On Tuesday afternoon (5:00 p.m. Israel time, 10 a.m. EST, with a live broadcast on the Israel Hayom website), the first Israel Hayom Summit in the US will open at the Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York. For the first time, leaders who are shaping the strategic, diplomatic, economic, and social reality that Israel and world Jewry will face in the coming years will gather in the city with the world's largest Jewish community outside of Israel.
For one full day, a single room in Manhattan will become the center of gravity for the global Jewish conversation. The summit takes place at a charged and transformative moment: In the north, the most severe tension since the ceasefire took effect has been recorded, amid a global discussion led by the US administration regarding the issue of the day after in Gaza.
New York has recently seen a sharp rise in antisemitic hate incidents, alongside a political victory for a candidate who is wary of Israel. In Israel, citizens are still coping with a security state of emergency, civil crises, and the search for the outlines of the day after the war. All these issues will receive a single stage tomorrow, featuring the people who are at the heart of decision-making.
Unity across continents
The opening will focus on unity and strength: Yoav Limor will host the summit, which is being hosted by Dr. Miriam Adelson, who will open with a special, exclusive onstage interview with Mike Waltz, the US Ambassador to the UN and one of the closest figures to US President Trump. Immediately afterward, Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder, the president of the World Jewish Congress, will deliver a special address, focusing on the Jewish identity crisis in the US and a call for Jewish unity across continents.
In the first session, Deputy US Attorney General for combating antisemitism Harmeet Dhillon, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon, senior figures from Jewish academia, leaders of major communities, and representatives of North American federations will take the stage. All of them will confront the question that is concerning every Jew in the city: Will New York (New York City) return to being a safe home? The strategic segment of the summit will feature the Biden administration special envoy Amos Hochstein, who will address the question hanging over the north: normalization or conflagration.
Afterward, senior figures from Israeli communities abroad, representatives of KKL-JNF, and government ministries will delve into the challenges of building Israeli resilience. The afternoon will be dedicated to economics, media, and innovation. Ofra Strauss will discuss the role of local industry during a time of crisis, and Michael Eisenberg will be interviewed about the "11th Million" trend that is changing the face of the Israeli economy. Following this, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, one of Israel's great friends in the US over the years, will take the stage for a special conversation to analyze the international system and the West's role in preserving the alliance with Israel.
Testimonies from captivity
The climax of the day will focus on the hostages, bringing together on one stage former hostages Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal for a joint conversation about the difficult days in captivity. Earlier, the stage will host Orna Neutra, the mother of the deceased hostage Omer Neutra who was returned from captivity, and Yael Alexander, the mother of former hostage Edan Alexander. Also participating in the summit will be former Ambassador and Minister Gilad Erdan, Minister Amichai Chikli, Malcolm Hoenlein, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, philanthropist Sylvan Adams; Sar Shalom Gerbi, manager of the Education and Community Division at KKL-JNF; businesswoman Ofra Strauss; Yoel Zilberman, CEO and founder of the HaShomer HaChadash organization; Chairman of the Zalman Shazar Center Avigdor Kahalani, CEO of the Rashi Foundation Michal Cohen, KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat Ovadia-Luski, Founding President and Chairman of the Board of Reichman University Prof. Uriel Reichman, CEO of the Ministry of Heritage Itai Granek, Head of Communications and Government Relations at El Al Michal Gerstler, and others.
Tickets can be purchased here: https://tickchak.co.il/Israel1
