Dana Aderet Brody, an attorney and pro-Israel from Great Neck, made aliyah this past Rosh Chodesh Kislev, inspired by her parents, Dr. Paul and Drora Brody, whose activism for Israel extends to a variety of causes and events.
“My parents raised me in a very Zionistic home. Growing up, Jewish concerns and the Land of Israel were always discussed at our table, and I am fortunate to be the person to start our family’s aliyah process” said Dana A. Brody, Esq. Her parents, Dr. Paul and Drora Brody, and Dana’s siblings expressed great pride in her decision, confident that she will be successful in her new home.
Dr. Paul’s parents, Harvey z”l and Bea a”h, were among the early pillars of the Kew Gardens Hills community. With his wife Drora, they served for 14 years as the Chairpersons of The Concert with a Message in Central Park, which follows the Celebrate Israel Parade. They are active in Ateret Cohanim-Jerusalem Chai, Chazaq, Migdal Ohr, and several other Zionist organizations. They have worked on causes with former UN Ambassador Danny Danon, Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Defense Minister Naftali Bennett, former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, conservative commentator Glenn Beck, and former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton.
As with many American olim, Brody has visited the country on numerous occasions, where he has close family connections. Her mother is a Sabra and Israel is home to her grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. “Everyone in my family in Israel is so excited that another relative came to live here,” she said. Her new home is in Jerusalem, within walking distance of the Kotel. She feels the city is the ideal place for her to start living her dream as an olah, fulfilling the well-known adage “L’Shanah Ha’ba’ah BiYerushalayim!”
Brody’s most recent stint in Israel was this past year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where she completed an LL.M. (Master of Laws) Degree in International Law and Human Rights. She described the program as welcoming a spectrum of ideas from international students. “I was exposed to a variety of viewpoints from my professors and peers, including students from the US, Spain, and Germany, among other places,” she said. “Living in Israel, as opposed to the diaspora, helps forge the complex diverse political views of Israelis, since it impacts their very existence. The people are directly affected by terrorism and peace talks. Every Israeli taxi driver has an opinion on elections in Israel, as well as in America.”
Prior to her aliyah, Brody worked as an attorney at Kasowitz Benson Torres – the law firm where Ambassador David Friedman was a founding partner – which represented Donald Trump in many cases. She received her legal education at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she founded the group entitled “Penn Law Students for Israel.” During her undergraduate education at Queens College, Brody served as a Student Senator and Student Ambassador, graduating summa cum laude and earning an award for high honors in Political Science.
Brody currently serves as an alternate Delegate to the World Zionist Organization (WZO) on the ZOA-Likud slate. This past September, she attended the signing of the Abraham Accords on the White House lawn. Brody has interacted with many American and Israeli politicians, introducing then-Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates in 2016. She spoke eloquently against anti-Semitism at a Great Neck Rally in 2019, attended by many local politicians, including Rep. Tom Suozzi. Additionally, Brody participated in various roundtable discussions, including talks given by Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer; former American Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, and former White House Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt.
Her aliyah was coordinated with Nefesh B’Nefesh, which advises American olim on employment and housing. On her flight, the organization offered her a face mask with her name and the date of her aliyah. “My advice to prospective olim is to plan ahead as it takes a long time. Understand that living in Israel is not the same as vacationing her; you should understand the nuances of Israeli society,” Brody said. “There is no better time than now.”
By Sergey Kadinsky