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AFMDA Gala Palm Beach Rallies for Israel’s Emergency Responders

PALM BEACH, Fla. (March 27, 2026) — Hundreds gathered Thursday evening at The Breakers in Palm Beach for the annual American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) Palm Beach Gala in support of Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency service. The evening highlighted MDA’s lifesaving work across Israel and honored those who have helped sustain that mission during a time of war. Bestselling author and journalist Douglas Murray joined Noa Tishby, an Israeli actress, producer, and advocate, for a live conversation that centered on Israel, the war, antisemitism, and the moral stakes of the moment. “There are a lot of causes that we can give to,” Tishby said. “Some of them are great. Some of them are amazing. MDA, Magen David Adom, is incredible. They actually do the work. They are important for Israel. They deliver.” Murray praised MDA’s frontline impact, telling the audience, “I’ve seen on the ground in Israel, and I’ve seen the enormous good work that you do as an organization.” He later framed the broader fight of the current war between Israel and Iran in stark moral terms: “The world’s biggest death cult has just tried to take on the world’s greatest life cult, and the life cult’s going to win.” Reflecting on the resilience he has witnessed in Israel, Murray added, “If you want to cheer up, you should come to Israel. It’s much better there because people are united and they have a purpose and they know what they’re fighting for.”

1. Chairs Donald and Connie Berg at the AFMDA Palm Beach Gala 2. Jonathan & Randee Cherner 3. & 4. Douglas Murray

& Noa Tishby on stage 5. Omer Shem Tov 6. Jonathan & Randee Cherner receive the 2026 AFMDA Amit Mann Award of

Courage alongside Tamara Karu & Heidi Lein Connie Berg at the AFMDA Palm Beach Gala

7. Chairs Donald &

The evening’s theme, “From Darkness to Light,” was brought into sharp focus through remarks from former hostage Omer Shem Tov, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, and held captive for 505 days. “When people are hurt, they run toward them. When people are afraid, they show up. When seconds matter, they act,” he said of MDA lifesaving heroes. “They are the light that enters the darkest situations.” Across the program, a consistent message emerged: in moments of crisis, what matters most is who shows up. The program also featured a performance by Tovah Feldshuh, who sang an original song about MDA and its lifesaving heroes, and a musical

set by Omer Shaish, who performed “Rescue” with orchestra, followed by “Mi Sheberach,” the U.S. anthem, and “Hatikvah,” honoring the 39 MDA medics who have died since October 7. The evening brought together a distinguished group of attendees, including Lois Pope, Ari Rifkin, Fran and Steve Katz, Lorraine Podell, the honorees Randee and Jonathan Cherner, the chairs, Donald and Connie Berg, and Isaac Levy of Yvel. Many friends and family members of the honorees and chairs also traveled to Florida specifically to be part of the event, underscoring the strong sense of community and support in the room. Jonathan and Randee Cherner received the 2026 AFMDA Amit Mann Award of Courage. In introducing the honor, Heidi Lein, AFMDA Director of Major Gifts, highlighted their longstanding support for and dedication to Magen David Adom. Jonathan Cherner underscored the role supporters play in sustaining MDA’s work. “Make no mistake that the herculean efforts of MDA would not happen without the support of American benefactors and the people in this room,” he said. “We make the difference, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”

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