Elie Wiesel
Elie WieselIsrael news photo: Flash 90

The formerly Yiddish weekly Algemeiner, which is now geared toward an English speaking audience, celebrated 40 years in business this week. The paper held an event in New York celebrating its anniversary and its announcement of the “top 100 people positively influencing Jewish life.”

The awardees on the The 1st Annual Jewish 100 list included Dr. Ruth Wisse of Harvard, musician Matisyahu Miller, technology visionary Yossi Vardi, Steven Spielberg, John Hagee of Christians United for Israel, Billionaire Warren Buffet, Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky of Chabad, Howard Kohr of AIPAC, Efi Stenzler, the Chairman, KKL-JNF, Brigadier General Daniel Gold (the inventor of The Iron Dome), Rabbi Sholom Lipskar  of the Aleph Institute, Petr Necas (Prime Minister of the Czech Republic), Tamir Pardo (Director of the Mossad), the richest Jew in the world Sheldon Adelson, Philanthropist Michael Steinhardt, the youngest Knesset member Stav Shaffir, Rabbi Berel Lazar the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Avi Mayer of the Jewish Agency, Attorney Mark Langfan, columnist for Arutz Sheva and creator of security maps series, and, naturally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Weisel spoke to Arutz Sheva, as did Julius Berman, Chairman of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and former Chairman at RIETS, Yeshiva University, and author and television personality Rabbi Shmuely Boteach.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, a Republican with strong financial backing from Jewish philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, ran last year for a New Jersey congressional seat, but was beaten by Democrat incumbent Bill Pascrell, Jr.