Thank you for an amazing night!

Together we raised $80,000 for Programs in Israel of the Minneapolis and St. Paul Jewish Federations.

 

NTHI Speakers

Nikki Haley

Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN

John Hagee

Founder and chairman of CUFI

Mr. Yinam Cohen

The Consul General of Israel to the Midwest

StikYard & Shai Abramson

StikYard is a spirited fusion of driving percussion, original musical arrangements, and unique choreography. Percussionists in motion utilize a dazzling display of unique and specially designed instruments to bring excitement and joy to audiences of all ages. Supporting performers sometimes join the fray, including solo artists, choirs, and dancers.

Shai Abramson was born in Jerusalem, and was exposed early on to the world of cantorial music. During the past few years, Abramson has presented his cantorial repertoire in numerous Jewish communities in the U.S., Canada, South America, Australia and Europe, with the intention of developing and strengthening ties with Jewish communities around the world, and intensifying connections with Israel and with the IDF.

Nikki R. Haley

Nikki R. Haley is the former United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations. She served as a member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet and the National Security Council. During her time as ambassador, the United States stood proudly with its allies, repeatedly taking a strong and principled stand against the chronic anti-Israel bias at the United Nations. In the UN Security Council, she proudly issued the first American veto in six years defending the United States’ sovereign right to move our Embassy to Jerusalem—Israel’s true capital. Prior to becoming the twenty-ninth U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Haley was elected in 2010 as the first female and first minority Governor of South Carolina. Reelected in 2014, she served as Governor until confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations in January of 2017. Born in Bamberg, South Carolina, she is the daughter of Indian immigrants and a proud graduate of Clemson University.  Ambassador Haley and her husband, Michael, a combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, have two children.

John Hagee

Pastor John Charles Hagee is the founder and National Chairman of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world.
Pastor Hagee founded CUFI in 2006 and has since overseen its growth to more than 11 million members who stand in solidarity with Israel and are committed to combat anti-Semitism in all its forms.
Since its inception, CUFI has also hosted an annual Washington D.C. Summit enabling thousands of CUFI delegates to meet with their elected officials and speak as one voice in support of Israel.
In celebration of Israel’s 70th year, Pastor Hagee was recognized by the Embassy of Israel as one of the 70 greatest American contributors to Israel since statehood. He was also honored by U.S. Ambassador David Friedman to give the benediction at the dedication of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in May of 2018.
Pastor Hagee and his wife Diana are blessed with five children and thirteen grandchildren.
 

Shai Abramson

Shai Abramson was born in Jerusalem, and was exposed early on to the world of cantorial music.
In 2008, Shai Abramson was appointed Chief Cantor of the Israel Defense Forces. Abramson serves as the representative cantor of the State of Israel, and participates in this capacity in formal state occasions and ceremonies. Abramson also accompanies various government representatives to ceremonies and events in Israel and abroad. He has performed as cantor and singer under the auspices of the Knesset, the IDF, the Ministry of Defense, and various other government ministries and agencies.
During the past few years, Abramson has presented his cantorial repertoire in numerous Jewish communities in the U.S., Canada, South America, Australia and Europe, with the intention of developing and strengthening ties with Jewish communities around the world, and intensifying connections with Israel and with the IDF.

Rabbi Avraham Ettedgui

Rabbi Avraham Ettedgui, a native of Morocco, studied and was ordained at Ohr Joseph in France. He also studied at Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio. He holds a Master in Education from the University of St Thomas, St Paul, MN.
Rabbi Ettedgui has served Sharei Chesed Congregation since 1999. Before coming to Sharei Chesed he served on the faculty of the Talmud Torah of Minneapolis as a teacher and as the Executive Director for over 25 years.
Throughout the years he has served as the visiting rabbi to many outlying small communities including, Hibbing, Minnesota, Mason City, Iowa and Fargo, North Dakota.
He is married to Linda Brody Ettedgui and together they have seven children from their previous marriages and sixteen grandchildren.

Yinam Cohen

Yinam Cohen is the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest. He is a career diplomat with 15 years of experience in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Before arriving in Chicago, he held the position of Senior Policy Adviser to Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Director of the Policy Department in the Minister’s Bureau. Prior to that, Consul General Cohen was the Director of the UN Political Affairs Department, where he oversaw Israel’s diplomatic campaigns in the UN Security Council and General Assembly in Israel. Between 2015 and 2018, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of Israel in Madrid, Spain. There, he led the diplomatic dialogue with the Spanish government and outreach to Spain’s Parliament and political parties. Previously, he served as Spokesperson and Press Attaché at the Embassy of Israel in Berlin, Germany (2010–2012), and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Bogota, Colombia (2007–2010). From 2012 to 2015, he was a diplomatic advisor to three consecutive director generals of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to his diplomatic career, Cohen worked as a strategic consultant at Shaldor Ltd. He holds an MBA cum laude, as well as B.Sc. in Computer Science, both from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Consul General Cohen likes exploring new cuisines and tries to balance the intake of calories with daily jogging. He speaks English, Hebrew, Spanish, and German. Cohen was born in Jerusalem in 1976. He is married to Ayelet, and they have three children.