25th Anniversary Spring Benefit
Vice President
Joe Biden
Recipient of the John P. Wallach Peacemaker Award
Honoring Seeds of Peace Alumni
and the Tanner Family
Chaired by Jane & Bob Toll
6 p.m., Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers, New York
In recognition of the social, economic, and political impact that Seeds of Peace alumni and their peers are having all across the globe, Seeds of Peace is hosting a 25th Anniversary celebration on May 9, 2018, at Chelsea Piers in New York City.
The event will bring together more than 700 supporters and friends to reflect on the organization’s collective impact and affirmative vision for the future. Attendees will include business leaders, entertainers, philanthropists, journalists, and many others.
For 25 years, Seeds of Peace has invested in young leaders and educators from conflict regions across the globe, including the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, and the United States. Our model, based on the power of personal relationships and open dialogue, helps young people move beyond deep-seated suspicions and stereotypes and obtain the skills needed to transform conflict.
Today, nearly 6,700 Seeds and Educators are working in diplomacy, education, and journalism, as well as leading social and business ventures to bridge divides in their societies. Seeds of Peace’s impact on communities in more than 27 countries has never been more important.
Vice President Joe Biden
In 1972, at age 29, Joe Biden, became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. He served as a senator from Delaware for 36 years, commuting to Washington via train almost every day. As Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee for 17 years, then-Senator Biden was widely recognized for his work on criminal justice issues, including the landmark 1994 Crime Act and the Violence Against Women Act. As Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for 12 years, then-Senator Biden was at the forefront of issues and legislation related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, post-Cold War Europe, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia.
As the 47th Vice President of the United States, Biden continued his leadership on important issues facing the nation and represented America abroad, traveling over 1.2 million miles to more than 50 countries. Vice President Biden convened sessions of the President’s Cabinet, led interagency efforts, and worked with Congress in his fight to raise the living standards of middle class Americans, reduce gun violence, address violence against women, and end cancer as we know it.
Since leaving the White House in January, Vice President Biden continues his legacy of expanding opportunity for all, both in the United States and abroad, with the creation of the Biden Foundation, the Biden Cancer Initiative, the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware. He continues his political engagement through his American Possibilities PAC.
Honoring the Tanners Seeds of Peace is deeply grateful to the Tanners for their longstanding involvement in our work. In tribute to their outstanding generosity and volunteerism, we will be recognizing the family’s contributions at the 25th Anniversary Spring Benefit.
The Tanner passion for Seeds of Peace really is a family affair. It began in 2005, when Eric first attended the Seeds of Peace Camp in Maine. Over the years, the family’s involvement deepened, with younger brother Robbie and cousins Nick and Daniel Allen, and Jax Tanner also becoming Seeds. Eric and Robbie both returned to Camp as counselors. Grandparents Nicki and Harold have also lent their support.
But it is Peggy who has really carried the torch, from being an active volunteer to joining the Board and serving as its Chair for four years and stewarding the organization’s strategic plan.
The Tanner’s extraordinary commitment to Seeds of Peace has helped it grow from a transformative summer experience for teenagers to a year-round leadership organization offering robust programming for youth, Seeds alumni, and educators.
Lead Sponsors
For information on becoming a sponsor, email Dindy Weinstein.
Celebrating 25 years of Seeds of Peace
Honorary Host Committee
U.S. Dignitaries
Albright
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Mrs. Teresa Heinz Kerry
Lowey (D-NY)
Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal,
M.D., (ret.)
Pingree (D-ME)
Poliquin (R-ME)
E. Schumer (D-NY)
Ambassadors
& Lady Darroch (UK)
(Consul General of Israel)
(ret.) & Mr. Ralph Schlosstein
& Mr. Vincent Cortes (Jordan)
& Mrs. Shaista Mahmood
(Pakistan)
Mrs. Nahla Reda (Egypt)
Varricchio & Mrs. Micaela
Varricchio (Italy)
(ret.) & Mrs. Judy Wisner
& Mrs. Huberta von Voss-Wittig
(Germany)
& Mrs. Ofra Yaakov (Consul
General of Israel in New
England)
Mrs. Susan Zomlot (PLO)
Supporters
Courage to Engage,
Courage to Change, Courage to Lead
Advisory Board
(1907-2013)
Al-Hussein of Jordan
(1923-2016)
Sponsors
As of March 22, 2018
Patricia & Alan Abramson
Anita & Steve Adelson
Catherine Allegra & Jim Tanner
Jenna Arnold & Jeremy Goldberg*
Pernilla & David Avital*
Rosy & Amin Badr-el-Din*
Rana & Albert Baladi
Nancy Bard & Don Baer
Paul Beirne
Richard Berman*
Peggy & Paul Bernstein**
Lisa & Mark Bezos
Sabrina & Scott Birnbaum*
Paula Blumenfeld & Joseph Gantz**
Darcie Bundy** & Kenneth Cohen
Cynthia* & Scott Burns
Steve Byckiewicz & Bob MacLeod
Brenda Cotsen & Jeff Benjamin
Matthew Courey*
Christine Covey*
Pilar Crespi & Stephen Robert
Kim & Lou D’Ambrosio
Cheryl & Blair Effron
Hiba & Raed Elkhatib*
Stacey & Ihsan Essaid
Beth & Michael Fascitelli
Wendy & Sam Frieder
Meredith & Joel Gantcher
Alan Ginsburg
Bobbie* & Tom Gottschalk
Liz & Steve Gruber*
Jamie & Haim Handwerker
Tim Harrington
Shelley Holm & Paul Hammerschlag, M.D.
Joel Jacob*
Ifat & David Kostman
Lea & Murray Kushner
Elizabeth Loughlin
Michelle & Daniel Lubetzky
Susan & Stephen Mandel
Jessica & Alan Mantel
Debby & Dan McGinn
Ronay & Richard Menschel
Michelle Mercer** & Bruce Golden
Carolyn & Eugene Mercy, Jr.**
Lanie & Paul McNulty
Lindsay** & Aaron Miller
Doris & Eliot Minsker
National Basketball Association
Merle & Leonard Nelson
Steve Novick
Nora & Jim Orphanides**
Lois Perelson-Gross & Stewart Gross
Tal* & Ariel Recanati
Richard Reiss
Pam & Paul Rubin
Susan & Sam Samelson**
Michelle & Eric Salzman
Deborah* & Howard Scher
Elaine & Ed Schroeder
Sarika Singh & Vivek Bantwal*
Ileene Smith & Howard Sobel
Ellen Solms
Jan Solomon & Ken Simonson
Julie & Jordan Solomon*
Lisa Sotto & Bruce Saber*
Tiziana* & Ramez Sousou
Joan & Michael Spero**
Elizabeth & Emanuel Stern
Amira & David Strasser*
Leila Maw Straus*
Sebastian Stubbe*
Diane Tachmindji
Nicki & Harold Tanner
Peggy* & David Tanner
Nancy* & Arn Tellem
Jane & Robert Toll*
Janet Wallach* & Robert Menschel
Betsy Werthan & Bart Schwartz
Megan & Russell Wiese
Sandra Wijnberg* & Hugh Freund
Susan & Doug Yearley
* Current Board Member
** Emeritus Board Member