Adam Milstein’s Acceptance Speech at Magen David Adom Red Star Ball October 2015
October 2015: Gila and Adam Milstein accept the Humanitarian of the Year Award at the Magen David Adom Red Star Ball
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Adam Milstein on Active Philanthropy
Adam Milstein — an Israeli-American entrepreneur and community leader — speaks about the principles of active philanthropy and his work to strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
Adam Milstein: The making of a philanthropist
Adam Milstein is among Los Angeles’ most visible Israeli-American philanthropists. Through the family foundation that he runs with his wife, Gila, the San Fernando Valley resident gives upward of $1 million annually to dozens of organizations, including the Birthright Israel Foundation, the American Jewish Committee’s Project Interchange and Hillel.
But Milstein, 63, who was born in Haifa and served in the Israeli army during the Yom Kippur War with Ariel Sharon’s brigade, wasn’t always so giving.
Three years after moving to Los Angeles in 1981 to attend business school at USC, he began what has been a successful career in commercial real estate with Hager Pacific Properties, where he continues to work full time as a managing partner. In 2007, Milstein — a member of Valley Beth Shalom and father of three — co-founded the Israeli-American Council (IAC), and he recently was named national chairperson.
Somewhere along the line, Milstein was introduced to the idea of philanthropy. He recently sat down with TRIBE to talk about Israeli philosophies on giving, who and what led him to take a different route, and what he’s doing to instill the value in the next generation. An edited version of that conversation follows.
Books from the Sifriyat Pijama B’America program that is funded by the Milstein Family Foundation.
TRIBE: Did you learn to be philanthropic from your parents?
ADAM MILSTEIN: No. Really what the Israeli and Israeli-American community is missing is philanthropy. But the Orthodox Jews have grown up with philanthropy … and the fact that I had a [business] partner who is Modern Orthodox, I got introduced to philanthropy at a very young point in my life, and introduced to the joy of giving and the rewards of giving. I remember about 15 years ago I had many discussions with him, as to, “So, what do we do now?” It’s not satisfying just to continue to make more money and more money. At some point, you want to do something valuable with your money, leave an impact, create a legacy, make your community better. This was really the point that I got more involved in philanthropy.
My wife and I established the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation. Over the years, we have established a specific mission. We want to strengthen the Jewish people, we want to strengthen the State of Israel and we want to strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance. So, all the charities and entities we give money to need in some way to accomplish our mission.
T: Would Israelis and Israeli-Americans argue with your point that they aren’t naturally charitable?
AM: They would not argue. In Israel, there is a phrase called “freier.” Freier is a sucker. In Israel, to give money to charity, you are a sucker. This is the attitude. In Israel, the public gets everything free from the government — from social services to schools to temples. So people aren’t used to giving money. As of now, it is being introduced more and more because there are a lot of people in Israel who don’t have a home or don’t have food. So when we created the IAC, we said we want to encourage and inspire philanthropy.
T: How do you do that if people aren’t used to giving?
AM: One of our slogans is, “We aspire to be a freier.” You think that to be a sucker is stupid; we think it’s smart. We want to lead by example. We are givers. People see that we get respect and make accomplishments by giving. They see if it’s good for [entertainment mogul] Haim Saban to give, if it’s good for Adam Milstein to give, if it’s good for [IAC co-founder] Shawn Evenhaim to give, then it must be a good thing to give.
The other thing is [to] speak about it, speak about the fact that the giver gets much more than the receiver. In fact, there was an example that happened to me in my early partnership that convinced me that charity is a no-brainer. The way that the Modern Orthodox present philanthropy is they say it’s not that you have to give 10 percent of your earnings as philanthropy. It’s the opposite. Whatever you give, God gives you 10 times more. …
What do you mean? … I had some incidents with my partner where we were philanthropic one day and the next day something beautiful happened — suddenly we made a lot of money. The examples were so close that I couldn’t argue. It works this way: I think God is blessing the people that are blessing anyone else. God wants to really empower the people who are givers. And if I am a giver, God will say, “Let me make this person more successful so [he] can give more.”
T: Was this a hard talk with your wife?
