The Jewish Federations of North America mourns the loss of Sheldon Adelson, z"l, whose profound commitment to Jewish peoplehood and the State of Israel is well known.

Through his support for numerous programs, he helped an entire generation get to know Israel and he powered the effort to strengthen Israel’s relationship with the world. He was a longtime supporter of our Federations for decades and was responsible for changing the philanthropic landscape of JewishNevada.

He was an indispensable supporter of Taglit-Birthright Israel, which has provided over half a million young Jews with immersive Israel experiences, and he supported the Jewish Agency for Israel’s shlichut program which trains thousands of Israeli emissaries to act as living bridges to Israel in Jewish communities worldwide.

He was also passionate about Holocaust education and ensuring that the world cared for its remaining Holocaust survivors. The number of lives he touched and the impact of his commitment can never truly be known.

The son of Jewish immigrants raised in a Boston tenement, he became one of the world’s most generous philanthropists. “If you do things differently, success will follow you like a shadow,” he once said. And it did. His boundless generosity will serve as his legacy for generations to come and his loss will be felt deeply by the entire Jewish community.

We extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Miriam Adelson and the entire Adelson family. May his memory be a blessing and may his family be counted among the mourners of Zion and the world.