
Vice Chairpersons
Sylvan Adams, Israel-Canada
A Canadian-born businessman and philanthropist, Sylvan Adams served as the CEO of Montreal-based real estate firm Iberville Developments and was the sole shareholder of Summit International Bank. In 2016, Sylvan made Aliyah with his wife Margaret and settled in Tel Aviv.
Sylvan works to promote coexistence, peace, and national pride through sports. He is the owner of Team Israel Start-Up Nation, a UCI World Tour cycling team, and was responsible for initiating and hosting the largest sporting event in Israel’s history – the start of the Giro d’Italia in 2018. He is behind the establishment of the first velodrome in the Middle East and the creation of a sports excellence institute at Tel Aviv University.
Beyond sport, Sylvan’s philanthropic investments include the construction of a children’s hospital in Holon, a state-of-the-art emergency ward in Tel Aviv, a scholarship program for young artists, and a gymnasium at the iconic Jerusalem YMCA. He is also a major donor to Save a Child’s Heart, an organization that provides life-saving cardiac care for children from the Palestinian territories and developing countries. Sylvan has funded important Jewish community institutions in North America, largely in his former home of Montreal. He is the only Israeli member of the Giving Pledge, an organization for billionaires committed to giving away much of their wealth to philanthropic pursuits.
Sylvan recently signed a pledge agreement towards the establishment of the Sylvan Adams Sports Centre and the Sylvan Adams Donor Advised Fund at BGU. He will be receiving an honorary doctoral degree at this year’s Board of Governors meeting.