AM: She was a partner from the get-go. We discuss the different program and grant requests. We make mutual decisions. She is the president of an organization called Stand By Me that helps families combat [cancer]. … So, my wife is more the soul of the philanthropy. Her heart is more into social justice, and I am more focused on strengthening Israel, the Jewish people, the U.S.-Israel alliance.
Obviously there are hundreds and hundreds of Jewish organizations in the United States. The names are confusing and you never know who is doing what. So over the years, we took it on ourselves every year to help another five organizations. I thought the only way you can learn about an organization is to give them money, come to their meetings. Now I think we have like 100, and I’ll tell you how we give: Besides the mission statement, we have a model of operation, and the model of operation says, first of all, we want to be active philanthropists, not just give money and forget about it, to make sure that there is an impact. Many times, we will create programs that didn’t exist. Organizations would come to us and say, “Can you help us?” And we will ask the organization, “Which programs are you running or which program would you like to run if you had the money?”
T: Can you give me an example?
AM: Let’s talk about AIPAC. … They said, “There is a program that we love, [but] we don’t have money for it. We would like to take non-Jewish student leaders to Israel, the people that will be the senators and congressmen of the world. They are in college today. We have identified them.” We said it’s a no-brainer to take non-Jews. Anyone you take to Israel comes back as a friend. So it has been maybe eight years since we established a program called the Milstein Family Foundation Campus Allies Mission to Israel.
The other program, for example, is Sifriyat Pijama B’America. Gila and I met Harold Grinspoon, the founder of PJ Library, on a trip to Egypt in 2010. We got friendly and we said, “We need to do a program together.” Then I thought, “We want to reach Israeli-Americans. The easiest way to reach the Israeli community is to give books in Hebrew to their kids.” I told Harold, “Why don’t we create the PJ Library in Hebrew in the United States?” And he loved it. We started with 1,000 families in 2011 and now we have 18,000.
T: I imagine you have to say no sometimes. Is it hard to say no?
AM: No. It is very easy. I am going back to the model of operation for our foundation because it is important. The first concept was active philanthropy. The second concept is synergy. That means every program we do needs to help other programs. We don’t like to help projects that are stand-alone and have no impact on anything else. We are looking for partnerships. We are looking for ways to make stronger relationships between organizations and to be creating a force multiplier so that one plus one equals five. … And the last [concept] is life pass. … Life pass impact means we don’t want to shoot and do one program here and one program there. We want to impact the life of our next generation, our young generation, in a systematic way. We have programs for every age group. The programs that we support are going from age 2 to age 40.
T: You have a pretty robust presence on social media, including nearly 40,000 Twitter followers.
AM: In general, anything I do I want to be good at. About two years ago, I was introduced to Twitter as a way to reach a wider audience of younger people. I decided to experiment with it. I think what it does is expand our circle of friends and partners, people reaching me from all corners of the world with ideas.
T: It seems like you really enjoy your role as a philanthropist.
AM: Yes. I am really very lucky to be in this situation. I have the resources to do whatever I want. If I want to sponsor something, I don’t have to look for money. I have enough experience with what works and what doesn’t work. I have enough connection with other organizations to see how it helps everybody. I am in a situation where I can really make an impact. For me it’s easy, but I think I am very fortunate to be there.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leslee Komaiko is a freelance journalist and full-time mom. She lives in Sherman Oaks.
Israeli-Americans: Not only a new identity, but an historical game changer!
In his opening remarks, in front of the Israeli American Council’s 2nd Annual National Conference this month, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu said: “I appreciate all of the work that the Israeli-American Council does to strengthen the critical US-Israel Alliance”. The event – representing largest gathering of Israeli-Americans in history, with more than 1,300 attendees, up from 650 the year before – marked an important milestone in the development of a new Movement across the United States.
Adam Milstein with Joe Lieberman and Mitt Romney at the IAC 2014 convention (Shahar Azran, IAC).
During the conference, Israeli government officials on the left and the right – from Isaac Herzog to Yuval Steinitz to Ayelet Shaked– embraced Israeli Americans as a strategic asset for the Jewish State and the Jewish people. This would have been unthinkable just a decade ago, when Israelis in the Diaspora were often diminished, called names like yordim – those who went down (from Israel) – and much worse.
