This issue, I am deviating from discussing specific Allergy and Immunology topics to introduce the readership to an important organization I have been actively involved in over the past 35 years called Allergists For Israel, or AFI. Allergist for Israel is an organization co-founded by my friends William Silvers from Colorado and Professor Yossi Mekori of Tel Aviv University in 1984 to foster camaraderie between our Israeli Allergy/Immunology colleagues and Allergists/Immunologists in the US and other parts of the world through educational and research initiatives.
I had the privilege of being involved in AFI since 1993 and subsequently becoming Chairperson from 2004 to 2024. After assuming this leadership role, I recruited Beth Goldfarb, who graciously accepted to serve as our administrative executive and was assisted by her husband Richard. Together, they were instrumental in organizing our annual meetings and events for 18 years. From the local Cincinnati Allergy Community, my wife, Lisa, father, I. Leonard and mother Miriam, brother, David and sister-in-law, Cheryl and our close friend, Marc Rothenberg and his wife Joy have all been steadfast supporters of AFI. Since AFI’s establishment, numerous joint AFI/IAACI combined meetings have been held in different regions of Israel, but predominantly Jerusalem, and numerous travel grants, research awards and mini-fellowships have been awarded to support Israeli fellows-in-training and young investigator IAACI members.
During my tenure as AFI Chairperson, I was fortunate to oversee the blossoming of this organization, which began as a small group of individuals and informal gatherings to a now vibrant organization with over 600 members worldwide and a pipeline of enthusiastic leadership for years to come. The educational and research collaborations that developed because of AFI and IAACI’s interactions have also blossomed into great friendships.
At each of our major Allergy meetings in the US, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) and American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), there is a Friday night welcoming kiddush, a Sunday morning educational breakfast and at the AAAAI meetings, a Sunday evening gala event. This year’s AAAAI meeting is in Philadelphia, and the Sunday evening gala event is being held at the Weitzman Jewish Museum. The event will feature Drew Weissman, Nobel prize recipient for his work on mRNA building blocks that led to the COVID mRNA vaccine development. In addition, Richard Kogan, a renowned Juilliard trained concert pianist and psychiatrist, who while playing a composition from a great composer, provides psychoanalysis of the composer.
This past year, I had the pleasure to travel to Israel on behalf of AFI with my wife Lisa to speak at the IAACI meeting that was held December 4th through the 6th in HaGoshrim, a nature preserve, in the upper Galilee. As with every meeting, the scientific curriculum was very strong and the social activities were very entertaining and inspiring. At this meeting, I was honored and touched to be made an honorary member of the IAACI because of AFI’s steadfast support for Allergy and Immunology in Israel over the years. After the IAACI meeting, Lisa and I traveled to Nova and the kibbutzim ravaged during the October 7th, 2023, massacre and also toured along the Gaza, Lebanese and Syrian boarders. Memorials were everywhere along the roads at many sites for those who lost their lives and, in many cases, to celebrate acts of heroism. These sobering experiences solidified the importance of why AFI’s continuing mission to support our Israeli medical colleagues and Zionism is so important.
