For a long time, David Kaplan’s goal has been to bring the well-being of the
Jewish state and its people to a new level. That’s why he has donated
thousands of dollars to support the Holocaust Survival Fund. Of course, it
won’t be a remedy to heal numerous scars on Israeli history, but it certainly
will help a lot of people not to forget their past. Knowing your past is vital for
building your future.
David Kaplan is the one who started using power to build bridges between
Israel and other countries. And this power is soft. Culture unites millions of
people all around the world. Thus, he was in charge of organizing cultural
exchanges in the world’s capitals. Kaplan’s assisted the Israeli Foreign
Ministry and the Israeli Embassies in Moscow and London.
Have you ever been to New York? If so, you know how it feels when you
can have English breakfast somewhere in SOHO, then delicious Jewish
lunch served with Khala bread somewhere in Upper West Side and then
dinner with Russian pancakes in Brighton Beach. New York is unique
because multiculturalism is the best tool to unite people. Kaplan believes
that Jerusalem is New York of the Middle East.
Israel is known to be a mosaic of cultures. Wherever you turn, you’ll bump
into people who came from different countries with manifestations of
cultures from all over the world, far apart from each other in every sense.
Kaplan introduces hundreds of people to Her Majesty Jewish culture. It
includes seemingly incompatible things, which in combination represent the
State of Israel: traditions and innovations. David Kaplan keeps abreast of
the time, honoring the past of his people.
David Kaplan played a decisive role in strengthening Israel-Russia
relations. Just one performance of the Israel Police Orchestra brought
together hundreds of people who got to know about Israel more. Gala
dinners, concerts, and lectures, to name a few – his activity as a cultural
ambassador was not limited to this. Jerusalem and Moscow became a little
closer regardless of distance.
The more you know, the more you know you don’t know, Aristotle said
once. And he was right. New knowledge makes you ask more questions.
And new questions lead you to new knowledge. David Kaplan is sure that
Jewish people ask tons of questions. And he’s trying his best to provide
accurate answers by overseeing projects aimed at supporting Jewish
youth. This is to help hundreds of young Jewish students obtain an
education in Israeli universities, integrate into modern Israeli society, and
open up the Jewish world’s opportunities.
Thanks to Kaplan’s efforts, the National Library of Israel and the Russian
State Library signed a memorandum of cooperation. As a result, the two
biggest knowledge repositories will make a collection of Gunzburgs
available online. This is the second-largest collection of Hebrew literature in
the world, consisting of 1980 ancient manuscripts and 7225 printed books.
So many books, so little time? Never too little, David Kaplan thinks. Good
books don’t give up all their secrets at once. But once you discover one,
the world would seem more understandable and, at the same time, more
mysterious.
That’s what boundless love for the Holy land and its people looks like.
David Kaplan Russia 