In the last ten years, we have also seen a shift in mindset among those of Israeli descent in America, a population that lived on its “suitcases packed” for decades. Despite U.S. passports, English-speaking families, and American homes and businesses, we always thought that we would return to Israel one day. Since we didn’t feel rooted in the United States, we saw little need to cultivate community – and generally remained disconnected from synagogues and in Jewish community organizations.
This mentality did not serve our community well. Oftentimes, our children sought to distance themselves from our foreign culture, and quickly began assimilating, in many cases leaving both their Jewish and Israeli identities behind. Our insistence that we were not Americans alienated the Jewish-American community and our neighbors in the U.S. And because we lived outside of Israel, Israelis never fully accepted us as one of their own.
Eight years ago, I came together with several other Israeli-American businessmen in Los Angeles to meet the needs of our unique community. Before we founded the Israeli-American Council (IAC), no one used the term “Israeli-American.” You were either American or an Israeli who was living in the U.S. Today we can proudly embrace an Israeli-American identity – centered on that the idea that our home is in America, while our Jewish homeland will always be Israel. Accepting the fact that we are American has unified our community like never before – and now we are mobilizing it as movement across our country, with a three-part mission.
First, we transmit “Israeliness” – our Israeli culture, Hebrew language, our Jewish heritage and values, and connection to the Land of Israel – to the next generations.
Second, we cultivate Israeli Americans as Jewish leaders within the U.S., enriching Jewish life across the country.
Third, we are strengthening the U.S.-Israel alliance. Our fluent understanding of both cultures uniquely positions us to serve as a nexus between the Israeli people and the American people – and to offer a personal perspective on the current debates about the Middle East.
The IAC’s rapid growth from a single office and a few hundred members into a national movement with regional councils in nine cities and an active constituency of 250,000 illustrates the great need for our organization.
Adam and Gila Milstein, with Joe and Hadassah Lieberman and Mitt Romney at the IAC 2014 convention (Shahar Azran, IAC).
I’m confident that we are just getting started. Rooted in our emerging Israeli-American identity, we will continue to expand all across the country. We need all members of our community to be part of the process by engaging in our programs, getting involved in their region, and bringing others into our movement.
The IAC is filling a hole that many Israelis living in America have long felt. When 1,300 came together, we sent a message to the world. We are proud to be Israeli-Americans; We are energized and feel a sense of purpose; We all inspired and support the mission of our movement. The infrastructure is growing. Our collective voice is louder than ever before. The Israeli-Americans are not only a new identity, but an historical game changer!
Ahead of Tel Aviv shows, Seinfeld headlines Israeli charity ball in LA
During time of increased conflict in Israel, a record-breaking $12m is raised at American Friends of Magen David Adom event
October 25, 2015, 11:06 pm
LOS ANGELES — It was an evening to rival any number of Los Angeles red carpet events as The American Friends of Magen David Adom celebrated its third annual Red Star Ball at the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom on October 22.
Men donned smart suits and tuxedos and women shimmied in tulle, taffeta and silk, many in MDA’s signature red and black colors as they sat down to a three-course dinner at the fundraising event.
Celebrity attendees included an Israeli film star making her mark in Hollywood, Odeya Rush, actress Karla Souza (“How to Get Away with Murder”), Michael Richards (who played Kramer on “Seinfeld”), and comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who was the special guest performer of the evening.
A longtime American Red Cross supporter (Magen David Adom is its Israeli affiliate), Seinfeld performed a 30-minute set that comes before his Israeli stand-up debut, with four sold-out shows this December.
According to a recent Maxim magazine, Seinfeld is the highest paid comedian of 2015. Also a well-known philanthropist, Seinfeld is attached to several charities, including his wife Jessica’s Baby Buggy initiative, and has made “surprise” appearances for other foundations, including at a Gregg’s Gift comedy night dedicated in the name of Gregg Grossman who died of addiction problems at 27.
But it was the cancellation of a charity appearance that in 2011 sparked a high-profile media row between the comedian and the Donald.
Seinfeld, who has donated to both Democrat and Republican politicians’ campaigns, pulled out of an Eric Trump Foundation benefit, to be hosted by father Donald, aiding the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital because the comic was “increasingly uncomfortable” with the current leading Republican candidate’s personal attacks against US President Barack Obama.
