Each year we have an opportunity to honor our area’s
most dedicated Zionists, and this year is no exception.
PHILADELPHIA
It’s Gala Season in the
Greater Philadelphia
Region, and the Education,
Advocacy and Outreach
Continue!
As the current issue of the ZOA Report is
being finalized, Greater Philadelphia ZOA
just held our 9th annual Gala. We honored
four remarkable individuals from distinctly
different backgrounds who share a devotion
to the Jewish State of Israel:
• Malka Kantor-Rapkin, a second-generation
Sabra and businesswoman, received
our Pillar of the Community Award.
• Cliff Rieders, an attorney from central
Pennsylvania and a member of ZOA’s
National Board, received the Lee Bender
Defender of Israel Award, named in
memory of our chapter co-president.
• Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch, the founding rabbi
of Center City Philadelphia’s popular
Mekor Habracha Synagogue, received our
Guardian of Israel Award.
• Jamaica native and DePaul University Professor
Dr. Jason D. Hill received our new
Education Beacon Award.
Zionists and patriots from throughout the
region and beyond gathered at our Gala to
celebrate America and Israel, and to recognize
our honorees. Both anthems were played
and sung; the night opened with the Pledge
of Allegiance, and closed with rousing renditions
of “G-d Bless America” and “Yerushalayim
Shel Zahav.” ZOA National President
Morton Klein addressed the crowd, and ZOA
National and Greater Philadelphia ZOA
Board Member Gary Erlbaum reprised his
role as master-of-ceremonies.
Continuing Our Campus
Vigilance
Greater Philadelphia ZOA is likely the lone
group in the area still working to expose the
anti-Israel activities of Marc Lamont Hill, a
tenured professor at Temple University. Hill
attacked the Jewish state of Israel in media
appearances and speeches for a decade before
making a spectacle of himself at a United
Nations “pro-Palestinian” (in reality, anti-
Israel) conference last November. Among his
many verbal assaults at the conference was
his closing call for the elimination of Israel –
demanding a “Palestine” that reaches “from
the river to the sea.”
Since then, Hill has become more popular
and has continued to lie about Israel, engendering
Jew-hatred throughout America
and beyond. All the while, except for some
strong words from Temple University Board
Chairman Patrick O’Connor, Temple’s
administration and board have done nothing
of consequence.
Meanwhile, Greater Philadelphia ZOA has
been relentless in getting the word out about
Hill’s hate speech. Our efforts have included
articles and letters, phone calls and an email
campaign, a demonstration on campus, and
conversations with the Temple donor who
endowed Hill’s chair. Although outside
groups are rarely afforded the opportunity to
address Temple’s board of trustees, Executive
Director Steve Feldman’s behind-the-scenes
work resulted in ZOA addressing the trustees
at their regular meeting in May 2019. Greater
Philadelphia ZOA Board Member and Treasurer
Len Getz ably made the case that Hill
did not belong on Temple’s faculty given
his hateful rhetoric and behavior. After the
meeting, many board members approached
ZOA representatives to say that they agreed
with the points made by Getz.
2019 Gala
Honorees
Malka Kantor-Rapkin
Pillar of the Community
Award
Cliff Rieders, Esq.
Lee Bender Defender of
Israel Award
Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch
Guardian of Israel Award
Professor Dr. Jason
D. Hill
Education Beacon
Award
68 Around the Country: Philadelphia