Americans for Ben-Gurion University is pleased to welcome entrepreneur and social activist TAL KEINAN as the opening plenary speaker at our annual board meeting October 28 in New York City.  A sought-after commentator on the Israeli and global economies, Tal will be speaking on his highly acclaimed, best-selling book God Is in the Crowd: Twenty-First Century Judaism, a sobering analysis of the threat to Jewish continuity and how to preserve it.

Tal brings a gripping life story to our podium. Born to a secular Jewish family in Miami, he became curious about his religious identity only after arriving as a teen to study at Phillips Exeter Academy. This curiosity led him to embark on a trip to Israel, inspiring him to enlist in the Israeli Air Force (where he served for 18 years, including the reserves). As a man who was putting his life on the line every day for his people, he began to ask himself whether what he was fighting for was worth it. This led him into a soulful investigation of the core values of Judaism in the twenty-first century and what must be done to preserve Jewish community.

Today Tal is the co-founder of Clarity Capital, Israel’s first full-spectrum asset management firm, with offices in New York and Tel Aviv. He is also chairman of Koret Israel Economic Development Fund, Israel’s largest nonprofit lender to small and micro-businesses, having made over $400 million in loans to date.

A passionate social activist in the areas of education, economic development and conflict resolution, he serves as a board director for the Steinhardt Foundation and the HESEG Foundation.

Tal is also a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and chairman of the intercontinental chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School. Tal and his wife, Amber, have three daughters and live in Tel Aviv. Today he holds both U.S. and Israeli citizenship.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to hear Tal Keinan speak. Register here.

In the meantime, check out the reviews of Tal’s God Is in the Crowd:

“Tal Keinan has written an extraordinarily powerful work on Jewish identity in the 21st century. Enthralling, searching, profound and compellingly written, it should be read by everyone concerned about the Jewish future.” — Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth and author of Not in God’s Name

“A compulsively readable book, rich in insights about American and Israeli Jews….part memoir and part manifesto for the way forward.” — Daphne Merkin, author of This Close to Happy

More reviews on Amazon.com