It’s unlikely Seinfeld would be welcomed at a Trump White House: Back in 2011, as an end-cap to the Trump affair, the star told Extra, “Let me say this about Donald Trump. I love Donald Trump, all comedians love Donald Trump. If God gave comedians the power to invent people, the first person we would invent is Donald Trump… God’s gift to comedy.”
‘All comedians love Donald Trump. If God gave comedians the power to invent people, the first person we would invent is Donald Trump’
At the LA charity ball, following a short film showing Magen David Adom volunteers at work in life-threatening situations, Seinfeld quipped, “I always like to perform after emergency activities are shown with injured people and blood flowing. Perhaps we’ll have a little more blood flowing tonight after my show.”
But as the video made clear, this wasn’t just an evening of glitz and glamour. It was also one of gravitas. AFMDA set a $10 million fundraising target for the night to help Magen David Adom in Israel purchase among other things, new ambulances and emergency medical supplies.
The bar was set high because Magen David Adom relies solely on donations, as the Israeli government does not fund it. By evening’s end attendees had donated $12 million (double the amount raised at the 2014 ball) – including a $5 million donation from philanthropists Sheldon and Miriam Adelson. Many of the funds raised will be put toward the building of MDA’s national underground blood services center.
The center will eventually house and protect Israel’s entire blood supply from terror attacks and natural disasters.
Last year, the event focused on the work done by Magen David Adom during Operation Protective Edge. This year the focus turned to the recent spate of stabbing and shooting attacks around the country and the thousands of Magen David Adom volunteers who risk their lives to save others.
Dina Leeds, who hosted the evening with her husband, Fred, read out a list of sobering statistics, noting that between October 1 and October 20, MDA teams have provided medical treatment for 174 casualties in Israel. Of those, many were treated for shock, 115 were injured, 78 are listed in mild condition, 18 in moderate condition, 11 in severe condition and nine have died. Leeds then went on to name each of the nine individuals that were murdered.
In what has become a tradition of the gala, AFMDA flew out several MDA volunteers and those who have been helped by MDA in Israel. Among them was Hananel Alvo, who several years ago was stabbed on his way to work. Thanks to the life-saving work of MDA paramedics, Alvo survived severe injuries and decided to give back by becoming an MDA paramedic.
The night was also an opportunity to honor several individuals who continue to support Magen David Adom and the State of Israel. Ruth Flinkman-Marandy and Ben Marandy received the Lifetime Achievement Award, while philanthropists Gila and Adam Milstein received the Humanitarian Award. They are the founders of the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation, which supports 80 Jewish and Israeli organizations.
‘There is no question that Magen David Adom is the margin between life and death. Make no mistake — there will be more attacks, more rockets will be fired and unfortunately more missiles will be launched’
Israeli-born Milstein said, “Tonight our thoughts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters in Israel who are now facing a wave of terror attacks. Moments like this bring great focus to simple truths. Our support for Magen David Adom means no less than the difference between life and death.”
He went on to speak of two recent stabbing victims: a 13-year-old Pisgat Ze’ev boy and the 20-year-old female soldier stabbed in the West Bank just north of Jerusalem. Both, he said, are alive today thanks to the lifesaving efforts of MDA emergency services that were on the scene within minutes.
Ensuring that AFMDA continues its efforts by reaching out to the younger generation, Barak Raviv was honored with the Next Generation Award. A senior vice president and portfolio management director at Morgan Stanley in Los Angeles, Raviv also has his own foundation and recently donated a pediatric examination room at Share Zedek medical center in Jerusalem.
In a short film clip, Raviv said, “But the charity that is closest to my heart is Magen David Adom. Their humanitarian efforts around the globe impressed me and I wanted to be a part of it. I partnered with friends and donated my first ambulance to MDA at the age of 30.” He’s since donated several more.
Accepting the award, Raviv said, “There is no question that Magen David Adom is the margin between life and death. Make no mistake — there will be more attacks, more rockets will be fired and unfortunately more missiles will be launched. And when we ask ourselves, ‘What have we done to help the people of Israel?’ you will be able to proudly stand and say, ‘I was here. I funded the underground blood center; I helped save lives in Israel.’”
