On Wednesday July 2, 2008 the residents of Migdal Ha’Emek were treated to an unusual sight, hovering overhead were six helicopters loaded with American dignitaries and private sector leaders, en route to Migdal Ohr. This prominent delegation was led by the Managing Director of the Doheny Global Group, Irwin Katsof, who had arranged for the mission to spend an afternoon witnessing the holy work of Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman and Migdal Ohr, which nurtures and educates over 6,500 of Israel’s most disadvantaged youth.

The diverse group of VIP’s had traveled to Israel from all corners of the United States to rejoice, reflect and recognize the miracle of Israel’s 60 years. Among the esteemed guests were The Honorable Tom Ridge, President and CEO of Ridge Global, First Secretary of Homeland Security and Former Governor of Pennsylvania, accompanied by his daughter Lesley Ridge. The Honorable Christine Todd Whitman, President of Whitman Strategy Group, Former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator and Former Governor of New Jersey, accompanied by her husband John Whitman, President of Sycamore Management Corp. The Honorable Bill Owens, Vice Chairman of RBS Greenwich Capital and Former Governor of Colorado, accompanied by his son Brett Owens. The Honorable Ben Nelson, United States Senator from Nebraska and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, accompanied by his son Kevin Gleason. And, The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, U.S. House of Representatives from Florida 18th Congressional District and Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 

Over the course of the afternoon Rabbi Grossman had a chance to speak privately with and bless each individual guest. The delegates toured the campus and learned about Migdal Ohr’s many different programs, the diversity of the children who have been cared for and educated over the years and the history of the organization. As they roamed the campus they came across a boisterous group of children having fun at an end of year carnival, an adorable group of children napping at the daycare center and were even entertained by “Kol Yaakov”, the Migdal Ohr boy’s choir.

Private Sector VIP’s included, AJ Agarwal, Senior Managing Director of The Blackstone Group, Natasha and Michael Bleyzer, Vice President and President of SigmaBleyzer, Natalie Greene, Corporate Counsel of One Beacon Insurance and her husband Barry Greene, President and COO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Scott Hyten, Founder and CEO of Rhodium Ventures LLC, his brother Brigadier General John Hyten, Irwin Katsof’s son Jacob Katsof who is a partner at AK Holdings LLC, Drew Katz, CEO Interstate Outdoor Advertising, his father Lewis Katz, part owner of the New Jersey Nets, Carol and Paul Meyer, CEO of Clear Channel, Cecelia Rappaport, Partner at JWR Realty, LLC and her husband Jim Rappaport, Chairman of New Boston Fund, Inc.

Migdal Ohr is Israel’s largest youth village, founded in 1972 by Israel Prize Laureate Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman.  Migdal Ohr runs a network of schools, including nursery through high school; operates a foster home village for orphaned and disadvantaged boys and girls; provides academic and vocational studies; integrates new immigrant children into Israeli society through specialized curricula and after-school programs; and reaches out to impoverished families to alleviate their problems and create a better home environment for their children. Migdal Ohr currently provides a loving and nurturing home to over 6,500 children-at-risk. New children are admitted as operational and capital funds become available to build new dorms, classrooms, and other school facilities.

(YWN Israel Desk)