October 7 survivor’s work auctioned at BFAMI fundraiser

He said he was “deeply thankful” to BFAMI for the chance to showcase his work.

Works by Haran Kislev[Missing Credit]

Guests at the dinner bid in both live and silent auctions, featuring works by internationally renowned artists such as Judy Chicago, William Kentridge and Yulia Iosilzon.

All proceeds from the evening went to supporting art education, healing and multicultural programmes at 16 Israeli museums.

BFAMI gala dinner 2026[Missing Credit]

Since October 7, BFAMI has given support to creatives in Israel, as well as for Jewish and Israeli artists, gallerists, curators in the UK who face an increasingly hostile artworld.

One of the evening’s Israeli artists told the JC: “It’s nice to know who is on your side.”

Doron von Beider, BFAMI’s creative director, opened the evening by introducing New New Horizons, a selling exhibition currently on view. The exhibition features 17 emerging photographers who recently graduated from leading art schools in Israel. More than 100 works were submitted, from which a specially curated selection was chosen for display.

BFAMI co-chairs Pamela Crystal and Poju Zabludowicz together spoke of the power of art and museums in their ability, even after the horrors of October 7, to “bridge cultural, religious and social divides, bringing people together, offering sanctuary, and creating spaces to build”.

“The extraordinary fact that Israel has more museums per capita than anywhere else in the world is not lost on me, and it is the art museums that we at BFAMI are so proud to support,” Zabludowicz said.

BFAMI has been supporting Israel’s museums and artistic world since before the founding of the state.

The chairs shared how this year, despite a decrease in international tourism, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem was able to mark its 60th anniversary with a wide array of art, performance events and educational programmes.

The Tel Aviv Museum of Art, meanwhile, continued to present “a diverse and powerful array of shows, exhibitions, and programmes… reaching 300,000 people annually all while playing a unique and unprecedented civic role due to its position [beside Hostage Square]”, said Crystal.

Steeve Nassima[Missing Credit]

This year’s annual gala also saw the launch of the Judy Chicago Creative Art Award, introduced by collector and philanthropist Steeve Nassima. The five-year collaboration between Chicago, BFAMI and the Nassima Landau Art Foundation will ensure that at least one BFAMI-supported programme each year focuses on women and girls, promoting empowerment through art and access to education.