THE LOUNGE
Open University
The American Friends of the Open University held its annual gala event at The Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue in New York City. During the event, which was organized by Ingeborg Rennert, president of the Association, Prof. Alan Dershowitz received an honorary degree for his human rights activities. In addition, honorary awards were also bestowed upon two American Jewish couples: Adi and Yonatan Heiman, a fashion designer and a hi-tech entrepreneur, and Lisa and David Klein, jewelry company owners. Attending were: Prof. Mimi Ajzenstadt, the new president of the Open University; Ron Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress; and Yael Yativ, deputy director of the Open University’s Resource Development and External Relations Unit.
Weizmann Institute
On Tuesday evening, a ceremony was held at Maarava compound in Ga’ash, to recognize the Trump Foundation for its longstanding support of the Weizmann Institute of Science, as well as its initiative to establish an advanced teaching center for math and sciences. Attending were Daniel Zajfman, president of the Weizmann Institute of Science; Eli Hurvitz, Trump Foundation director; Marshall Levine, outgoing director-general of the American Friends of the Institute; Prof. Lee Shulman, president emeritus of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Emeritus Professor of Education at Stanford University.
Israel Philharmonic
Hundreds of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra members from Israel and around the world attended the orchestra’s annual gala event this past Friday, which was sponsored by Maya and Aaron G. Frenkel, the Hilton Tel Aviv Hotel, and the Vista at Hilton Tel Aviv. Israel Philharmonic Foundation Director Tali Gottlieb and Hilton Hotel manager Ronnie Fortis hosted the event. During the evening, Michael Zellermayer, chairman of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, announced the appointment of Daniel Arison Dorsman as the first chair of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s Young Friends Association. Dorsman came to the event with his girlfriend Danielle Gal, and his parents – Shari Arison and Miki Dorsman.
Ariela Wertheimer
Artist Ariela Wertheimer recently moved into a new studio in Jaffa in an alleyway near the Greek market. In her new studio, Wertheimer creates artwork that is then displayed around the world. This past weekend, Wertheimer invited family and friends to a grand opening of her new studio. Wertheimer will be in Miami in early December where she will be participating in Art Miami with works that combine layers of paint and photographs. The fascinating compositions focus on the sea, including oysters that had been stuck on the underside of ships and ropes tied to piers. Attending the opening in Jaffa were her proud husband Eitan Wertheimer, her father-in-law Stef Wertheimer and his wife Lin, Alfred and Hava Akirov, and Michael Strauss.
Batia Ofer
Art collector Batia Ofer, who is the wife of businessman Idan Ofer, and is currently ranked among the most influential women in London, has recently become involved in a battle of artistic and political proportions with the anonymous artist Banksy. Banksy, who is gaining in popularity, posted on Instagram that Israel is an apartheid state and invited millions of followers to download a work of art he prepared to help spread his message. The post received more than 500,000 likes and thousands of comments. Ofer, who serves as a member of the international council of the Sotheby’s auction house, was horrified by this anti-Israel act, and through her own personal Instagram account, with only a thousand followers, launched a counter attack. She came out against Banksy in a sharp post comparing his posters to the antisemitic Nazi propaganda from the 1930s.