LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE:  Story and Photos

SCENE LAST NIGHT: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and outgoing Israeli Consul Gen. Ido Aharoni addressed the JCRC of New York’s 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner at The Pierre in Manhattan. De Blasio said that during his recent trip to Israel, he told Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, “My Jewish population is bigger than yours.” Boasting about representing “the largest Jewish community in any city on the earth,” de Blasio praised the JCRC for knitting communities together and for educating him on Israel by taking him and his family on several trips to the Jewish State. “The difference for someone who cares about the world and has, on top of that, been to the state of Israel vs. someone who hasn’t – if you haven’t been, you see the world differently. Once you have been [to Israel], the insights you gain, the personal connection and the deep sense of solidarity grows,” he said.” That’s what JCRC has contributed for so many of us.”

Spotted: NYPD Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Comptroller Scott Stringer, Mark Levine, Andrew Cohen, Helene Rosenthal, Bob Cohen, Deputy Consul General Amir Sagie, Ron Weiner, Michael Miller, David Pollock, Hindy Poupko, Malcolm Hoenlein, Eric Goldstein, Alisa Robbins Doctoroff, Daniel Bonner, Tom Blumberg, Michael Lustig, Joshua Muss, Jason Muss, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Rabbi Bob Kaplan, George Artz, Stu Loeser, Herbert Block, Menashe Shapiro, David Lobl, Pinny Ringel, Kalman Yeger, Jennie Berger, Meir Laufer, Ezra Friedlander, Jason Koppel, Moshe Zakheim, Yeruchem Silber, Joel Schnur, Ava Rollins, Yoel Eisdorfer, Jonathan Greenspun, and Kate Theobold.