In a stirring address delivered Tuesday at the start of the Israel Hayom Summit in New York City, Israel Hayom publisher, businesswoman and philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson delivered a powerful call for unity, resilience, and the strengthening of the bond between the United States and the Jewish state.
Speaking to a crowded room of dignitaries, including references to the American US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz and local leadership, the speaker painted a picture of a relationship that transcends mere politics, describing the bond between the two nations as a "majestic alliance" essential for the survival of Western values.
Video: Dr Miriam Adelson at the summit / Credit: Flowmotion
The speech began with a moment of levity that quickly turned poignant, as Dr. Adelson tested the waters of the current cultural climate by asking if it is "still kosher" to say "Shalom" in the Big Apple, presumably referring to the recent election of Zohran Mamdani as the next mayor of the world's largest Jewish city.
Video: The Israel Hayom Summit / Credit: Flowmotion
She emphasized that the word "Shalom" meaning peace – represents the eternal aspiration of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, a value shared deeply by the United States but often ignored by their mutual adversaries. "It is the peace that the Jewish people and the State of Israel have always pursued for the good of the entire world – the fact that our enemies refuse to acknowledge," she noted. "It is a tragedy as old as our history.
They insist on portraying us as precisely the opposite, projecting their worst traits upon us is a painful travesty," she pointed out.
Dr. Adelson noted that Jewish history managed to go from the darkness of the Holocaust to the revival of statehood, stressing that "the most significant historical difference for Jews is the rebirth of Israel, its brilliant pioneers, fearless soldiers, and the majestic alliance with the great United States."
Weaving personal history into the geopolitical narrative, Dr. Adelson recounted a journey from a childhood in Israel, having been born in Tel Aviv to parents who had lost their families in Poland, to her post-graduate studies in New York.
"Under the bright Mediterranean sun, they raised me to feel the self-confidence of a sabra. When the time came for me to do post-graduate research abroad, I looked to America … to New York," she said. "For generations, Yiddish speakers would call America, the 'goldene medina', or 'The land of gold' – not just for the economic opportunity, but also for the enlightened lack of persecution.' It was here in New York, the speaker noted, that she met their late husband, philanthropist and businessman Sheldon Adelson, and fused a dual identity as both a proud Israeli and a proud American.
However, the tone of the address shifted to address the "ugly head" of antisemitism currently rising in New York, the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. She warned that the current wave of hatred is tactically designed to sever the relationship between the two nations. "They want to split Israel off from the West and from Diaspora Jews," Dr. Adelson sounded the alarm, describing anti-Zionism as a cunning mask for traditional hatred. The speaker argued that the goal of these detractors is to destroy the Jewish state through "isolation, separation, defamation, and demoralization."
"From Pharaoh to the Spanish Inquisition, from the pogroms to the Nazi concentration camps, we have survived the worst of them," she noted. Central to Dr. Adelson's message was the evolution of Jewish survival, transitioning from a history of persecution to a present defined by sovereignty and strength, having been scarred by constant danger. "We have learned, the hard way, to be prepared. To defend ourselves. To always stand tall. To draw support through strength – not just sympathy," She noted that the current day Jewish state and its ties to the most powerful nation on earth have transformed Jewish destiny.
Despite these challenges, the message remained one of defiant optimism. Dr. Adelson urged the attendees to draw confidence from the fact that, unlike in previous centuries, the Jewish people now possess a homeland and the capacity for self-defense. The speaker framed the current climate as a "significant test" for the Israel-US relationship, calling on supporters to "fight slander with facts" and to walk "proud and confident through this age of moral confusion." She urged Jews "to rally with one another, even as we are surrounded by hostility."
Concluding the remarks, Dr. Adelson invoked the legacy of past generations as a path toward securing the Jewish future by remembering the powerlessness of the past pale in comparison with the challenges facing the Jewish people today. "We owe it to those past generations of powerless Jews who would have happily traded places with us today. And we owe it to our children, and the generations to follow, to ensure that they, too, can shout out loud "Am Israel Chai!" in defiance and celebration. For we'll survive and thrive."
She concluded with an optimistic note: "May this Israel Hayom Summit be the first of many here in New York – no matter who the mayor is."
Full disclosure: The Adelson family owns the company that is the primary shareholder in Israel Hayom. Dr. Miriam Adelson is the publisher of Israel Hayom.
