Annual Leadership Education Forum 2017

National security, Middle East affairs and medical technological breakthroughs were top of mind during American Friends of the Hebrew University’s Annual Leadership Education Forum (ALEF). Hundreds of people attended this year’s conference at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach on Sunday, January 15, 2017.

Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.), NATO’s 16 Supreme Allied Commander Europe and 15 Commander of the U.S. European Command (2009-2013), Head of U.S. Southern Command (2006-2009) and Dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, took the stage as the 2017 ALEF Keynote Speaker for his address, “Beyond the Horizon: 21st Century Global Security and Risk.” Retired General Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon was also a featured speaker.

The day was about Israeli-Led Solutions to Global Challenges, kicking off with a morning discussion of “Middle East Affairs at a Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities.” The afternoon panel discussion was on “Harnessing Technology to Save and Transform Lives,” by Dr. Galia Blum, the Institute of Drug Research, the Hebrew University; Dr. Inbal Goshen, the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC), the Hebrew University; and Professor Shlomo Magdassi, the Institute of Chemistry and the Harvey M. Krueger Family Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, the Hebrew University. Special guests from the Hebrew University included Professor Menahem Ben Sasson, President, and Ambassador Yossi Gal, Vice President for Advancement and External Relations.

This year’s ALEF was chaired by Alan Cohn, Gail Meyer Asarch and Dr. James Satovsky, Dr. Maria Spinak and Benny Sterental.