OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS
Friends of Israel's Environment
Through advocacy and legal actions―as well as persistence, creativity and subject-matter expertise―Adam Teva V’Din has been critical in developing Israel’s environmental policies over many decades.
We at American Friends of Israel’s Environment are proud to provide financial and policy support to Adam Teva V’Din as they work tirelessly to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all.
Meet our American Friends below
Friends of Israel's Environment in action
“Adam Teva V’Din is working tirelessly to rebuild Israel in a way that is smart and sustainable.” Read Brian D. Israel’s letter and appeal in the aftermath of Ocober 7.
Whether you missed it or want to re-watch it, click on the image above to watch this event. You will also find all previous virtual Friends of Israel’s Environment events on our ‘events’ page – enjoy.
Now more than ever, as Friends of Israel’s Environment, it is critical that we help Adam Teva V’Din protect the environment in Israel by protecting the rule of law in Israel
Brian D. Israel, Chairman
Brian Israel is Chair of Arnold & Porter’s Environmental Practice Group, as well as co-lead of the firm’s Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) working group. He focuses on environmental litigation and counseling—including climate-related issues—and he is one of the nation’s leading lawyers for Natural Resource Damages (NRD) claims. Over the course of his career, he successfully resolved over one hundred environmental matters. Prior to joining Arnold & Porter, Brian was an Honors Trial Attorney in the Environmental Enforcement Section of the US Department of Justice (DOJ). Brian has spoken and written extensively about environmental law issues including ESG, climate change law, environmental enforcement, corporate liability, regulatory reform, trial strategy, and environmental justice.
Myla Kaplan, Treasurer
Myla Kaplan has served on the FIE Board since 2019 and as Treasurer since 2021. Myla is a long-time member of Adam Teva V’Din and served on the Israeli board from 2001-2011. During her 20-year residency in Haifa, Israel, a city with severe industrial pollution, Myla was an active participant in environmental campaigns. Myla lives in Exton, Pennsylvania, and works as an in-house legal counsel at Virbac Corporation, a veterinary pharmaceutical company. She spends as much time as possible outdoors and enjoys hiking, biking and kayaking.
Mike Gildesgame
Mike has been engaged in developing and implementing environmental policies and managing natural resource programs in the US and overseas. He has worked with private companies, government agencies and nonprofit groups to develop solutions to natural resource problems facing developing countries and domestic communities. Mike is a trained mediator and works with social justice organizations in the Boston area.
Art Krieger
Arthur Kreiger has more than 30 years of experience as an environmental, land use and municipal lawyer. He is a partner and co-founder of Anderson & Kreiger LLP, a leading environmental law practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Arthur graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and earned his JD with honors from Columbia Law School.
Ethan Shenkman
Ethan Shenkman is a partner at Arnold & Porter’s Environmental Practice Group. He is known nationally for his work with climate change policy and regulation. He earlier served as Deputy General Counsel at the EPA where he was responsible for Clean Air Act regulations and litigation. Prior to that, he was Deputy General Counsel at the US Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. Ethan lives in the Washington DC area.
Gary Skulnik
Honorable Alan Sieroty, Former State Senator, California
Alan Sieroty, and Honorary Friend of Israel’s Environment, is often referred to as the father of California’s coastal protection. His landmark work between 1969 and 1972 on the California Coast Initiative led to the California Coastal Act that has protected the State’s coastline ever since. Upon his retirement from the Legislature, the State of California honored Mr. Sieroty by naming a beach near Bodega Bay as the ‘Alan Sieroty State Beach’. Mr. Sieroty generously supported Adam Teva V’Din as it worked to pass Israel’s Coastline Protection Law (2004), and subsequent efforts to protect Israel’s coasts for all of its citizens and for future generations.
Honorable Henry Waxman, Former Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives
Henry Waxman served for 40 years a leading environmental lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives. Along with building some of the USA’s strongest, most enduring environmental laws, he brought much-need vision to the House of Representatives and to public dialogue about the overarching environmental issues of our time. As an Honorary Friend of Friends of Israel’s Environment, he has shared his vision, insights and experience with Adam Teva V’Din advocates, particularly in relation to maintaining a strong and enduring Clean Air Law for Israel.
