THE LOUNGE
1. Maccabiah
President Reuven Rivlin and his wife Nechama held a ceremony at the president’s residence in Jerusalem last week to welcome delegation leaders to this year’s Maccabiah from countries that had never before participated in the games. Attending the evening were: Maccabiah World Cup Chairman Eyal Tiberger; Maccabiah World Chairman Yair Hamburger; Maccabiah Chairman Amir Peled; World Maccabiah President Leo Dan Bensky; Morris Kahn; and members of the Maccabiah management. Macabi and Mati Carasso hosted the Maccabiah leaders in their home in Moshav Bnei Tzion in the Sharon, where they held a special gala event titled VIP Maccabiah.
2. Music makers
David and Michal Fuhrer, owners of Neopharm Group, hosted internationally renowned violinist Vadim Gleitzman and his wife, pianist Angelu Joffe, in their home in Ramat Hasharon. The two performed to raise money for the Music Makers Festival in Israel, which they hope will feature chamber music performances with top international renowned musicians. Attending were: Yehudit and Ronni Katzin; Loni and Ruti Herzikovich; Sami and Tova Sagol; Doris and Mori Arkin; Marc Topilsky and Lilach Asher-Topilsky, and Tal Fuhrer.
3. Jerusalem Cinemateque
Hundreds of guests, including actors, directors, filmmakers, and enthusiastic supporters, gathered on the grass in front of the Jerusalem Cinemateque for a reception to mark the beginning of the Jerusalem Film Festival. The guests included Shari Arison’s daughter Cassie Arison, who came as a representative of the family’s Ted Arison Foundation, which supports community activities; Dr. Noa Regev, director of the Jerusalem Film Festival and Cinematheque; and Daniella Tourgeman-Glass, artistic director of the Jewish Film Festival at the Jerusalem Cinematheque.
4. Check Point
Gil Shwed, founder, chairman and CEO of Check Point Software Technologies, the international cyber security company that was founded 24 years ago, is carrying out an unusual culinary tradition. Last Thursday, Shwed and his wife, Meital Danino, hosted 120 Check Point employees who’ve been working at the company for ten years, along with their spouses. Shwed prepared the delicacies all by himself, with the help of a few sous-chefs.
5. Israel squash
On Saturday night at the Tel Aviv Port, the Israel Squash Association inaugurated the first transparent squash court in Israel. The association’s volunteer chairman, Aviv Bushinsky, welcomed guests who were in Israel for the 20th Maccabiah games, and the 10th anniversary of the Maccabiah squash competition. Brian Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast, an avid squash player, came to Israel to watch the Maccabiah competition live.