Jan 15, 2021
Sheldon Adelson, the American casino tycoon who used his vast fortune to bolster Republican causes, was buried on Friday in a private service in Jerusalem.
The ceremony, which was attended by Adelson’s close family, was held in an ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, which overlooks Jerusalem’s Old City. His wife, Miriam Adelson, quoted from one of the couple’s favorite songs, Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings.â€
The billionaire died Monday night at the age of 87 from complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Adelson amassed his wealth — a net worth of $35 billion, according to a Forbes estimate — in the casino and hotel business, with properties in Las Vegas, Singapore and Macau.
The chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands was a major donor to pro-Israel and GOP causes, including Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns. The Adelsons spent a whopping $172.7 million on Republican races in 2020, according to campaign finance tracker Open Secrets.
Trump in a statement Tuesday said Adelson, who attended his inauguration and sat in the front row at the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, “lived the true American dream.â€
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also benefited from Adelson’s political contributions, was at Ben Gurion Airport on Friday for the arrival of Adelson’s casket, which was covered in both Israeli and American flags.
“He will be remembered as a great Jewish patriot; this is a great loss for the Jewish people,†Netanyahu told Israel Hayom, a newspaper published by Miriam.
A separate service in Las Vegas, where Adelson owned the Venetian and Palazzo resorts, is expected to be held at a later date.
