It was an honor to host Dr. Albert Bourla, the Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, in our Main Sanctuary on Wednesday evening, where he spoke about how his childhood in Greece and being the son of Holocaust survivors inspired his career in medicine and innovation. Watch the recording here: https://lnkd.in/gT8KVzqF
What an honor and privilege to speak with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of the esteemed Central Synagogue, one of the oldest and largest synagogues in North America. Rabbi Buchdahl is the first woman to lead the synagogue’s congregation, and she is also the first Asian-American to be ordained as a rabbi in North America. She truly exemplifies #courage—a concept that came up a lot as we discussed being Jewish in today’s world amid rising antisemitism. According to the latest findings from the Anti-Defamation League, there were 10,000 antisemitic incidents between October 2023 and September 2024 in the US, the most incidents recorded in a 12-month period since 1979. Their recent poll found that 46% of the world’s adult population (~2.2 billion people) harbor antisemitic attitudes. This is especially upsetting when one considers that there are fewer than 245,000 Holocaust survivors living today. It is incumbent upon us all to speak out against bigotry, and to create environments that encourage love and acceptance instead of fear and hatred. Though Rabbi Buchdahl and I have vastly different professions, what unites us is a shared commitment to using our platforms to encourage kindness, courage and integrity—values that are central to the Jewish faith and more important than ever. Watch our discussion here: https://lnkd.in/dn7BUWsE