Meet the Advisory Committee
Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, M.D.
Rabbi Dr. Abadie is the founding Rabbi and Spiritual Leader of the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, and the Founder and Rabbinic Advisor of the Moise Safra Center in Manhattan. He was the Founder and Head of School of the Sephardic Academy of Manhattan and is the founding Rabbi and Spiritual Leader of the Manhattan East Synagogue, New York City.
He is the Director and Professor at the Jacob E. Safra Institute of Sephardic Studies at Yeshiva University. He is a scholar and college teacher of Sephardic Judaism, history, philosophy, and comparative traditional law. He was an Officer of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), and Treasurer/Vice-President of the New York Board of Rabbis.
He is member of the Board of Governors of the Diaspora Museum –Beit Hatfutsot/ANU.As Co-President of Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC), he was instrumental in passing a Congressional resolution on behalf of Jews from Arab Countries to be recognized by the U.S government in their negotiations regarding the issue of Middle Eastern Refugees.
He has lectured on Jewish themes, philosophy, law, and medical ethics around the world, and enjoys close ties with many government officials in Israel, Bahrain and the UAE. As a member of the board of the American Sephardi Federation and World Sephardic Educational Center, he lectures on Sephardic Judaism, history, and comparative traditional law. Featured in many notable publications around the world, he has been interviewed on several notable news programs, including Fox News, CNN and ABC News.BBC, Russian TV Arabic, Spanish Radio, CCTV and Telemundo, America TVCanal 41, UNIVISION, i24Israeli Media, Galei Zahal, Arutz 10 and 7.
He was featured in the Jewish Voice Weekly, Image Magazine, the Jewish Week, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Enlace Judio, Diario Judio, Hamevasser, Israel Hayom, Hamodia, LaMishpaha Magazine and many others. In addition to countless of awards received throughout his career, Rabbi Dr. Abadie received the Orden Del Merito Civil, with the title of Excelentisimo, the highest civil decoration by His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain. He is honored to be following in the footsteps of the greatest Jewish scholar and philosopher Moses Maimonides, who was both a rabbi and a physician. Rabbi Dr. Abadie is fluent in English, Spanish, Hebrew, Arabic, French, and conversant in Italian and Portuguese.
Presently, he is the Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Council of the Emirates, the Chief Rabbi of the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities, and the Chairman of the Council of Sephardic Sages. He is a Medical Gastroenterologist, and is married to Elise Eichler for over 37years, and together they live in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Avi Abelow
Avi Abelow is the CEO of 12Tribe Films & the 12Tribe Films Foundation.
Avi is a proud Jew standing up with the politically incorrect truth to inspire people about Israel, Judaism and the freedom-loving world. Avi runs IsraelUnwired.com and has his own vlog and podcast program called PulseofIsrael.com
Shahar Azani
Shahar Azani is founder and principal at Fourth Dimension Strategies, and a Senior Vice President at JBS, Jewish Broadcasting Services, whose mission is to provide for a greater understanding of Jewish life and the State of Israel.
Azani was formerly Executive Director for StandWithUs Northeast Region, an international Israel education organization, and served as an Israeli diplomat at Israel’s Foreign Ministry for over 15 years. He held the position of Consul for Media Affairs and Spokesperson at the Consulate General of Israel in New York between 2011 and 2014.
Ariel Grunberg
Ariel Grunberg was born in Israel, lived in Venezuela for 6 years and moved to the USA at the age of 9. He speaks Spanish and a little Hebrew. He Holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baruch College of the City University of New York. He began his real estate career working in the family firm, in 1977, Grunberg Realty. After two years he began expanding his knowledge by managing properties for larger companies like Samson Management; Pearce, Urstadt, Mayer & Greer; and Donald Zucker Co.
In 1989, upon the passing of his father, Zvi Grunberg, he returned to help his mother Fanny Grunberg, who co-founded the business with Zvi. Ariel oversees the day-to-day operations of their company’s properties which is co-owned with his brother Michael Grunberg.
Ariel is on several boards of charitable organizations and is a major supporter of the state of Israel through organizations like:
- CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America)
- MEF (Middle East Forum)
- JNF (Jewish National Fund, USA)
- United Hatzalah
- AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee)
Ariel also supports EMET (Endowment for Middle East Truth), NCSY (National Conference of Synagogue Youth), JINSA (Jewish Institute for National Security of America), Algemeiner (Media Co.)
Aaron Hadida
Aaron Hadida is a Toronto-born trailblazer in the Jewish community. Born to Moroccan parents, and the youngest of ten siblings, Aaron forged an unusual career path as a high-school dropout.
Although he was able to achieve professional success in multiple mainstream industries, to his own surprise he ultimately found his footing, and passion, as an unconventional and outspoken Zionist on the global stage. Everything that Aaron does is in support of taking back the narrative. He feels this is important because there is so much misinformation out there which impedes the Jewish’s people’s ability to secure their homeland and their futures.
He believes that part of this work involves empowering his community, both youth and adults alike, through education on the true history of the Jewish people so that they can continue the Zionist movement with accuracy
and a consistent message. He leads a highly specialized team of security experts who are called upon the world over to safeguard prominent targets and public figures during appearances where their safety could be compromised.
Aaron Hadida has been working in the Jewish community his entire life, in numerous roles including program coordination, security, teaching Jewish self-defense, and more. He is an outspoken Israel advocate and virulent defender of the Jewish People. He believes in Jewish unity and Zionism above all else.
Aaron is counted on for security organization, protection recently he is about to become a published author of the book Hate 2.0 one man’s journey to becoming a “ Tough Jew “.
Aaron is the Director of Security, Herut Canada and is the Executive Director / Founder of Jewish Resistance Worldwide.
