Elie Hirschfeld Purchases Trump Drawing at auction.

President Donald Trump has bought a sketch of the Empire State Building drawn by Trump for $16,000 at an auction.

Elie Hirschfeld, president of Hirschfeld Properties, purchased the 12-by-9-inch black marker depiction of the iconic New York City skyscraper at an auction in California and online last week. It was created by Trump for a charity auction in Florida during the time he opened his Mar-a-Lago estate as a private club in 1995.

Julien's Auctions says the piece signed by Trump went for less than $100 the first time it was sold.

Full Story Here

ELIE HIRSCHFELD APPOINTED TO SERVE ON ISRAEL BONDS NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ADVISORY COUNCIL

June 13, 2017 – New York, NY – Today, Elie Hirschfeld announced his appointment to the Israel Bonds National Campaign Advisory Council. He is humbled by the appointment to the Council (www.israelbonds.com). The organization typically sells over $USD One Billion in bonds annually in the United States to develop every aspect of Israel’s economy.

Elie Hirschfeld said, “Israel has always been part of me — I was born in Tel Aviv.  With my increased commitment to the Jewish state and Israel Bonds, and my new position on the Council, I look forward to introducing my business colleagues and friends to Israel Bonds and to joining me in becoming stakeholders in one of the world’s most resilient economies.”

Development Corporation for Israel, established in 1951 and commonly known as Israel Bonds, is a FINRA-member broker dealer and underwriter for securities - Israel bonds - issued by the State of Israel in the United States. For the past four years, annual U.S. sales have exceeded $1 billion. Prior to 2011, annual U.S. sales averaged approximately $600 million. Worldwide sales since the first Israel bonds were issued in 1951 have exceeded $40 billion.

For Israel, having the support of Israel Bonds - a reliable and independent financial pipeline - is an invaluable and strategic national resource, especially since Bonds clients have proven time and again that when Israel is in the midst of a crisis, they do not walk away. Investors value Israel’s impeccable record of having never defaulted on payment of principal or interest on Israel bonds.

Retail clients – individuals and Jewish organizations – comprise approximately 65 percent of worldwide sales. The remaining 35 percent encompasses institutional investors, including states, municipalities, financial institutions, corporations, foundations and others.

Elie Hirschfeld’s proven expertise and success in the dynamic commercial and residential real estate and development markets in New York City, coupled with his passion for Jewish causes and the mission of Israel Bonds make him an ideal match to serve on the Israel Bonds National Campaign Council.

About Elie Hirschfeld

Elie Hirschfeld serves as President of Hirschfeld Properties, LLC, a leading New York-based real estate development firm. Under the leadership of Elie Hirschfeld, Hirschfeld Properties has engaged in the development or ownership of some of the most renowned office buildings, hotels, multi-family residential buildings, parking facilities and retail projects in New York City. It has developed projects such as luxury residential towers Park Avenue Plaza, The Gotham and The Exchange, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hotel Pennsylvania, New York's first open-air parking garages, Manhattan Mall and the Sports Club LA Building.

Contact: Jackie Lucas 1-978-255-1159 Jackielucas@bridgeviewmarketing.com ###

Elie Hirschfeld Celebrates New York Academy of Sciences 200 Year Anniversary

Earlier this month, Elie Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah attended the Gala 200 Year Anniversary celebration in honor of the New York Academy Of Sciences (www.nyas.org). Mr. Hirschfeld is noted as a distinguished guest by the Academy, and is committed to helping advance the mission of this important institution. Some 15 Nobel Prize winners were in attendance, including several of Sarah’s colleagues from The Rockefeller University.

The New York Academy of Sciences is the world's nexus of scientific innovation in the service of humanity. For nearly 200 years the Academy has brought together extraordinary people working at the frontiers of discovery and has promoted vital links between science and society. One of the oldest scientific organizations in the United States, and an organization Mr. Hirschfeld has been a long-time supporter of, the Academy has become not only a notable and enduring cultural institution in New York City, but also one of the most significant organizations in the international scientific community.

Elie Hirschfeld said, “I am passionate about contributing to organizations like the New York Academy of Sciences, which have an enduring commitment to advancing discoveries and innovations that improve everyone’s well-being around the world. It was an honor to be listed as a distinguished guest, and at the recent Gala, it was an absolute pleasure to be in the company of so many individuals that are achieving so much, through their journeys in striving to elevate what is possible in the arena of scientific advancement.”

Throughout its history, the Academy's Membership has featured leaders in science, business, academia, and government, including U.S. Presidents Jefferson and Monroe, Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur, Charles Darwin, Margaret Mead, and Albert Einstein.

