A Night to Remember: Birthright Israel Foundation in Aspen

On July 14, Birthright Israel Foundation brought together 150 supporters in Aspen for an unforgettable evening of community, conversation, and commitment to the next generation.

Event Chairs Jodie & Steven J. Fishman and Leslie & Russ Robinson set the tone for the evening, joined by Birthright Israel Foundation President & CEO Elias Saratovsky for a night centered on Israel's resilience and the enduring importance of Jewish memory and identity. They were joined by a dedicated Host Committee: Dennis Albers; Heidi & Rick Baer; Shiva Delrahim Beck & Jarrod Beck; Karen W. Davidson; Viki Freeman; Angel & Aaron Goldman; Melinda Goldrich; Ellen Bronfman Hauptman & Andrew Hauptman; Nina Kotick; Carole & Gary Lazar; Michelle & Rob Leven; and Dorothy & Aaron Podhurst.

Author Dara Horn, in conversation with Birthright Israel Foundation Chief Marketing Officer Eric Lachter, offered a powerful and personal look at what it means to build a vibrant Jewish future.

The evening's most moving moment came when Yasmeen Ohebsion, a 2024 Birthright Israel Excel Alumna, and Sam Fried, Birthright Israel Alum & Staffer, Paratrooper and Reservist, shared their own journeys — a reminder that every life changed on a Birthright Israel trip begins with someone in that room choosing to say yes.