“The Philanthropist Shaping Israel's Global Standing”

Sylvan Adams is one of the most influential Jewish leaders shaping Israel's global standing today, combining philanthropy, international advocacy and his leadership as President of World Jewish Congress Israel to strengthen Israel and the Jewish people on the world stage.

An Israeli-Canadian businessman and philanthropist, Adams has served as president of the World Jewish Congress-Israel Region since 2025. The son of Holocaust survivors, he moved to Israel in the mid-2010s and has since become one of the country's most prominent philanthropists. His giving spans healthcare, education, innovation and sport.

Among his major philanthropic commitments, Adams donated $100 million to Ben-Gurion University and, separately, another $100 million toward the rebuilding of Soroka Medical Center following an Iranian missile strike.

Adams has also made international visibility for Israel a central part of his public work. He brought the opening stages of the Giro d'Italia to Israel and brought Madonna to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, using major global cultural and sporting events to present a different side of the country to international audiences.

He is the only Israeli signatory to the Giving Pledge and was named to the 2025 TIME100 Philanthropy list. In 2023, he was selected to light a torch at Israel's 75th Independence Day ceremony in recognition of his contributions to Israel and the Jewish world.

As President of World Jewish Congress Israel, Adams has focused his leadership on confronting antisemitism, strengthening ties between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, and advancing an ambitious vision for large-scale aliyah to Israel.

More recently, Adams has become a prominent advocate for the Iranian people in their struggle against the regime, calling for international support for a free Iran and proposing the creation of a global fund to help rebuild the country in a post-regime era.

Across philanthropy, Jewish leadership and international advocacy, Adams has increasingly used his platform not simply to support Israel, but to shape how Israel and the Jewish people engage with the world. Influence is not only measured by what you give. Sometimes, it is measured by what you are able to build, change and put on the world stage.

In 2026, Adams continued to turn philanthropy into global influence for Israel and the Jewish people.

That is why Sylvan Adams is No. 19 on The 36.