Top 35 Edgar Bronfman, Sr. Quotes

The Arab world needs to appreciate that legitimate historical claims and modern necessities are what make Israel the homeland of the Jewish people.

In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.

As a liberal and progressive, I abhor the notion of conflict and bloodshed and very much want to find a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear issue.

Arab youth are taught to wonder, ‘Since the Holocaust was a European affair, why are the Palestinians being forced to pay for the creation of Israel?’

The principles governing Western democracies, of which Israel rightly considers itself a part, are based on the assurance that everyone has a vote, but also that the minority needs to yield to the wishes of the majority.

I don’t believe in God. I do believe in Judaism. I believe in ethics, morals.

There are signs that the Arab states are beginning to realize that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to the entire region, and not just to Israel.

I remind everybody that the Sabbath was the Jewish gift to civilization.

Jewish sovereignty and governance over our ancestral home are, I believe, important goals that every Jew ought to support.

My father put it right when he said: ‘I don’t get ulcers. I give ulcers.’

It is high time that the Arab world’s professed desire for peace is matched by responsible action, and not more of the same equivocation.

The search for a Jewish national home came about due to centuries of anti-Semitic pogroms, expulsions, discrimination and hate. The Holocaust was simply the evil culmination of all that came before it.

Researchers consistently find that most older volunteers, when compared to older nonvolunteers, have fewer functional and physical impairments, overall better health, higher life satisfaction and less depression. In addition, they attend religious services more frequently and belong to more social organizations.

Economic support from the rest of the Arab states to the fledgling Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is virtually non-existent.

No one said anything to my face, but I constantly heard comments denigrating Jews.

Israel desperately needs peace if it is to come anywhere close to being the ‘light unto nations‘ of Jewish dreams.

George W. Bush is long gone, and with him the idea that ‘Israel can do no wrong.’

A lasting two-state solution requires two credible partners, and not just one side – Israel – taking superficial steps simply to placate world opinion.

A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a region free of Iranian nukes are worthy goals that should be able to withstand public scrutiny in every Middle Eastern capital.

The Palestinian economy is, and will likely continue to be, highly reliant on trade. And yet, trade between the Palestinian Authority and the Arab states is extremely limited.

Contrary to many of the rumors and innuendo in circulation, I wholeheartedly believe that Obama views Israel’s security as absolute.

I’d vote for Mickey Mouse before I voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

There are no easy solutions for Israel’s own governance problems.

Investments are a real partnership, with an expected return; donations are a gesture made as a result of ethical, religious, or political passions.

In terms of defending Jews, I’m a Jew.

The beauty of Judaism is that it demands we ask questions, especially of ourselves.

Based on the Gaza precedent, Israel should not simply be expected to withdraw from territory and let it devolve into a state of anarchy. The West Bank is simply too close to Israel’s major population centers and infrastructure to allow it to become another launching pad for rockets.

I’ve had three wives. I’ve had five weddings.

Intermarriage is not a calamity but an opportunity for both a Jewish and non-Jewish partner to learn.

During my many years in international business and public life, I have had the good fortune of sitting down for lunch with people with whom I completely disagreed, in practice and principle: Soviet communists, heads of state from various unsavory regimes, benighted religious figures, corrupt business leaders.

John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as running mate is the towering example of his poor judgment. Palin’s ignorance of public affairs is monumental.

The Jews’ fear of assimilation and intermarriage should not replace fear of anti-Semitism.

For decades, the plight of the Palestinian people has been exacerbated by internal corruption, a lack of effective investment, and the political cynicism of the Arab states, who often did not have the best interests of the Palestinians at heart.

Just as we send young American Jews to Israel through the Birthright program, we need to also consider a ‘reverse Birthright’ for Israeli kids to come see America.

Much of what has gone wrong in the pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace is due to a lack of strong leadership, primarily among the Palestinians.