Hundreds of supporters filled Pier Sixty on Manhattan’s West Side as One Israel Fund (OIF) marked its 31st annual gala under the resolute banner “RISE.” Against the backdrop of resurgent global anti-Semitism and continued war in Israel, the evening blended defiance, gratitude, and unapologetic pride in the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria. Looming heavily over the assembled was the dread of the incoming mayor, who has openly vowed, as an assemblyman, to target Jewish groups just like One Israel Fund because of his anti-Israel views.
The program opened with the American and Israeli national anthems, followed by a stirring rendition of “Am Yisrael Chai” in support of the IDF. Popular radio host and master of ceremonies Sid Rosenberg set the tone early, saying that while the war in Israel seems to be over, “the war in New York is just starting.” Decrying the people of New York City for electing “a socialist, Marxist, communist, jihadist, terrorist sympathizer,” Rosenberg vowed that New York’s Jewish community will not be intimidated. “I didn’t leave after 9/11,” Rosenberg declared, “and I’m not going anywhere because of Zohran Mamdani or anyone else who wants us gone.” The line drew thunderous applause in a city still reeling from months of aggressive anti-Israel protests.
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, unable to attend due to late votes in Washington, delivered a fiery virtual address. Mentioning her upcoming book Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America’s Elite Universities, Stefanik reminded the crowd of her viral questioning of university presidents a year earlier. “We will not stop,” she promised, “until every Jewish student can walk across an American college campus without fear.” Even though she wasn’t there to see it, the room cheered.
The centerpiece of the evening was the presentation of four major awards honoring individuals who have dedicated their lives to strengthening Jewish life in the Biblical heartland.
Yehudah Honickman, a native of the Five Towns who now lives in Tekoa overlooking the Judean hills, received the Magen Yisrael Award. Honickman was recognized for bringing politicians, influencers, and journalists to experience the reality of life in Judea and Samaria firsthand. His quiet, relentless advocacy has shifted narratives and built lasting alliances. Accepting the honor with his wife Shira at his side, Honickman spoke briefly of raising the next generation “with feet planted firmly in the hills of our ancestors.”
Longtime OIF director of tourism and education Eve Harow was presented the Ambassador Yechiel Leiter Founders Award. For nearly two decades, Harow has guided thousands of visitors through the ancient paths of the heartland, breathing life into Tanach while forging unbreakable bonds between diaspora donors and Israeli residents. “My name is Eve Harow,” she declared proudly, “and I am a Judean. I live in a country of heroes.” Harow’s signature Women in Green tours and playground-building initiatives have become legendary symbols of resilience.
The Keter Shem Tov Award went to Baltimore and Bal Harbour philanthropists Jerry and Sora Wolasky. Known for their open home in Jerusalem’s Old City, where their Shabbos kiddush draws everyone from cabinet ministers to backpacking students, the Wolaskys have quietly funded dozens of medical, security, and community projects across Judea and Samaria. Jerry spoke movingly of the families he has met “who choose life, growth, and faith every single day on those hills.”
Finally, the Bonei Yisrael MiDor L’Dor Award honored Larry and Debbie Pomeranc, longtime OIF stalwarts whose support has touched nearly every corner of the region. Now splitting time between the US and Israel, the Pomerances expressed particular pride that their children and grandchildren share their commitment. “We are not just writing checks,” Larry said. “We are investing in the future of the Jewish people exactly where Jewish history demands it.”
CNN political commentator Scott Jennings, introduced as “the lone voice in the wilderness most nights on cable news,” brought the crowd to its feet simply by walking onstage wearing a yellow hostage ribbon. “At least one person on your television can still tell the difference between right and wrong,” he quipped to laughter and cheers. Jennings issued a sober warning: “When we abandon Israel, we abandon our own principles. America must never make that mistake.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip, Town of North Hempstead Councilman-elect Yaron Levy, and social media personality Gabriel Boxer (better known as Kosher Guru) were among the elected officials and influencers spotted throughout the VIP room. OIF executive leadership – including Scott Feltman, Eve Harow, and Rachel Pill – worked the crowd with characteristic warmth, ensuring every donor felt the direct impact of their support.
In a year that has tested Jewish resolve like few others, the One Israel Fund gala served as both rally and reaffirmation. As the final video montage played – children laughing on new playgrounds in Gush Etzion, a new medical center being built in Binyamin, families lighting Chanukah candles in homes secured with OIF support – the message was unmistakable: The Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria are not merely surviving. They are rising.
