Adam Milstein, entrepreneur and philanthropist, has spent his life speaking out against antisemitism, and he isn’t about to stop now. As Israel is being attacked by terrorist groups, it is easy to trick ourselves into thinking that a crisis in the faraway region of the Middle East will stay there and will not reach America. But what Milstein has long believed, and what has been proven true again and again, is that whatever is happening in the Middle East and around Israel affects the American way of life as directly as if it were happening in our own backyard
A Mutually Beneficial Alliance
One of the organizations Milstein supports, AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is devoted to a strong relationship between America and Israel. While on the surface it may seem like that relationship could be benefiting only Israel (a small Middle Eastern country dependent upon American support), the fact is that Israel is one of America’s strongest and most important allies. The Middle East is a very central part of the world, and one that boasts a strategic placement both politically and militarily.
The alliance between Israel and the United States allows American interests to be perpetuated in an area of the world where Americans are not always favored, without having to send or jeopardize any American forces. In turn, Israel military advantage is guaranteed as long as the US is there to continue ensure it. The minute America stops supporting the State of Israel, it will be viciously attacked, leaving Americans without a strategic Middle East ally and the Jewish people without a secured homeland.
The American Way of Life
Milstein has been fighting antisemitism in America since his arrival in 1981. After securing his spot as a successful businessman in the commercial real estate world, Milstein began to use his wealth to perpetuate for others the American way of life that served him and his family so well. Milstein knows that the American dream is about more than success, but also about the ability to use that success to safeguard the American way of life and protect American values.
Milstein and his wife Gila founded the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation in 2000, which is committed to fighting antisemitism, strengthening the State of Israel, safeguarding Israel and America’s shared values—freedom, human rights, and democracy— and eradicating the common enemies who threaten these values and spread Jew hatred. Milstein has long been active fighting bigotry and hatred in America on all fronts, including Jew-hatred. This commitment to the Jewish people is part of what gives everyone a chance to achieve their goals.
Antisemitism in the Middle East and At Home
As rockets were launched by Palestinian terror groups on civilian population in Israel last month, the Jewish people across the globe were attacked for their race, their culture, and their support of their homeland. Milstein has spoken out against the assaults that Israel routinely endures by terrorist groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad whose purpose it is to bloodshed. He shared how antisemites are relentless in their plot against Jewish people and their heritage.
The American way of life – the same one that beckons immigrants like Milstein – is only protected insofar as our country continues to protect its allies. America is only as strong as the promises we make, and this includes the promises made to other countries.
Milstein’s Contribution
Thankfully, Milstein’s philanthropic endeavors have made it easier for Israeli-Americans to work together to fight anitsemitism. The Israeli-American Council, an organization he founded in 2006 with others, and upon whose board he sits, is just one example of how Milstein is helping Americans of Israeli descent at home. But his commitment to the Israeli- American relationship doesn’t stop there. He knows the value of a strong Israeli state – one that embodies the American Dream in its commitment to her allies, her people, and the success of both.
