The Lounge: February 11, 2019

Check Point Gil Shwed, the founder and CEO of international cyber security company Check Point, spent last week in Las Vegas at one of the world's largest cyber conferences. The company unveiled its CPX Check Point Experience at the show, which was attended by about 3,000 guests. During the award ceremony for outstanding employees, Shwed invited the winners to come up onto the stage and took a commemorative selfie together with them. Grey Goose vodka Grey Goose brand of vodka, which sponsored French culinary week, held a special event last Thursday in honor of the first visit to Israel of François Thibault, the master blender who created Grey Goose vodka. The chic French-style event took place at the Angelo and Nina complex, and a toast was raised to Esti and Mickey Ackerman, the distributors of Grey Goose vodka in Israel. FIDF Some 450 Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) supporters from Florida and across the US gathered last Tuesday at the Eden Roc Nobu Hotel for the annual FIDF Miami International Gala: A Night of Heroes, raising $1.8 million for well-being and educational programs for the brave soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Chairing the gala was Miami-based businessman and philanthropist Benny Shabtai, who has been an avid FIDF supporter for decades and has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars for IDF soldiers and veterans. Co-founder and senior vice president of The Alexander Team, Oren Alexander co-chaired the gala, with Monica Crowley, an author, political commentator, and long-time Fox News contributor, joining as MC. Other distinguished guests included former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine; Steve Witkoff; Michael Stern; David Martin; Naomi and Michael Dezer; Tal Alexander; FIDF Miami President Evelyn Katz and FIDF Miami past president Shmuel Katz; FIDF National Director and CEO former general Meir Klifi-Amir, and FIDF Florida Executive Director Dina Ben Ari. Masked Ball Last Thursday, the Israeli Opera held a festive premiere of the opera Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball), conducted by maestro Daniel Oren and directed by Michal Znaniecki. The visitors were greeted by Zach Granit, director-general of the Israeli Opera, and Aliza Jaffa, chair of the Opera Friends Association. There to enjoy themselves at Verdi's colorful opera about an improbable love story, were: Chava and Alfred Akirov; Frank Lowy; and Tova and Sami Sagol. House of Song Last Wednesday at the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, Naomi Faran, the conductor and founder of the Moran Choirs from Beit Yitzhak, led a special evening. During the event, the opening of the first Israeli House of Song, to be erected near Ruppin, was officially announced. The House of Song will function as a regional, national and international activity center that will bring together artists, ensembles and choirs, and will also host artists from abroad. It will include a Hebrew Poetry Museum, an acoustic hall with 700 seats, and a sophisticated recording studio. The event was attended by Shmuel Ben Dror, chairman of the Friends Circle; Adv. Moriel Matalon, chairman of the Board of Directors; and Jason Arison. Translated by Hannah Hochner.

The Lounge: February 11, 2019

Grey Goose brand of vodka, which sponsored French culinary week, held a special event last Thursday in honor of the first visit to Israel of François Thibault, the create of Grey Goose.

Jerusalem highlights: June 12-18

Inside one family's struggle with Israel's reserve duty

The Lounge: February 11, 2019

Grey Goose brand of vodka, which sponsored French culinary week, held a special event last Thursday in honor of the first visit to Israel of François Thibault, the create of Grey Goose.

See more on