New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner Bret Stephens spoke about the history and politics of nations whose interests are guided by their values as opposed to nations whose values are guided by their interests, in a wide-ranging presentation he gave at the annual American Friends of Migdal Ohr (AFMO) Gala this week.

“The West is in crisis because it is following policies that are not in keeping with its values and deep traditions, especially with the rise of anti-Semitism which is usually the harbinger of national decline,” Stephens said. “It is happening in Europe with the rise of fascist parties and it is happening in the US, when a member of Congress can explain the hold Israel has on the American imagination, as ‘about the benjamins,’ and still be held as anything other than the stain on the party she represents.”

“So, I worry about what is happening in Europe and the US a great deal, but I do not worry about what is happening in Israel, because it puts its values first. When you have the IDF which is prepared to show its strength and restraint in the face of enemies who call for its destruction, it is doing well.”

“When you have a country that is passionately concerned with taking care of its weakest and most vulnerable and that they are nourished and cultivated, it is doing pretty well,” Stephens continued, referring to Migdal Ohr, which provides essential educational and life-changing programs and services to thousands of under-privileged and at-risk children across Israel.

At the Gala Dinner, American Friends of Migdal Ohr (AFMO) surpassed their fundraising goals and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their transformative Mishpachtonim program which created a new model of care for Israeli children from underprivileged and at-risk homes. Mishpachtonim is a children’s residence framework headed by a married couple who live there with their own children. There is also a social worker on each floor who stays in close contact with the students’ biological parents; a psychologist who ensures various therapies are made available as needed, and a teacher who makes sure each child is prepared for school.

“Mishpachtonim is a special framework which provides an opportunity for our students to be a part of a nurturing and wholesome environment in a family setting, which helps them integrate into mainstream society and prepares them to build a solid family home in the future,” Founder and Dean of Migdal Ohr Educational Institutions and Israel Prize Laureate Rabbi Dovid Grossman said. “It is our moral, ethical and religious obligation, not just to help these children get back on their feet after such a challenging start to their lives but provide them with all the tools throughout their lifecycle to become good and productive citizens of Israel and the world.”

Benjamin Krasna, Deputy Head of Mission at Israel’s Embassy in Washington, spoke about the importance of Migdal Ohr to Israel’s future. “While our remarkable country marches forward with extraordinary achievements, we must never allow ourselves to leave one child behind,” Krasna explained. “Migdal Ohr is providing a beacon of light to direct us in the proper direction of morality, compassion and responsibility.”

AFMO Consultant and former advisor to Israel’s Prime Minister Rivka Kidron said: “Migdal Ohr can be seen as an excellent analogy for Israel. It started with very little and with a focus on the values of development, kindness and compassion, it has become synonymous with providing those who arrived from broken homes a shelter, a place to be nurtured to grow towards a brighter future.”

Photo from left to right: Rivka Kidron; Executive Director of Migdal Ohr, Atara Solow; Deputy Head of Mission, Benjamin Krasna; Dean & Founder of Migdal Ohr, HaRav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman Shlita; Pulitzer Prize Winning NYT Journalist, Bret Stephens

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/ Photo Credit: Migdal Ohr)