More than 90 donors, partners, educators and friends attended the festive American Friends of Kidum (AFK) Inaugural New York Reception on Tuesday, October 17th at The Jewish Museum in Manhattan.

AFK is the newly established U.S. non-profit dedicated to building awareness and financial support for the Society for Advancement of Education, Jerusalem (SAE). SAE provides gifted teenagers from disadvantaged communities throughout Israel with an opportunity for a high quality high school education and full participation in Israeli society.

The evening featured greetings from Ambassador Dani Dayan, Consul General of Israel in New York, and Eitan Moran, Executive Director of SAE, and a musical performance and spirited audience sing-a-long led by legendary folk song writer and musician Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.

Honored by the American Friends of Kidum at the Reception were:

• Dr. Charlotte K. Frank, a leader in education policy and practice in the U.S. for more than 40 years and a generous supporter of educational projects in the U.S. and Israel, including the Dr. Charlotte K. Frank Science Center at SAE’s Mae Boyar High School in Jerusalem.
• United Israel Appeal – IEF which allocates funds raised by Jewish Federations in the U.S. expended in Israel. IEF, a component of UIA, has played a pivotal role in building schools in Israel, including two run by SAE.  David Mallach, Executive Vice Chair of the UIA-IEF, accepted the award.
• Naale Elite Academy — a unique program founded and run in cooperation with SAE, has brought over 17,000 students from 65 countries to Israel to study in Israeli high schools over the past 25 years.  Dr. Alex Zender, a graduate of Naale’s second cohort of students, accepted the Silver Anniversary Award on behalf of the Academy.

Two speakers – Karen Kennedy, granddaughter of Louis Boyar, visionary founder of Mae Boyar High School, and Ambassador Zion Evrony, a Boyar High School graduate who went to become Israeli ambassador to the Vatican – spoke emotionally and glowingly about the life-changing impact SAE schools and residences have on students.

The evening featured a Cocktail Reception with expanded Hors D’oeuvres, and a Dessert Reception following the program.  As a special treat, all attendees were able to take a private docent-guided after-hours tour of the recently opened and highly acclaimed Modigliani Unmasked exhibition at the Museum.

Tribute Committee Co-Chair Roni Rubenstein served as Master of Ceremonies and AFK Board Members Dr. Joseph Ahram, Shana Novick and Yair Segev all participated in the program.