At the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills last week, more than 1,500 people gathered to recognize 75 years since the establishment of the modern-day State of Israel on May 14, 1048.
Supported by the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, the Israeli American Council (IAC) and others, the event on May 17 started with speeches from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Vice Mayor of Beverly Hills Lester Friedman. Actress Alona Tal, who appears in the “SEAL Team” TV series, served as emcee.
Four individuals were honored for their contributions in a variety of fields: Dr. Arie Belldegrun in medicine, Dovi Frances in technology, Miriam Edelson in social impact and Gal Gadot in entertainment.
“Israel is my heart and my home. We all here are deeply proud of our Jewish homeland. As an Israeli living in the U.S., I am very aware of the importance of enhancing and maintaining strong connections of building bridges between the Americans and the Israeli people,” Gadot said following receiving her award.
“Our backgrounds might be different, our journeys unique, but our collective goal is shared: to create a future that’s rich in understanding, mutual respect and collaboration.”