Alan B. Slifka was a visionary. He imagined a peaceful world safe for difference. He envisioned shared societies where diverse communities live together peacefully and productively. Mr. Slifka recognized that inclusive, cohesive societies are the foundation for sustainable development. He understood that to build shared societies requires remarkable leaders. This philanthropic vision propelled Mr. Slifka to create initiatives to empower leaders from every sector to pursue equality, elevate diversity as a source of strength, and embrace interdependence between all groups.
Alan was a proud Jew with a deep commitment to Israel. He envisioned Israel as a Jewish and a democratic state. To that end, Mr. Slifka created Israel’s Abraham Fund Initiatives to build a shared society for Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens. He founded the Club de Madrid’s Shared Societies Program to press national and global leaders and institutions to prioritize shared society policies and practices and to recognize social inclusion as essential to democratic development.
Mr. Slifka established the Alan B. Slifka Chair that directs the Brandeis’ Master’s program in Global Sustainability Policy and Management to inspire and prepare early-career policymakers and civil society activists to be leaders committed to inclusive, shared societies where environmental, economic and social policies reflect the needs of all citizens. In addition to shared society initiatives, Mr. Slifka actively supported projects to engage and educate young Jews exploring their Jewish identity, combat antisemitism and hate, and pioneer biomedical research in cancer and autism. In all his endeavors, Mr. Slifka led with an open heart and an open mind. He is missed but his legacy lives on.