Miles Lerman, former chairman of the
United
States Holocaust Memorial Council
(center), presents William Ungar
(holding
award) with the 2002 Elie Wiesel Holocaust
Remembrance
Award. Looking on are
Ambassador Daniel Ayalon, (left); Israel
Bonds president/CEO Joshua Matza,
(behind Ungar), and Ungar’s wife, Jerry. |
ISRAEL
BONDS
Ambassador
Gets Advice
From
Speechwriter and Wife
By Tim Boxer
 T
proved to be less is more as dinner co-chair Les Stern
promised to adhere to the three Bs of public speaking: Be clear, Be
brief, Be seated.
That’s
the way it went at the 18th annual Israel Bonds
International Elie Wiesel Holocaust Remembrance Award Dinner at the
Grand Hyatt in New York.
Israeli
Ambassador to U.S. Daniel Ayalon said that when he assumed
his post in Washington in July, he got the same advice from
everyone: get a speechwriter.
He
hired someone who called himself a speech adviser. He advised the
ambassador that in the U.S., especially in New York, you have to
start with a joke.
On
the way to New York to address the Israel Bond dinner, the
ambassador took out his speech…and froze!
He
reached for his cell phone: “Jordan, where is the joke?”
“I
gave you advice, it’s up to you to follow through.”
Ayalon’s
wife Anne offered her own advice: “Tell the joke about God
and the lottery.”
Al Pilchik (right) presents the 2002
Elie Wiesel
Holocaust Remembrance
Award to his nephew, Alan J. Pines.
Looking on
are (left to right) Ambassador
Daniel Ayalon, Pines’ wife, Elisa,
and Israel
Bonds president/CEO Joshua Matza.
|
At
the dinner Ayalon told about the pious Jew who prayed every day for
10 years to win the lottery. Finally on a visit to the Western Wall
he wailed, “God, I prayed to you for 10 years – why haven’t I
won the lottery?”
A
voice said, “Buy a ticket.”
Ayalon gave
good advice to the 500 dinner guests on investing in Israel’s
economic health. He deftly made the case for Israel Bonds in
improving the country’s infrastructure.
His
powerful speech spurred a frenzied purchase of $15.5 million worth
of bonds. That’s what good advice can bring in.
Holocaust
survivor William Ungar received an Elie Wiesel Holocaust
Remembrance Award.
A
founder of the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington and the Museum of
Jewish Heritage in New York, Ungar created National Envelope
Corporation in 1952, which today is the largest privately owned
envelope manufacturer in the country.
Alan
J. Pines was
honored as a leader of the second generation. He is a partner in the
real estate development firm of BNE Associates in New Jersey.
|
