanks to their initiative, innovation, talent, and shrewdness, succeeded in accumulating great fortunes. But few of them used their wealth and capital for the benefit of their people and the society in which they lived.
Many will speak of the Adelson family's contributions to Yad Vashem, Birthright, academic institutions, medical research institutes, strengthening Jerusalem's international status, Israel's security, and much more. I would like to point out his unique contribution in fortifying Israel as a democratic state: through the establishment of Israel Hayom.
For many years, Israeli media was almost exclusively controlled by the Left. When the Likud was elected in 1977 to the Knesset, ending nearly 30 years of rule by the Left, the media became the main opposition to the right-wing government.
The Right had no significant presence in the media. From the morning shows to the evening news, Israelis were flooded with left-wing messages, which sometimes resembled brainwashing.
The Right was lucky that Israelis are some of the smartest people in the world, and they weren't fooled by the Left's fake commentary.
The Adelson family transformed the media when they established Israel Hayom, which quickly became the most popular newspaper in Israel. There cannot be a democracy if there is no ability to present the public in the free world with various opinions.
The newspaper solidified Israeli democracy. The Left's monopoly over the media was broken forever, and the Right now also possesses the tools to express its opinions and vision.
When the paper began to be published in 2007, the hegemonic media treated Sheldon Adelson with contempt. They didn't take the newspaper seriously, and they thought it would never survive. But Israel Hayom is one of the most-read newspapers, and its success lies in the fact that the public is tired of the Left and their depressing messages, which they broadcast day and night.
Many in Israel longed for a newspaper that would express love for our country and our people. Israelis were tired of the Left's narrative, which kept saying how our enemies are right and that Israel was in the wrong.
Thanks to Sheldon Adelson's determination, the newspaper continued to bring good news to Israelis. It stood up to the hostile left-wing media, which does not distinguish between opposition to the government and opposition to the state. We thank Sheldon for his exceptional contribution to democracy, the Israeli spirit, and national pride.
May his memory be for a blessing!
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