Get to know the leadership of the ILC

HONORARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Mr. Beny Alagem
As an entrepreneurial force in the business world for more than 25 years, Beny Alagem is well-known for his leadership in several multibillion dollar industries, including telecommunications and technology. He is most prominent in his accomplishments as co-founder of Packard Bell Electronics. After selling Packard Bell in 1998, Alagem became involved in a number of successful business endeavors. In December of 2003, he formed Oasis West Realty, LLC and purchased The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Alagem is a long time contributor to Israel and in 1995 was appointed Honorary Ambassador of the City of Tel Aviv. During the same year, California Governor Pete Wilson honored Alagem for his contributions to the State of California, by declaring a state holiday in his honor.

Mr. Leo David
Leo was born in Germany and immigrated to Israel. During his military service in the IDF, he fought in the War of Independence, sustaining serious injuries. He moved to New York in 1954 where he met and married his wife, Ruth. David has built several businesses in California, prospering in the fields of electronics and real estate. Leo founded the Western Region of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) in 1981 and chaired its first gala dinner, at which Bill Cosby and Sammy Davis, Jr. entertained. Today, Leo serves on the FIDF National Board of Directors and Chairs the Western Region Chapter Board of Directors. He and Ruth have been extremely generous in their support of several FIDF projects throughout the years, providing continued relief, welfare, and education for Israel's soldiers. At the same time, Leo, and his wife Ruth, have been very active and supportive of many other charitable organizations in Israel and here in Los Angeles. In addition, Leo was awarded Israeli-American Leadership Award by the ILC at last year's gala. 

Mr. Shimon Erem
Born in Lithuania, Erem was raised in Israel and joined the Jewish Brigade of the British Army to fight in World War II. Stationed in Northern Italy, he witnessed the horrors of the Nazi death camps and spent the next several years leading a group of clandestine Nazi hunters. He was a key figure in Israel’s War of Independence and served in a team that commanded all Jewish underground operations in Europe, including the smuggling of Jews into Israel and arms acquisition. In 1948, he was chosen by David Ben-Gurion for a select group whose goal was to organize the first official Officers School of the Israeli Defense Forces. One of Israel’s most decorated military heroes, General Erem has played a major role in the Sinai Campaign, the Six Day War, and the Yom Kippur War. In 1970, Erem immigrated to the United States, and became involved in several organizations and causes that promote the welfare of Israel, including AIPAC, ADL, and the Israel Christian Nexus, of which he is founder and president.

Mr. Jona Goldrich
In fear of living in Nazi Germany, Goldrich was smuggled out of Europe in 1942 to refugee camps in pre-Israel Palestine. Serving as a mechanical engineer in the Israeli Navy and the Merchant Marines, he participated in military action in 1948-49 that assured creation of the new state of Israel. Immigrating to the United States in 1953, Goldrich settled in Los Angeles with only $50 in his pocket. Today his company, known as Goldrich & Kest Industries, LLC, consists of 850 employees with annual revenues in excess of $200 million. He is recognized as one of the most important and successful developers and managers of housing in the state of California. Goldrich is a long time contributor to many causes, especially those related to Israel and Holocaust education.

Mr. Parviz Nazarian
Parviz spent his career managing numerous companies in various industries, including aerospace tooling and aircraft component manufacturing, capital equipment manufacturing, and plastic equipment manufacturing. Today, he provides strategic guidance for the operation and management of Omninet portfolio companies. Parviz is a member of the International Board of Governors of the Technion Institute of Technology and Tel Aviv University. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of Qualcomm until 1994. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of privately-held PWP Industries and Stadco Inc. Nazarian is the founder of the Citizens’ Empowerment Center in Israel. CECI is a non-profi t, non-political center founded by concerned Israelis who aim to inform the Israeli public of their rights and duties, and educate them about an effective government and representative democratic system.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mr. Danny Alpert, Co- Chair
Alpert arrived in the US in 1977 after his military service in the IDF and studied in Tel Aviv University Law School. In 1979, Alpert formed 0ro Alexander, a thriving jewelry company. 0ro Alexander manufactures diamond jewelry in Thailand and is marketed nationwide within the United States, Canada, and Europe. Alpert has been involved with CECI, Yad Be’yad, StandWithUs, Israel-Christian Nexus, and AIPAC. Alpert and his wife Michal have three sons and live in Encino, California.