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
1,300 Israeli Americans attend group’s second national conference
JNS.org) The fast-growing Israeli American Council (IAC) recently drew 1,300 Israeli Americans to its second annual national national conference in Washington, DC, with conference sessions ranging from the Iran nuclear deal to Israeli culture to fighting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Expanding beyond its Los Angeles headquarters in recent years, the fast-growing IAC says it now reaches 250,000 people nationwide through its nine regional offices.
“We have become a movement,” said IAC National Chairman Adam Milstein. “America is our home. Israel will always be our Jewish homeland. And as Americans of Israeli descent we are uniquely positioned to strengthen the relationship between both countries.”
At the Oct. 17-19 conference, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer said IAC “represents a powerful idea whose time has come.”
“If Israel’s enemies can’t do it with their armies, and they can’t do it with terror, they’re going to try to do with an economic boycott. This is what the IAC is here for,” said U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.).
JNS.org profiled IAC before its first national conference was held in November 2014.
“I think the Israeli people are best equipped to communicate the truth about Israel, because they are not naive like many in the American Jewish community,” Milstein told JNS.org at the time. “They know the Israeli people, they know that we have very high standards of human rights and freedom, they know the propaganda war of Hamas and Iran.”
IAC is the lead partner in the launching of the new Talk Israel mobile app, which calls itself the “first mobile app to bring you pro-Israel digital content from dozens of sources tailored to your personal preferences and interests using machine learning.”
US, Israeli Officials Tout Growing Importance of the Israeli-American Community at 2nd Annual IAC Conference
Washington, DC (PRWEB) October 21, 2015
Israeli-Americans have quickly emerged as a vitally important community for the U.S.-Israel relationship, noted U.S. and Israeli officials during a three-day summit hosted this week by the Israeli American Council (IAC). Two Israeli Government Ministers and Israel’s Leader of the Opposition, members of the U.S. Congress and Israeli Knesset, diplomats, thought leaders, entertainers, and CEOs addressed the crowd of 1,300 Israeli Americans over the course of the 2nd Annual National Israeli-American Conference.
“The Israeli community and the Jewish community in the U.S. are the defensive shield of Israel,” said Israel’s Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked.
During the conference – which represented the largest gathering to-date of Israel-Americans – the IAC announced the opening of new regional Councils in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington. Noting the organization’s rapid growth, Israel’s U.S. Ambassador Ron Dermer said that the “IAC represents a powerful idea whose time has come.”
In the last two years, the IAC has expanded from a single office in Los Angeles into a movement reaching 250,000 people nationwide through nine regional offices and a range of programs designed to instill Israeli and Jewish identity in the next generation, develop Israeli Americans as leaders of American Jewry, and strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance.
IAC National Chairman Adam Milstein attributed the IAC’s rapid growth to the emergence of distinct Israeli-American identity. He said, “We have become a movement. America is our home. Israel will always be our Jewish homeland. And as Americans of Israeli descent we are uniquely positioned to strengthen the relationship between both countries.”
Conference sessions focused on subjects ranging from the nuclear deal with Iran, to Israeli culture, to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS). Elected officials from both countries argued that the Israeli American community could serve as an important force for fighting BDS. Israel’s Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog said, “Many are now portraying Israeli as the devil of the world. This is a very troubling phenomenon and it must be challenged.”
Congressman Ed Royce (R – CA) added, “If Israel’s enemies can’t do it with their armies, and they can’t do it with terror, they’re going to try to do with an economic boycott. This is what the IAC is here for.”
The wave of terror attacks now sweeping Israel were also a focal point of the event. Congressman Elliot Engel (D – NY) said, “I’m sick and tired of the moral equivalency of those who commit terror and those who have terror forced upon them. I have told Palestinians for the last 27 years you will never get your own state on the backs of terror.”
Citing incitement from the Palestinian Authority as the cause for the attacks, Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water said, “Incitement under Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas] is more anti-Semitic, more violent, and more dangerous than under Yasser Arafat…Until Palestinians recognize the right of the Jews to have their own sovereign state, it will be extremely difficult to have any kind of peace process.”
