Edgar Bronfman, Sr. — Canadian Businessman born on June 20, 1929, died on December 21, 2013

Edgar Miles Bronfman was a Canadian-American businessman and philanthropist. He worked for his family drinks firm, Seagrams, eventually becoming president, treasurer and chief executive. As President of the World Jewish Congress, Bronfman is especially remembered for initiating diplomacy with the Soviet Union. This resulted in the legitimising of the Hebrew language in Russia, and major steps towards allowing Soviet Jews to practice their own religion and emigrate to Israel... (wikipedia)

A peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will likely depend to a great extent on the economic development of a future Palestinian state. As I have argued before, private sector investment - especially in the West Bank - is going to prove crucial in creating the right political and social context for peace.
The majesty of the American Jewish experience is in its success marrying its unique Jewish identity with the larger, liberal values of the United States. There is no need anymore to choose between assimilation and separation. We are accepted as equals.
I remind everybody that the Sabbath was the Jewish gift to civilization.
Making money is marvelous, and I love doing it, and I do it reasonably well, but it doesn't have the gripping vitality that you have when you deal with the happiness of human life and with human deprivation.
A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a region free of Iranian nukes are worthy goals that should be able to withstand public scrutiny in every Middle Eastern capital.