World-class cultural and sporting events will improve Israel's image - opinion

• Published date: 11 October 2021
• Author: SYLVAN ADAMS
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Since making aliyah and moving to Israel, I have dedicated myself to serving my country as the "self-appointed ambassador-at-large for the State of Israel." Israel is very often maligned in foreign media, which carries a largely negative depiction of our country, an image that doesn't match the Israel I know and love. To remedy this false portrayal, my idea is to try to project a more realistic view of our country – a "normal" Israel – to large audiences around the world. Through world-class cultural and sporting events, we can reach the group I call the silent majority, without the filter of hostile conventional media.

This silent majority – including sports fans, music fans, and others – is largely apolitical. These people don't know us, nor even care very much about us. But if asked, they would likely express a negative impression due to the monochromatic media coverage of our nation. My projects deliver "normal" Israel into their living rooms – via their television sets – and show our true face. And, I know we are succeeding in changing minds and improving our image, as I've received a ton of positive personal feedback. Not only that, pre-COVID, Israel had the largest growth rate in tourism in the world. These projects have certainly contributed to this growth.

However, what I witnessed over the past month was not just a normal Israel, but an exceptional, exemplary, big-hearted Israel.

Due to my profile in the world of cycling, as the owner of the first Israeli professional team, Team Israel Start-up Nation, I was approached by the Afghan Cycling Federation, on behalf of their female members, to see if I could help extract these terrified women from a country where simply riding one's bike can get you killed. This morphed into a daring rescue mission that has, so far, saved 165 souls from a terrible fate in Afghanistan, bringing them to safety. Working directly with the wonderful Israeli NGO, IsraAid, we rescued female judges, activists, families of diplomats, robotics experts, and of course, the female cyclists that initiated this mission.

Lives were risked, resources were committed, and a multinational group of committed volunteers – led by an Israeli organization – made this miracle happen. This mission is ongoing, and we continue to work inside Afghanistan to extract others. While merely a drop in the bucket among the millions heart-achingly at risk, we are doing what we can.

This life-saving mission exemplifies our ancient Jewish cultural...