Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams, known for bringing global icons like Madonna and Lionel Messi to Israel, says he’s only getting started. After investing heavily in high-profile events like the Giro d’Italia, the Eurovision Song Contest, and a landmark football match featuring Messi, Adams is doubling down on his mission: to showcase Israel as a vibrant, modern nation on the world stage.
While not all his projects have gone off without a hitch—Madonna’s performance in Tel Aviv was met with criticism, and the Israeli moon lander he helped fund crashed—Adams remains undeterred. “I want the world to see Israel as it truly is,” he said in a recent interview. His latest announcement? He’ll sponsor an Israeli cycling team in the Tour de France, with the promise that at least one Israeli rider will compete under the blue and white flag in front of a global audience of over 2.6 billion.
Adams, who moved to Israel in 2015 after a successful career in Canadian real estate, recalls how challenging it was to stage his first major event, the Giro d’Italia. From securing police cooperation to taking legal responsibility for public roads, the bureaucracy was overwhelming. “It was very frustrating,” he admitted. But the payoff, he believes, was worth it. “The Giro was the biggest event in the history of the country,” and it helped establish his credibility with Israeli officials.
Now, Adams envisions a broader, more sustainable approach. He’s proposing a $200 million endowment fund—supported by the Israeli government and wealthy Jewish philanthropists worldwide—to finance future international events in Israel. “I’ve been doing this mostly on my own,” he explained. “But with partners, we could amplify this and make it happen regularly without the need to negotiate every time.”
Despite some criticism, Adams insists his efforts aren’t political or traditional “hasbara” (public diplomacy). “This isn’t preaching,” he says. “This is showing Israel in a raw, unfiltered way—through sports, music, and culture—to people who may only know us through the lens of conflict.” For him, the goal is twofold: to change global perceptions of Israel and to unite Israelis with a renewed sense of national pride. “At the end of the day,” he added, “we’re all in this together.”
