PRESS RELEASE
Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder
President of the World Jewish Congress
Honored with
The Damaskinos Award
On November 15th, 2017 in New York City
American Friends of the Jewish Museum of Greece (AFJMG) and the Jewish Museum of Greece are pleased to announce that Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress, was the 3rd Recipient of the Damaskinos Award on November 15th, 2017 in New York City. This prestigious award goes to individuals who have promoted and defended tolerance and cooperation among all religions in Greece.
During the financial crisis in Greece, The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation took the Jewish Community of Athens under its umbrella by showing its support for the Athens Jewish Community School as well as other organizations. The school was re-named “The Lauder Athens Community School” in honor of Ambassador Lauder. The School offers all the subjects required by The Greek Ministry of Education as well as a curriculum of Jewish history courses for grades K-6. In addition, an e-learning program available to Jewish children in the community was established.
In keeping with The Foundation’s mission to re-build and support Jewish life in communities throughout Europe, The Lauder Athens Jewish Community School and its programs have provided an opportunity for the children of the community to connect, learn and develop their Jewish identities and preserve their heritage for future generations.
The Award Ceremony took place at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park in New York City, in a room full of distinguished guests. The event was held under the auspices of Honorable Haris Lalakos, Ambassador of Greece to the United States of America.
Guests included His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Ambassador Mrs. Maria Theofili, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations, Honorable Dr. Konstantinos Koutras, Consul General of Greece in New York and Mr. Makis Matsas, President of the Jewish Museum of Greece, among others. Rabbi Joshua Spinner of The Lauder Foundation, Rabbi Martin A. Cohen, Spiritual Leader of the AFJMG and Rabbi David Adelson, Dean of the Hebrew Union College were in attendance as well.
On behalf of The American Friends of the Jewish Museum of Greece, we would like to thank our distinguished guests as well as many members and donors who made this event possible: The Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Onassis Foundation USA, Navios Maritime Holdings Inc, S. Goldman Advisors LLC, Citi Private Bank, Atlantic Bank, Mr. Clay Maitland and Mr. & Mrs. Saky Yakas, among others.
Previous recipients of the Damaskinos Award were His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Yiannis S. Boutaris, Mayor of the City of Thessaloniki in Greece.
