Mogul’s Yom Kippur Pledge

By COLlive reporter

Can one man’s Yom Kippur journey bring new opportunity for Chevron? It would seem so, if diamond mogul Morris Gad has his way.

The Chairman and CEO of Diamonds International who spent Yom Kippur in the Holy City together with family members and friend, Rabbi Shea Hecht, has became smitten with Chevron.

Gad toured local landmarks and found himself ensnared in the history and majesty of the City of Patriarchs. However, a businessman at heart, he immediately started to consider many opportunities to strengthen the local community and its institutions.

“He almost couldn’t live with himself, “said Rabbi Hecht, Chairman of the NCFJE organization, “a place like Chevron, one of the holiest places in the world, and people live in such conditions?! He wouldn’t hear of it.”

Gad’s entourage ate the erev Yom Kippur meal at Yeshivas Shavei Chevron. While inspecting the yeshiva, they saw that the computer room was hopelessly outdated.

The yeshiva should have nothing but the very best, Gad decided, and he immediately sponsored the renovation of the computer room, together with purchase of new computers and servers, and pledged his help to the yeshiva.

Throughout the holiday, Gad prayed with thousands of others at the Maaras Hamachpela, the resting place of the Patriarchs, where he led the Kol Nidre service.

Upon learning that the Holy site was inadequately prepared to give medical attention to any of its one-million annual visitors, he pledged to underwrite the purchase of the medical equipment needed to bring the emergency response standards up to date.

Gad and company met with a number of community figures throughout their stay.

“His overwhelming interest was in the economy of the city,” said Rabbi Hecht, “I got the feeling that he feels that it’s a moral outrage for the people of Hevron to have to endure any further hardships, especially financially.”

Before departing, he committed to becoming an ongoing partner with the community to find economic prosperity and to ease their financial hardships.

“There are many families living with unbelievable self-sacrifice to keep Chevron alive,” said Gad. “I feel that humanity owes them a tremendous debt. They already have spiritual wealth. And I know that there are a number of opportunities to bring material wealth to this place as well.”