Much has been said over the past week about Sheldon Adelson – the generous donor, the great philanthropist. I seek to share my thought about the man he was.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Nearly 30 years ago, we met in Jerusalem, while I was officiating the marriage ceremony for Sheldon Gary Adelson, whose real name is Shalom Gedalia, and his bride was Dr. Miri Ochshorn.
Our last meeting was also held in Jerusalem, under completely different circumstances: it was at the world convention for International Holocaust Remembrance Day in January 2020, exactly one year ago, at Yad Vashem in the Israeli capital.
I will never forget the first time we met in New York, at the Hilton Hotel, as part of a fundraiser for Yad Vashem. I was the keynote speaker, and Sheldon and Miri were the guests of honor. Sheldon, who was usually a man of few words, stood up and spoke with all his heart.
"You must be wondering what's my interest in Yad Vashem, what's my connection to the story of the Holocaust," he said.
"I'll be honest with you – I haven't lived through the Holocaust, my family did not go through the Holocaust and we had no connection to the Holocaust. I am here because my wife Miri's parents are Holocaust survivors, and I am here thanks to them."
I saw his consideration, how he embraced this aspect of his family and I was greatly impressed.
At the same time, I also learned from conversations with him about his first connection to Israel, even before the establishment of the state. He learned the love of the homeland from his father, who dreamed all his life of coming to Israel, despite the poverty and the great hardship he experienced.
The father's dream made its mark on the son's personality, namely Shalom Gedalia, known as Sheldon Gary. As the father did not fulfill his dream, the son – who was already a man of considerable means – stepped into his father's shoes and took his first steps in what later became the center of his being: the State of Israel.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
