AFI turns 40!

In 1984, Bill Silvers had returned to Denver from a year at the Hadassah Hospital, had started his private practice, and began teaching at the University. One of his first fellows in his teaching clinic was a young Yosi Mekori, who came from Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, to study with Henry Claman z'l. Bill wanted to do something to help allergy in Israel, and Yosi could help carry that mission forward. Bill started the Allergists for Israel Endowment Fund at the Allied Jewish Federation of Denver.  And the night before Yosi headed to Harvard and thereafter returned to Israel, we had the first meeting of AFI at Bill's home which included Henry Claman, Mark Levine, Alan Adinoff, Gary Siegel, David Pearlman, and Ross Wesley from the Faith Bible Chapel, a CUFI- Christians United for Israel supporter..

We began having Friday evening Kiddish in Bill's hotel rooms at the Academy and College meetings, and thereafter moved to more formal venues. At an early meeting in New York City, we bought a great assortment of meats but were still chastised by the Carnegie Deli of not having enough. We gave a lot out afterwards as YOSI can tell you!

Bill and a committed minion including – – – – –grew AFI for 18 years, then Lynn Mansfield transitioned leadership after a few years to Jonathan Bernstein who increased the organization’s funding on steroids and lead it for the next 20 years! Now we are onto the next generation with Len Bielory, Elliot Israel, and Joel Brooks, and energized and committed board-haveriim all!

Don Aaronson z’l provided the first Friday night Shabbat dinner in his presidential suite at the College meeting. And our first Sunday evening gala was at the Washington DC Academy meeting in the mid 1990s when Sheldon Cohen z’l regaled us with the Jewish background of Saint Joseph's aspirin.

Fast-forward to 2024 and our Friday evening social kiddush is attended by many Jewish and non-Jewish, and the Sunday evening gala has been a much appreciated extravaganza in wonderful venues –  remember the USS Midway aircraft carrier at the last San Diego meeting, and Eli Melzer's rabbi cousin’s synagogue at a previous San Diego Academy meeting, not to mention World class speakers, such as Stuart Eisenstat at last year's Washington DC Academy meeting and this year’s Alan Dershowitz.

And the last several years we've even added Sunday morning breakfast at the Academy honoring the multigenerational Bernstein allergy Family and the College adding my namesake –thank you Jonathan Bernstein et al!

So I hope to give you other tidbits for the history as we go forward, but for now, may we be strong and of good character, to go forth and do good. shalom.

“Dr. Bill” Silvers
Founder and now Historian of AFI