PALM
BEACH, FL – American Friends of Magen David
Adom (AFMDA) held their annual Palm Beach Gala
on
January 31 at The Breakers. Dianne & Abe
Bernstein served as Co-chairs for the evening,
which honored Palm Beach Friends Founder
Jacqueline Goldman. Hannah & David Rabinowitz
and Joy & Jerome Weinberger served as Honorary
Chairs for the event. Professor Alan Dershowitz
was the keynote speaker and talked about the
Importance of Magen David Adom (MDA) in Israel.
The
evening began with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
in the Mediterranean Ballroom. From there, the
more than 350 guests moved to the Venetian
Ballroom for dinner and dancing to the music of
The Marcia Mitchell Band.
During the
evening, Jacqueline Goldman was presented with
the 2010 AFMDA Leadership Award for her 60 years
of dedication to MDA and the People of Israel.
In addition, Dr. Yehuda Skornick, President of
MDA in Israel, presented Mrs. Goldman with a key
to all one hundred MDA Emergency Medical
Stations.
Over
$1 million was raised to complete the Palm Beach
Friends of AFMDA 2010 special project, the
renovation of the Nathan and Jacqueline Goldman
Palm Beach Friends MDA Training Center in
Israel. This state-of-the-art training facility
will provide the important ongoing instruction
needed to keep MDA’s famed first responders and
personnel current with the latest techniques and
equipment.
Gold
Benefactors for the event were Jacqueline & the
late Nathan Goldman, Sarita Gantz, Phyllis & the
late Joseph Gurwin, Sandy & Bruce Hammonds, Mort
Kahn and Joy & Hans Mueller; Silver Benefactors
were Dianne & Abe Bernstein, Rhoda & David Chase
and Barbara & Jack Kay.
During the
evening, two ambulances were donated – one by
Jack Kay and the Kay Family, in honor of his
wife Barbara’s birthday, and one by Sidney
Packer in honor of his wife Eleanor.
Advisory
committee members were Alene Alper, Linda
Benjamin, Linda Frankel, Lois Frieder, Bernice
Friedman, Carole Gigliotti, Jacqueline Goldman,
Phyllis Gurwin, Irene Karp, Barbara Kay, Fraeda
Kopman, Susie Levitt, Elise Mesh, Sydelle Meyer,
Sydell L. Miller, Sharon O’Neil, Ari Rifkin,
Judy Ruttenberg and Robbi Toll.
Among
those enjoying the evening were Bill Langfan &
Joan Herman, Lois Pope, Ruth Sandler, Robin &
Robert Berman, Barbara & Donald Wilson Bush,
Alma Catsman, Annette & Jack Friedland, Jane &
Leonard Korman, Barbara Mines, Susan & Jack
Stoltz, Myrna & John Daniels, Elayne Flamm,
Marilyn & Stanley Katz, Joan & Alan Safir, Jean
& Fred Sharf, Selma & Joe Sitrick and Marlene &
Harold Strauss.
American
Friends of Magen David Adom supports the life
saving efforts of Magen David Adom, Israel’s
only government-mandated ambulance and emergency
medical responders, providing medical, disaster,
ambulance and blood services.
For
information on the Palm Beach Friends of AFMDA,
call 835-0510.