Mr. Eli Tene, Co-Chair
Tene received his education at California State University Northridge. Since 1986, Tene had specialized in commercial joint ventures, foreclosures, residential and commercial real estate, fi nancing and loss mitigation. He is partner in ownership and management of: Peak Capital Group, Peak Finance Company, SAS, Bridgelock Capital, Escrow of the West, I Short Sale, Asset Foreclosure Services, Panorex Realty and Accommodator Finance Company. Tene was involved in Bnei Brith-Shalom Unit, From LA with Love, Larger than Life and Neemanim. Tene, his wife Dafna, and 3 kids live in Calabasas, California.

Mr. Shawn Evenhaim, Director
Evenhaim was born and raised in Israel. After serving five years as an Officer in the Israeli Army, he arrived in the United States. Evenhaim has been active in both the real estate and building industries since 1989, and is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and the Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIA). He is also a member of the Residential Purchasing Council (RPC), serving as president from 2001-2002. Currently, Evenhaim is a member of the Mayor’s Development Industry Advisory Cabinet (DIAC), the Chair of the Public Works Sub-Committee, as well as a member of the RPO. Evenhaim’s passion is Jewish Education and making a diff erence in the lives of children. He is currently the president of the Kadima Hebrew Academy. Evenhaim, along with his wife, Dorit, and 3 children reside in Calabasas, California.

Mr. Adam Milstein, Director
Milstein graduated in 1978 from the Technion and arrived to the US in 1981. In 1983 he earned his MBA with a major in Entrepreneurship from USC. After graduating USC, Milstein began a successful career as a commercial real estate professional forming an investment company, Hager Pacific Properties, with two partners. Hager Pacific Properties and its related entities now owns and manages several million square feet of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the United States. Milstein is involved in AIPAC, StandWithUs, AISH Los Angeles, Hasbra Fellowship, Ashreinu (JAM), The Israel Christian Nexus and Nahal Haredi. Milstein lives with his wife Gila in Encino, California

Mr. Nissan Pardo, Director
Pardo arrived in the United States in 1960 and enrolled at San Diego State University, where he received a BS degree in Chemistry and later his PhD from PWU in Health Care Administration. He was the owner of B.M.H clinical Laboratories and B.P.L Toxicology Laboratories, which he both sold in 1987. At present, Pardo owns and operates a number of companies which provide health care at home in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Pardo is the former President of B’nai B’rith Shalom Lodge. He is also active in the Los Angeles Jewish Federation where he was the former chair of Project Renewal and former chair of Health and Human Services Committee and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Los Angeles- Tel-Aviv Partnership.

Mr. Yossi Rabinovitz, Director
Yossi Rabinovitz was born in Tel Aviv and immigrated to California in 1979.  Always the entrepreneur, he founded JMR Electronics while still a student at CSUN.  JMR is a pioneer in the hi-tech industry providing storage for computers;  Yossi went on to win the prestigious Ernest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.  He was involved in many hi-tech start-ups, both as an investor and a mentor to companies in Israel and the United States.

Mr. Naty Saidoff , Director
Saidoff is the founder and principal owner of Capital Foresight, a closely-held commercial real estate holding company. Saidoff is a member of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), Board of Governors. He also serves as the Los Angeles Chapter Chair of the Middle-East Subcommittee. Saidoff serves on the Executive Board of StandWithUs. Among other organizations, Naty is involved with both the Israel Task Force and the Investigative Project. He shares, with his wife Debbie, the 2006 AJC Community Service Award. They were also the 2003. StandWithUs Honorary Award recipients. Saidoff is a graduate of UCLA with a B.S. in Economics.

STAFF

Shoham Nicolet, Executive Director
After serving as an offi cer in an infantry unit of the IDF, Shoham Nicolet was one of the founders and Chief Instructors of Hi-Teach, an Israeli company focusing on online learning, as well as the Director of the Matot Program. Nicolet arrived in the United States in 2000 and received his BA in Business and MBA from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, where he founded the Israel Action student organization. Later he served as the Director of Residence Life and Conference Services. Nicolet is one of the leaders of the From LA with Love project, and currently serves as the Director of Marketing for Peak Corporate Network, specializing in the promotion of a wide variety of real estate services.