(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) More than 1,000 leading members of the Israeli community in the U.S. attended the seventh annual Israeli-American Council (IAC) gala in Los Angeles on March 8. The event raised $23.5 million for the IAC’s various programs, including a $12 million donation from philanthropists Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson. Businessman Haim Saban donated $1.2 million.

The past year marked significant growth for the activity of the Israeli community in America. The IAC, initially founded in Los Angeles, launched five new branches – in New York, Miami, Boston, Las Vegas, and New Jersey. The organization also held its first-ever national conference, drawing big-name speakers. IAC National Chairman Shawn Evenhaim announced that the IAC plans to build a new American-Israeli community center in Woodland Hills, Calif. The IAC serves an estimated population of 750,000 Israelis currently living in the U.S., with the goal of forging a united and involved Israeli-American community and becoming a center of support for Israel.