About The Israeli-American Council (IAC)
The mission of the Israeli American Council is to build an engaged and united Israeli-American community that strengthens the American-Jewish community, the next generation, and the State of Israel. The IAC’s effectiveness and success is the direct result its ability to organize, activate, and engage the Israeli-American community nationwide. The IAC strives to achieve these goals through programs and events for all ages, as well as by empowering and sponsoring a wide array of non-profit organizations within the Israeli-American community.
How to Help: Suggestions for Pro-Israel Advocates (Part III)
Last week, someone asked me if I could imagine being the CEO of a major corporation and trying to run a company entirely remotely. He was referring to the challenge of advocating for Israel from afar. But I respectfully disagree with the analogy. Advocacy work outside of Israel is meant – for the most part – to affect the reality outside of Israel, not within Israel. The bulk of our work focuses on influencing two key areas: how Israel is perceived abroad and how Jews are treated around the world. And each and every one of us has an integral role to play.
Below is the third and last of a three-part advice series on ways that you—no matter where you are or what you do—can get more involved in our advocacy fight for Israel.
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Part 3: Bigger Commitments
In Part 1 and Part 2, I outlined ways to make a difference in the classroom and on college campuses. If you are not a parent with a child in school, an educator, or a student yourself, there are still other arenas in which you go above and beyond the call:
- Professional Involvement
Offer your professional skills as a resource.
Legal Affairs
If you are a lawyer, there are a variety of organizations in need of pro-bono work. If you are a young lawyer, this is a great way to get hands-on experience. Here are a few of the organizations always in need of a few more attorneys:
Content Creators
If you are a writer, film maker, or artist, consider sharing your talents with social media groups that have a large digital presence. As the saying goes, “the Media is the message” — and now, more than ever, the medium through which we speak is almost as important as what’s actually said. It’s no secret that famous faces go a long way in the world of PR. If you have connections with celebrities— whether Mayim Bialik, Omri Caspi, Natalie Portman, or Sylvester Stallone – adding a big name to the right message can help bring positive attention to Israel.
- Other Notable Initiatives: Doing Something Different
There are a few organizations, which I couldn’t fit into any of the other categories, but I believe they are fantastic avenues through which to help Israel. I recommend looking into them and consider supporting these wonderful groups. Your support, be it physical or fiscal, can make the crucial difference to bringing the voice of a new and dynamic organization to light:
- Artists 4 Israel – Artists 4 Israel empowers artists to express their support for both the freedom of artistic and cultural expression within Israel as well as the nation’s right to exist in peace and security. On campuses, Artists 4 Israel bring graffiti artists who publicly paint murals that promote peace, tolerance and coexistence. The artists also allow students to make their mark on the mural, connecting them with both the art piece and the messages it produces.
- (New York) – Fuel For Truth runs quick, effective boot-camps for pro-Israel activists in the New York area.
- The Besteming Project – The Besteming Project makes a dynamic effort to combat anti-Semitism by creating musical and artistic programming to enshrine the memory of the Holocaust, fight anti-Semitism, and promote tolerance.
- GIVE
If you cannot support an organization in person, one of the most effective ways to make a difference is to offer your sponsorship. Make a donation today. Financial gifts of any size are the lifeblood of non-profit organizations. Donations allow organizations to focus on the advocacy at hand, rather than spend time fundraising.
Final Thoughts:
This blog series does not represent an exhaustive list of ways to make a difference, but it’s a pretty good place to start. People who work with me will often hear me complain about the overwhelming number of organizations in the space, or about our untapped potential. But at the end of the day, nothing is as inspiring as seeing passionate people matched with the tools and resources to change the world.
I am confident that if we work together, we can build a stronger pro-Israel community in the US, work more efficiently, and win the war for Israel’s reputation.
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To learn more about the philanthropic work of Adam Milstein and the Milstein Family Foundation, visit http://milsteinff.org. Also – check out Adam Milstein and the Milstein Family Foundation on Facebook!
Israel Advocacy Goes Mobile
By Jacob Kamaras/JNS.org
Israel news is abound these days, and myriad sources from the mainstream to the niche are serving it up—particularly during times like the current wave of Palestinian terrorism. But which content should a pro-Israel advocate read, trust, and share with others to make an impact?
