Adam Milstein wasn’t always the dedicated and action oriented philanthropist he is today. But over the last several decades he’s been a champion of the US-Israel alliance and a firm believer in teaching fighting against antisemitism and eradicating hate around the globe.
So how did Milstein go from a young Israeli businessman to one of the leading champions of America-Israel relations and equality worldwide? Here’s a brief history of Milstein’s rise in business and philanthropy and the founding of his charitable organization, the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation together with his wife.
Beginnings in Justice
When Adam Milstein was young, his father Hillel was a dedicated champion of the State of Israel and its people. Hillel served in the Israel Defense Force during not one but two conflicts— the Israel Independence War in 1948 and the Suez War in 1958. Through his father, Adam Milstein developed a passion for going beyond just words to put his beliefs into action, even at great personal sacrifice.
Milstein would later serve in the IDF himself, during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
While Milstein retained a love for his homeland of Israel, he soon came to believe that his ultimate goals could be reached by traveling abroad and acquiring higher education. It was this belief that brought him to America, where he earned a MBA from USC.
Before long, Milstein was making a name for himself in the world of commercial real estate— the same industry in which his father had made a living— and quickly amassed an impressive portfolio. He became managing partner of Hager Pacific Properties, a successful private real estate firm he helped grow.
During this period, Milstein and his wife Gila, started formulating plans to turn their financial success into a means of pursuing their personal mission— the fight against antisemitism worldwide.
Focus on Philanthropy
Together, Adam and Gila formed the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation. Their mission? To strengthen American values, support the alliance between the United States and Israel, and fight bigotry and hatred in every form it takes in every nation around the world.
The Milstein Foundation Approach
The Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation is guided by a trio of principles that inform all of Milstein’s efforts.
First, they believe in the concept of active philanthropy— going beyond words to devote time and resources into the success of their projects.
Second, they believe in strategic force-multiplication, or the creation of partnerships between themselves and their grantees to accomplish more than any of them could accomplish on their own.
Finally, they promote philanthropic synergy, through which they facilitate collaborations across organizations with similar missions in order to amplify the effects of their efforts for maximum impact.
Partnerships with Other Organizations
The Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation supports a wide range of non-profit organizations in order to increase what they call philanthropic synergy. Organizations they regularly support include: Aish LA, StandWithUsBirthright Israel, Israel on Campus Coalition, Stand By Me, StopAntisemitism.org, and dozens more.
