So many annual dinners, so little time. How to decide which to attend? The Bet El 35th annual dinner, to be held on December 3 at the Marriott Marquis, is surely one not to miss. This event will help shape the future by featuring two powerful speakers: John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nation, and Ayelet Shaked, Israeli Minister of Justice, extraordinary individuals who are united in one great cause, the
survival and flourishing of Israel. Two additional speakers will be Congressman Lee Zeldin and Congressman Ron DeSantis, young and dedicated American politicians who are devoted to a thriving Israel.
John Bolton is a world-renowned expert on international affairs and a steadfast supporter and defender of Israel. He has been a key political figure since he was tapped to serve in the Reagan administration in the ’80s. He was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under George W. Bush and is a frequent guest on CNN, FOX News and many other major broadcast networks. He is also the chairman of the Gatestone Institute, which champions causes for Israel internationally.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked is not only a rising star in Israeli politics, but many consider her a modern-day Golda Meir for her courage, intelligence, integrity and unequaled presence. Lady Globes magazine recently selected Shaked as Israel’s most influential woman. In July, Forbes magazine chose Shaked as Israel’s woman of the year. There is no better supporter of the rights and happiness of the inhabitants of Judea and Samaria, specifically Bet El.
With all the news regarding “Israeli occupation,” fictitious IDF assaults and actual assaults on Israelis, these speakers will offer the true story of what is taking place in Biblical Judea and Samaria. Spearheaded by visionaries like Jean and Eugen Gluck, who have done everything in their power to bring vision and warmth to the world by promoting social justice and compassionate values of which we can all be proud, speakers Bolton, Shaked, Zeldin and DeSantis will share important and relevant information that cannot be missed.
Bet El’s extraordinary story began 4,000 years ago, when the patriarch Abraham established it as a camp along his Divinely inspired trek through the land of Canaan. Two generations later, Bet El became the site of Jacob’s famous dream and dramatic wrestling match with an angel—the site where the name “Israel” was coined.
Today, Beth El has transformed from a tiny community of eight families in 1977 to a vibrant Jewish center that now houses an ethnically diverse Jewish population of over 10,000. Bet El is home to the world-renowned Bet El Yeshiva Center, which provides a comprehensive education to students from preschool through post-college. Their graduates have become the leading teachers in yeshivas and high schools across Israel, bringing the spirit of Torah to all.
The Raaya Girls High School Academy in Bet El is celebrated as one of the premier learning centers in all of Israel and can’t accommodate all the girls who want to attend.
The national media network Arutz Sheva, located in Bet El, with parallel websites in Hebrew, English and Russian, brings a message of optimism and hope to supporters of Israel worldwide. It is a major force in the media today combating the de-legitimization of the state of Israel.
BeSheva Newspaper, also located in Bet El, is the third-largest circulation newspaper in all of Israel, with engaging articles and focus on the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and institutions throughout Israel. It encourages all Israelis to be better citizens.
The people of Bet El are also blazing a trail for the military struggle for the defense of the land and people of Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces Gluck Preparatory Academy has accomplished what many thought was impossible. Their mission is to strengthen the adolescent spirit and character before young adults enter the Israeli army. There are hundreds of students who changed their lives for the better at Bet El and go on to serve Israel filled with spiritual strength and their desire to serve in elite units and as officers.
Bet El isn’t just a settlement. It is a microcosm of the very essence of Israel. How was this spiritual oasis created? What makes it thrive? Thirty years ago, Yom Kippur War hero Yaakov “Ketzaleh” Katz, along with a few families and yeshiva students, had a vision of what Bet El could be. With three decades of tireless help from Jean and Eugen Gluck and the American Friends of Bet El, the town is now a vibrant center of Jewish life that nurtures all of Israel in a way that no other center of learning matches. Bet El is not just a learning center, it is a way of life.
The story of Bet El is the story of the heart of Israel. It is where Abraham first proclaimed the oneness of God, and it is where Abraham’s children now nurture the passion of Israeli life. When you look at the people of Bet El today, you see the people of 4,000 years ago in spirit, and all the generations in between, with the glow of God around them. You see people smiling with knowledge of the meaning of existence, which is to help one another, to further the teachings of Torah, to help Israel live and be the foundation of Jewish life in the entire world. The establishment and flourishing of this community is a tremendous accomplishment for the entire Jewish people. All who support Israel should support the heart of Israel, Bet El.
On December 3, at the Marriot Marquis Ballroom in Manhattan, American Friends of Bet El will honor the residents and supporters of the northern Samarian town who have toiled selflessly for the survival and growth of their community and the state of Israel. Now in its 35th year, the American Friends of Bet El dinner has become one of New York City’s largest and most prestigious Jewish events, with last year’s dinner attracting an astounding 1,500 attendees.
In addition to hearing the guest speakers, Bet El will honor some of its well-deserved supporters.The Shomer Eretz Yisrael Awardee is Dr. Joseph Frager. The Keter Torah Awardees are Mechel & Sima Lieber. Accepting the Bet El Builders Medallion on behalf of Dr. Irving & Cherna Moskowitz is Laurie Moskowitz Hirsch.
The event will begin with a 5 p.m. buffet dinner. Tickets are $500 per couple. To make your reservation, call 718-268-8291 or BetEldinner.org.
Bet El owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Joseph Frager, a great philanthropist dedicated to Bet El and all of Israel.