The recently launched Talk Israel mobile app seeks to give a well-organized and personalized feel to Israel news consumers’ content experience. Calling itself the “first mobile app to bring you pro-Israel digital content from dozens of sources tailored to your personal preferences and interests using machine learning,” Talk Israel culls content from various sources, analyzes it, and crafts a personal news feed (called “My Stream”) for each user based on both their preferences among pre-selected news categories and the stories they read once they are using the app.
The objective? Getting Israel supporters—through the vehicle of the news and information they read and share—to do more than preach to the choir.
“The challenge that we looked at, and wanted to give a technological solution to in this case, was bringing pro-Israel content beyond the base,” Dr. Amir Give’on, Talk Israel’s co-founder and CEO, tells JNS.org.
The app was launched with the support of the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation and with the Israeli-American Council as its lead partner.
From Give’on’s perspective, a particular circle of individuals might either only talk amongst themselves or encounter those whose arguments they clearly disagree with. Those two extremes, he says, each represent about 10 percent of the population on any given issue—but Talk Israel’s goal is for pro-Israel content to reach the other 80 percent.
“We wanted to create an app that pro-Israel activists would be able to receive and see content based on their own personal preferences,” says Give’on, a former aerospace engineer for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “We believe that if people get things that are more relevant to them personally, they’ll talk about it more and they’ll be able to reach outside their circle.”
So how does it all work?
First, Talk Israel monitors and aggregates Israel content through Rich Site Summary (RSS) feeds. Once a piece of relevant content is identified, it moves to the analysis phase, in which Talk Israel breaks the content down into 50 different “DNA” elements, as Give’on calls them. For instance: Is it light or serious? Is it short or long? Is it a video or text, or text accompanied by a video?
Users downloading the app can customize their content preferences from a menu of topics including medicine, environment/agriculture, human right, sports, science, arts and entertainment, coexistence, technology, business/economics, lifestyle/food/travel, BDS, terrorism, anti-Semitism, Hamas, Iran, IDF morality, and more.
But the customization doesn’t stop there. Just like each piece of content on Talk Israel has “DNA,” so does each user—not only through their pre-selected topic preferences, but through the ongoing choices they make while using the app. On their personalized content menu, they can swipe left to bypass an article, swipe right to save it, or click it to go to the original piece, where they can also share the content via text, email, and Facebook. Throughout the process, Talk Israel builds its users’ DNA based on what type of content they are reading and how they are engaging with the content, and then feeds users future content based on their DNA.
As Talk Israel also understands that it doesn’t “know everything” about a user even with their DNA at hand, says Give’on, the app occasionally experiments by sending users a piece of content that they wouldn’t normally select. “Every once in a while, we throw something at them different,” he says, so that users’ DNA can be adjusted. For example, particular users who haven’t selected food or technology stories in the past would perhaps be interested in such content if exposed to it.
Besides their personalized news feeds, users can see menus of recent or trending content, or select articles by topic.
Of particular importance to Talk Israel, says Give’on, is that users share content.
“If I notice you read a lot technology, but you share human rights, I’ll show you more human rights,” he says of the app’s algorithm.
Media outlets or other content providers, in turn, can submit their work to the app.
“Our goal is really to bring in organizations, to bring in content creators, and really see what they want,” Give’on says, explaining that he can offer content producers information such as how far down a Talk Israel user is reading within their article.
Give’on says he believes pro-Israel organizations “all have the same mission” despite approaching it from different angles—which is precisely where the Milstein foundation comes in. The Los Angeles-based foundation supports a diverse group of more than 60 pro-Israel organizations.
Hadas Sella, the Milstein Family Foundation’s executive director, calls Talk Israel’s leaders—including Give’on, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Gadi Rouache, and Chief Technology Officer Daphna Wegner—a “brilliant team” to work with. She stresses the foundation’s “reputation as connectors” in the pro-Israel world as an important benefit for Talk Israel, while Give’on similarly expresses that the app was looking for partners to “jump in and really be part of this team” rather than hands-off investors.
“We knew we needed a partner with the connections and passion to bring everything to the table…we needed more than just the funding to do this,” he says.
“It’s so refreshing to the non-profit world to have this business-minded, technology-oriented product,” says Sella.
The Talk Israel app can be downloaded in the iTunes App Store here or in Google Play here.
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