American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Welcome New Board Members

The American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (AFIPO) Board of Directors appointed five new members today, which include Steven Kofsky, Matti Leshem, Michael Maling, Theodore N. Mirvis, and Julie Mitnick. The new board members were elected at a national board meeting that took place on October 21 at the Harmonie Club in Manhattan, New York. Their roles became effective immediately. These inductees join the organization at an exciting time, as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is growing its presence both in North America and around the globe.

Comprised of musicians from over a dozen countries, the IPO represents a true cultural mosaic that inspires and brings joy to diverse audiences through the power of music. This world class symphonic ensemble and cultural ambassador also continues to broaden its educational programs which currently reach over 29,000 children in Israel each year, promoting tolerance and mutual respect.

President of the Board, David A. Hirsch stated, "I am thrilled to welcome these leaders to our board. Their experience and passion will be invaluable to AFIPO and we look forward to engaging new communities and industries through these relationships."

Steven Kofsky is business partners with film composer Hans Zimmer and CEO of Remote Control Productions (which provides custom music across all media platforms). Working closely with Hollywood's top entertainment studios, he is well-respected and influential in the industry and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm of the IPO with his friends and associates. A lifetime supporter of Israel, Mr. Kofsky discovered that a precious family heirloom, a cello once owned by his great uncle, is now played by a member of the IPO. He has always believed in the powerful role of music and the importance of Israeli culture, but realizing his own very personal connection to the Orchestra 'sealed the deal.' Mr. Kofsky said that he "envisions a future for the IPO in which music lovers everywhere know and appreciate the Orchestra, ensuring its continued vitality."

Matti Leshem is founder and CEO of the Los Angeles-based brand strategy company Protagonist. He has led a number of high-profile brand experiences for companies such as Pepsi and Newscorp. Prior to his career as a marketing expert, Mr. Leshem ran television networks for Barry Diller and has served as Executive Producer on several TV and film projects. "I could not be more honored to be named to the board of the AFIPO. I heard the IPO for the first time and met Maestro Mehta when I was just eleven years old and my father was Israel's Ambassador to Copenhagen. It's a fulfillment of a lifelong dream to be of service to one of the world's greatest orchestras. Helping to proliferate Israel's most important cultural export to an entirely new generation is a challenge I look forward to."

Dr. Michael Maling has been a Clinical Psychologist on the faculty of Northwestern University and a Medical Staff Member at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for the past 24 years. Further he has maintained a private practice as well. As President of the Crain-Maling Foundation he stated, "Our philosophy of giving is threefold. First, we provide support for the educational needs of Jewish students. By doing this, we help perpetuate the future of Judaism. Second, we provide 'bullets' to help the families of our soldiers in the IDF be more comfortable and well fed. Third, we provide some of the 'flowers' or funding for the arts, both fine and performance. This support helps people to gain insight into the human condition in an emotionally informed manner. In this context, the sweetest smelling flower is the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra whose musicians tirelessly travel around the globe engaged in their humanitarian mission to perform Tikkun Olam from which people the world over will benefit."

Theodore N. Mirvis is a partner in the Litigation Department at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. During his 30 years with the firm he has litigated landmark cases regarding corporate governance issues, mergers and acquisitions, stockholders' rights and numerous other matters involving corporate and securities litigation. Mr. Mirvis is a regular lecturer at the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Law School where he graduated magna cum laude. Having been introduced to the IPO at a young age he fervently believes in its ability to present Israel "as a vibrant source of culture and art, as a place and a people that are deeply involved and contributing to the worlds of music and artistic excellence - and not just a place of conflict, bullets and battles."

Dr. Julie Mitnick is the founder of Murray Hill Radiology and Mammography, which has become a standard in state of the art diagnostic mammography and clinical research. She is a Fellow of the Society of Breast Imaging and has received the ICRF Tower of Hope Award as well as honors from the Judges & Lawyers Against Breast Cancer and the League of Women Voters. As a life-long supporter of Israel, Dr. Mitnick is "proud to have the opportunity to work with the excellent staff and board members of the IPO in supporting one of Israel's finest cultural institutions."

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