Sylvan Adams Explained

Sylvan Adams
Birth Date:1 November 1958
Birth Place:Quebec City, Canada
Nationality:Israeli - Canadian
Known For:Bringing 2018 Giro d'Italia to Israel
Occupation:businessman
Parents:Marcel Adams, Annie Adams
Family:Gil Troy (brother-in-law)

Sylvan Adams (Hebrew: סילבן אדמס; born November 1, 1958) is an Israeli-Canadian billionaire businessman.

Background and career

Adams was born and raised in Quebec City, Canada. He served for close to 25 years as president and CEO of Iberville Developments, one of Canada's largest real-estate development companies, founded by his father Marcel.[1] At the end of 2015, he immigrated to Israel and settled in Tel Aviv.

Philanthropy

He donates money for many sports and educational activities. He established the Margaret and Sylvan Adams Family Foundation to support educational and medical projects in Israel and Canada. The foundation offers doctoral scholarships at the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The "Bonei Zion Prize" is given every year with his name by Nefesh b'Nefesh. The award recognizes immigrants to Israel from English-speaking countries who have impacted Israel[2] in the fields of science and medicine, education and nonprofit work, national service, business, technology and culture, and arts and sports. It was established in 2013 with Adams assistance and offers each recipient with a $10,000 prize.[3]

In 2018, he donated $5 million to SpaceIL, the non-profit organization that is working to land the first Israeli spacecraft on the Moon.[4] In 2019, Adams was reported to be funding the cost of a performance by Madonna at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.[5]

In 2019 he donated 100 million NIS for a new emergency medicine wing at the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv. He also donated money for a new children's hospital at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.[6]

In 2023 he was chosen to light a torch at the beacon lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl on the occasion of the 75th year of the State of Israel.[7]

In 2024 he donated $100 million to Ben Gurion University to help rebuild the Southern Cities of Israel after the Oct 7th Hamas-led attack of Israel by Hamas.[8]

Cycling

Adams has a passion for cycling, taking it up in his 40s. In November 2017, he won the World Masters Championship in Manchester, England and has been a world time-trial champion many times.[9] He is co-owner of the Israel Cycling Academy (ICA). The team was founded in 2015 as a UCI Pro Continental team and made the jump up to UCI World Tour level in 2020. The team was relegated from the World Tour at the end of the 2022 season. [10] The team is now known as Israel–Premier Tech. In 2017 the first institute for sport's excellency in Israel was established in Tel Aviv University and is called the Sylvan Adams Cycling Network.[11] [12] He also donated money along with KKL-JNF Canada and others for the Sylvan Adams Commuter Path, a biking path which connects Tel Aviv with surrounding areas to allow people to commute to work by bicycle more quickly and safely.[13]

In May 2018, he established the first indoor velodrome in Israel and the Middle East.[14] He also donated $2m for the redevelopment of the Bromont Velodrome in Quebec.[15]

He was the first to suggest the 2018 Giro d'Italia started in Israel[16] [17] and donated 80 million NIS for this purpose.[18] This was the first time that any stage of the Giro tour[19] took place outside of Europe. He was named the Honorary President of the 2018 Giro d'Italia as a result.[20]

Family

His father is Marcel Adams, a Canadian real estate investor, philanthropist and Holocaust survivor.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 35. Sylvan Adams - 50 Most Influential Jews - Jerusalem Post. www.jpost.com. 2019-02-06.
  2. Web site: Nefesh B'Nefesh presents outstanding Anglo 'olim' with 2018 Bonei Zion Prize. 2018-10-31. JNS.org. en-US. 2019-02-06.
  3. Web site: Winners of Sylvan Adams Nefesh B'Nefesh Bonei Zion award announced - Israel News - Jerusalem Post. www.jpost.com. 5 April 2016 . 2019-02-06.
  4. Web site: Canadian mogul Adams gives $5 million to Israel moon bid project. Solomon. Shoshanna. February 6, 2019. The Times of Israel.
  5. Web site: Madonna expected to accept 2019 Eurovision Song Contest deal.
  6. Web site: ברטוב . אביעד . 2019-10-23 . ביה"ח לילדים בוולפסון ייקרא על שמו של הנדבן הציוני סילבן אדמס . 2022-10-01 . מדינט - בריאות ורפואה . he-IL.
  7. News: 2023-04-16 . אסייג, קהלני, בלאט, מפקד דובדבן ונערה שנאבקת בשיימינג: אלו משיאי המשואות . 2024-06-13 . Ynet . he.
  8. Web site: WATCH: Philanthropist to Fund Rebuilding of Southern Israeli Communities. 2024-02-18. United With Israel.
  9. Web site: Wallack . Roy . February 6, 2019 . The Man Who Brought the Giro to Israel .
  10. Web site: Stephen Farrand . 2022-12-12 . Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto-Soudal relegated from WorldTour, UCI confirms . 2024-04-19 . cyclingnews.com . en.
  11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5heMs8mtoI Gilad Adin - Sylvan Adams Sports Institute
  12. Web site: Rogers . Neal . February 6, 2019 . Q&A with Sylvan Adams, the billionaire behind Giro d'Italia start in Israel .
  13. Web site: 2018-12-20 . The Sylvan Adams Commuter Path Network is inaugurated . 2019-02-06 . Tel Aviv-Yafo Foundation . en-US.
  14. https://www.israel21c.org/tel-aviv-building-1st-olympic-velodrome-in-the-middle-east/ Tel Aviv building 1st Olympic velodrome in the Middle East
  15. Web site: Hansen . Matt . 2021-11-19 . The Bromont Velodrome is going to be seriously impressive . 2022-12-31 . Canadian Cycling Magazine . en-US.
  16. Web site: Lidman . Melanie . Legendary cyclist Gino Bartali gets honorary citizenship ahead of Giro Israel . 2020-09-16 . www.timesofisrael.com . en-US.
  17. https://www.thejc.com/sport/sport-news/cycling-4-7-1.451448 The JC Sylvan Adams - the man behind Israel's biggest sports spectacular
  18. Web site: Gurvis . Jacob . 2023-08-07 . Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams wins cycling world championship in Scotland . 2023-08-21 . Jewish Telegraphic Agency . en-US.
  19. Web site: The Montreal billionaire bringing cycling to the Mid East . 2019-02-06 . finance.yahoo.com . 25 June 2018 . en-US.
  20. Web site: May 2, 2018 . Andrés . Spokoinyon . JFN Member Sylvan Adams Brings Giro D'Italia to Israel . 2019-02-06 . Jewish Funders Network.
  21. Web site: Marcel Adams & family. Forbes. en. 2019-02-06.