Nearly 700 attendees at the Michael Levin Base’s annual gala stayed seated through a missile alert on the evening of Sept. 16. The event at the Jerusalem Theater carried on as scheduled, underscoring both the resilience of Israel’s supporters and the importance of the evening’s focus on rising global antisemitism.
The Michael Levin Base is named for lone soldier Michael Levin, 22, who made aliyah from Philadelphia in 2003 to join the Israel Defense Forces and fell in battle during the Second Lebanon War on Aug. 1, 2006.
Founded five years ago and based in Jerusalem, it supports lone soldiers, as well as women and men volunteering for National Service, under the leadership of co-directors Lizzie Noach and Bonnie Rosenbaum.
The evening opened with a warm welcome for U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who served as the keynote speaker. Huckabee reminded the audience that the United States and Israel are “more than allies; we are partners.”
Moments after he left the stage, sirens warned of an incoming missile launched from Yemen. Before the program began, attendees had been told that the Henry Crown Auditorium at the Jerusalem Theatre was a protected space and were instructed to remain seated in the event of an alarm.
Huckabee and his entourage briefly returned to the hall, then safely departed for his next engagement after learning that the missile had been successfully intercepted by the IDF.
Michael Dickson, executive director of StandWithUs, stepped in to speak in place of former ambassador to the United States Michael Oren, who sent a prerecorded message. Mark and Harriet Levin, the parents of Michael Levin, also shared a video message from Philadelphia.
This year’s gala centered on “The Rise of Global Antisemitism” and featured a panel discussion moderated by Dickson with Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Israel’s special envoy for trade and innovation; Adir Schwarz, deputy mayor of Jerusalem; and award-winning author and journalist Matti Friedman.
“After Oct. 7, the masks came off,” said Hassan-Nahoum, a regular JNS podcaster. “We knew who was who, and everything that had been happening under the surface became clear.”
She added that while the IDF works to evacuate civilians from combat zones, Israel continues to face accusations of genocide, a claim she called “absurd and dangerous.”
Schwarz spoke about leading a visiting delegation of 250 U.S. legislators from all 50 states around Jerusalem. Their astonished reactions reminded him of how remarkable the beauty of the city is when seen through fresh eyes.
Friedman reflected on his years as a reporter and editor at the Associated Press Jerusalem bureau between 2006 and 2011, saying that coverage was often shaped to fit a conflict-driven narrative, leaving other perspectives untold.
Among the attendees were Bonnie Geller-Geld and her husband, Isaac Geld, from Riverdale, N.Y.. “We registered for the gala in anticipation of hearing Mike Huckabee and Michael Oren speak about the problems of antisemitism facing the Jewish community,” she said, with apparent disappointment. “We were also looking forward to the panel discussion, hoping to learn how to combat antisemitism.”
Andrea Finger, a board member of the Michael Levin Base, served as the evening’s MC. Highlights included the presentation of the Volunteer Appreciation Award to Carol and Mark Goldberg, the Lone Soldier and Lone Bat Sherut Awards to Reut Engle and Ilana Simon, and the Community Volunteer Award to Howie Rosenblum.
Board chairman Richard Corman delivered closing remarks before guests enjoyed a dairy buffet. Reflecting on the night, Rosenbaum said: “When hundreds of phones went off at once, warning of an incoming missile, we sat together and stayed calm. It was a moment that reminded us of our shared destiny and of the strength of our nation.”
