ISEF Chairman Carlos Benaim's fascinating life journey, from the Moroccan port city of Tangier to developing the world's most iconic fragrances, is profiled in two major Israeli publications this summer.
Walter Weiner, Joe Rose Honored at Plaza
Honoree Walter Weiner and Nina Weiner
Hundreds of supporters turned out at ISEF’s 34th Anniversary Benefit Dinner at New York’s Plaza Hotel on May 4, 2011, to salute Lifetime Achievement honorees Joseph Rose and Walter Weiner.
“This year’s honorees are unique in the consistent, enduring role that each of them has played throughout ISEF’s history,” said ISEF Chairman Carlos Benaim. “We are eternally grateful for their contributions to furthering ISEF’s mission of educating young Israelis from underserved communities.”
As Chairman and CEO of Republic New York Corporation and Republic National Bank for two decades, Walter worked closely with the late Edmond J. Safra, who founded ISEF together with wife Lily Safra and ISEF President Nina Weiner. Investment banker and philanthropist Harvey Krueger, a long-time friend and a member of ISEF’s board, presented Walter’s award.
Honoree Joe Rose (2nd from L) , children and grandchildren
Passionately committed to advancing higher education in Israel, Joe Rose has played a vital role as ISEF’s treasurer for 25 years. Joe and his wife Paulette have also supported individual ISEF scholarship recipients. Attorney and friend Mark Levenson presented Joe’s award.
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WABC-TV News Anchor Bill Ritter emceed the evening, and Israel’s Consul-General Ido Aharoni was guest speaker. Norman Belmonte, ISEF’s outgoing chairman, received special recognition.
Dr. Moshe Elkabets, an ISEF scholar from Ofakim, now doing breast cancer research at Harvard Medical School, expressed his gratitude to ISEF for enabling a young man from a poor desert town to study at one of the world’s top universities.
The live auction raised over $100,000, and the band got everyone up to dance.
International Fellow Dr. Itsik Francis (above left, with former ISEF Chair Norman Belmonte) shared this, from two new ISEF supporters:
"They said they had never seen a foundation that behaves like a family. with such warm feeling. Perhaps we should change ISEF to 'International Sephardic Education Family'?”
