In an era of increasing political polarization, few figures have demonstrated the ability to build bridges across ideological divides quite like Adam Milstein. The Israeli-American philanthropist, born in Haifa in 1952, has spent over two decades creating unlikely alliances between conservatives and progressives, Christians and Jews, and Americans and Israelis—all united around shared concerns about antisemitism and threats to democratic values.
The Pragmatic Foundation
Milstein’s approach to coalition building emerged from his unique biographical position. As an Israeli who became an American citizen he understood both societies intimately. His military service during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when he crossed the Suez Canal with Ariel Sharon’s division, gave him a warrior’s understanding of existential threats. His subsequent success as a managing partner at Hager Pacific Properties provided the financial resources necessary for large-scale philanthropic initiatives.
When he and his wife Gila founded the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation in 2000, their mission statement reflected this pragmatic approach: “to strengthen American values, support the U.S.-Israel alliance, and combat bigotry and hatred in all forms”. Notably absent from this mission was any partisan political identification—a deliberate choice that would enable broader coalition building.
The Christian-Jewish Partnership
Perhaps nowhere is Milstein’s coalition-building approach more evident than in his work with Christian communities. Through his foundation, he supports organizations like Christians United for Israel (CUFI) and Israel Christian Nexus, which connect Jews and Christians in support of Israel. This partnership reflects his understanding that shared values can transcend theological differences.
The relationship between Jewish and Christian Zionists has often been complex, with some Jews suspicious of evangelical motivations and some Christians frustrated by Jewish skepticism. Milstein’s approach has been to focus on common ground rather than theological differences. His foundation’s support for interfaith initiatives demonstrates his belief that practical cooperation can overcome historical tensions.
This pragmatic approach proved particularly relevant during the 2015 Campus Maccabees summit, which Milstein organized alongside Sheldon Adelson and Haim Saban. The summit brought together “50 different groups coming together on behalf of Israel and against BDS,” as Milstein described it, demonstrating his ability to unite diverse organizations around shared goals.
The Bipartisan Challenge
Milstein’s coalition-building efforts have been complicated by increasing political polarization around Israel. His work with both Democratic and Republican leaders reflects his understanding that Jewish security depends on bipartisan support. When he organized the Campus Maccabees summit, he brought together Adelson (a Republican donor) and Saban (a Democratic donor), demonstrating that partisan differences need not prevent cooperation on Jewish issues.
As he told Israel Hayom at the summit: “We might not vote the same in the 2016 presidential election, but when it comes to Israel, Sheldon and I speak the exact same language”. This comment captured his broader philosophy about alliance building—focus on shared interests rather than political differences.
However, Milstein has also recognized the changing landscape of American politics. His support for the Jewish Policy Center reflects his understanding that conservative voices are increasingly important in defending Jewish interests. As he wrote in 2024: “The Jewish community focused political capital almost exclusively on the American left,” but “progressive circles have embraced hostility towards Israel and often, by extension, toward Jews”.
The Israeli-American Bridge
One of Milstein’s most significant coalition-building achievements was the creation of the Israeli-American Council (IAC) in 2007. This organization addressed a gap in the American Jewish community by engaging Israeli-Americans who had been largely disconnected from traditional Jewish organizations.
As he explained in a 2017 LinkedIn article: “Before we started the IAC, you did not have any Israeli philanthropy. The Jewish community said, ‘If you are a philanthropist, then you are a Jewish philanthropist, and if you are not a philanthropist, you are Israeli'”.
The IAC’s success in engaging Israeli-Americans demonstrated Milstein’s ability to identify underutilized community resources and mobilize them effectively. Under his leadership, the organization grew to become what Vice President Mike Pence called “the largest Israeli-American organization in the world”.
The Intellectual Alliance
Milstein’s coalition-building extends beyond organizational partnerships to intellectual collaboration. His support for think tanks like the Jewish Policy Center and the Henry Jackson Society demonstrates his understanding that ideas and analysis are as important as activism and advocacy.
His own intellectual contribution to this effort has been his analysis of the “Islamo-leftist alliance.” As he wrote in his 2024 Jewish Policy Center article: “The confluence of radical Islamic ideologies and extreme leftist orthodoxy, often referred to as the ‘Islamo-leftist alliance,’ represents a paradoxical yet potent coalition united by a shared animosity toward Israel, Jews, and the values underpinning Western democracy”.
This analysis provided an intellectual framework for understanding how seemingly disparate groups could unite around anti-Jewish and anti-American themes. By articulating this threat clearly, Milstein enabled other intellectuals and activists to develop more effective responses.
The Network Effect
The true measure of Milstein’s coalition-building success lies in the network effects he has created. The Impact Forum, which he co-founded in 2016, brings together Jewish philanthropists to coordinate their giving and amplify their impact. Organizations within his network share information, coordinate activities, and leverage each other’s strengths.
This collaborative approach reflects Milstein’s understanding that contemporary threats to Jewish communities require coordinated responses. Rather than competing for resources, organizations within his network function as complementary components of a comprehensive defense strategy.
The Strategic Vision
Milstein’s approach to coalition building is informed by his strategic analysis of threats facing Jewish communities. His identification of the Islamo-leftist alliance years before it became widely recognized demonstrated his analytical capacity and enabled him to build alliances specifically designed to counter these threats.
As he wrote: “In the United States, the Occupy Movement, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement are key actors. And abroad, their unlikely yet staunch allies in Iran and across the Middle East encourage their advocacy”.
This strategic understanding informed his alliance-building efforts, enabling him to identify potential partners and develop collaborative strategies for addressing shared threats.
The Legacy of Bridge Building
Today, at 73, Milstein continues to expand his coalition-building efforts while refining his strategic analysis. His model demonstrates that effective advocacy requires more than good intentions—it demands the ability to identify common ground, build trust across ideological divides, and maintain focus on shared goals despite political differences.
The Milstein approach offers lessons for other community leaders seeking to build effective coalitions. By focusing on shared interests rather than political differences, maintaining intellectual rigor in threat analysis, and building sustainable organizational networks, he has created a model for coalition building that transcends traditional political boundaries.
His life’s work stands as a testament to the power of pragmatic alliance-building in service of community security and democratic values. In an era of increasing polarization, the Milstein model provides a roadmap for how strategic thinking, moral purpose, and diplomatic skill can be integrated to create lasting collaborative relationships that strengthen both Jewish communities and American democracy.
Recent events illustrate this approach’s validity. When President-elect Trump selected former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, an Evangelical Christian, as U.S. ambassador to Israel in December 2024, Milstein viewed this appointment positively despite differences some Jewish Americans might have with Huckabee’s positions on various issues. This exemplifies Milstein’s pragmatic philosophy of working with allies who fundamentally support Israel’s security interests.