Today, the Academy President's Council includes 30 Nobel Laureates as well as CEOs, philanthropists, and leaders of national science funding agencies. The Academy numbers over 20,000 Members in 100 countries, and Elie Hirschfeld is honored to be a contributor to this important institution’s ongoing efforts in scientific discovery, and making the world a better place through innovation and scientific exploration.

Residential Real Estate Continues to Drive Growth and New Opportunity in New York City

Elie Hirschfeld has been a leader and visionary driver within the highly competitive New York City Real Estate market for decades. This market is one of the most dynamic and profitable in the world, and few know it better than Mr. Hirschfeld. Elie Hirschfeld was recently invited to participate as an expert presenter at the Titans of Business event produced by Haute Living, on April 28, 2017. The event featured the leaders dominating the residential real estate market in New York City, including Don Peebles, Billy Macklowe, Mitchell Moinian, Bruce Eichner and Michael Stern in addition to Mr. Hirschfeld.

At the event, Mr. Hirschfeld noted his inventory of luxury free market rentals in Tribeca, the Village, Sutton Place, the Upper East Side and other highly desirable neighborhoods throughout the City. As the free market apartments come up for renewal, leaders in this industry explore and compare the luxury for sale market against the luxury for rent market.

This in combination with several other approaches to market analysis, helps hone their understanding of how a prospective renter or the renewal of the current renter might proceed themselves in the market in the alternatives of buying versus renting.

Real Estate developers also rely on the brokerage community to rent units and this provides another opportunity to learn from the market activity and expand their continually growing perspectives of the market. If local buyers or renters were to disappear, foreign regions cannot come to the rescue – this market is highly local in terms of its drivers, and influences.

Interestingly, there are many luxury rental tenants, who believe they save a great deal of money, rather than buying. In addition, many tenants have their home rental costs paid by their local employer, who certainly wouldn't buy them an apartment.

Mr. Elie Hirschfeld has been a leader in this exciting industry through many ups and downs of the global, regional and local markets and has studied key industries that real estate intersects with and is impacted by, on an ongoing basis.

His understanding of this fast-moving, complex industry, combined with his talent and vision have positioned him as a knowledgeable source for industry groups such as Haute Living and the Titans of Business.

Elie Hirschfeld Adopts A Portion of New York’s Grand Central Parkway

Adopting a section of New York’s Grand Central Parkway is just one example of the consistent community giving that characterizes Elie Hirschfeld. Mr. Hirschfeld is a leading New York City based real estate developer with a deep love for the cityscape and surrounding landscape. The section of the roadway that is sponsored by Hirschfeld Properties, is the span of the Grand Central Parkway at Exit 23, at Cross Island Parkway. This generous contribution to the beautification and maintenance of New York’s infrastructure was done through the Adopt-a-Highway program. The program is designed for New Yorkers and businesses to demonstrate their city pride and support efforts to clean and preserve the city’s roadways for everyone’s enjoyment.

As a long-time New York developer and resident, Hirschfeld believes the roadways play an important role in welcoming visitors to New York and they should reflect the city accordingly. By supporting the maintenance and care for roads in this way, Elie Hirschfeld also hopes to raise awareness to the issues of city preservation and safe roadways.

“Our roadways are the gateways and the welcome which visitors experience on the way to our great city. The roadways carry an important role in the first impression that visitors have of our city. So, I believe it is right to make them the best they can be,” said Elie Hirschfeld.

Hirschfeld stays consistently involved in a wide variety of community giving projects and various events and fundraisers that make the New York community a better place. He recently ran the United Airlines NYC Marathon on behalf of two organizations; the Elie Hirschfeld Foundation and Team for Kids.

ELIE HIRSCHFELD’S COMMENTS ILLUMINATE NEW YORK CITY TITANS OF BUSINESS PANEL

Hirschfeld Properties’ spectacular Riverside South development is a model of Manhattan real estate luxury. Renowned New York developer Elie Hirschfeld offered informed insights on the city’s luxury real estate rental and buyers’ market at the New York City Titans of Business panel on April 22 at the Core Club in Midtown.

Originally Posted: https://www.downtownmagazinenyc.com/elie-hirschfeld-titans-business-panel/

Elie Hirschfeld pointed out that while there are great customer bases in the foreign and broader American markets, New York business remains rooted in the local market.

“If the local buyer/renter disappears, we will not be saved by any foreign region,” said the iconic New York real estate luminary.

“First, the Metro New York City market; second, the American market, and only last, can we count on the foreign consumer.”

Hirschfeld, second from right, led a panel of top New York developers.

Elie Hirschfeld‘s comments during a panel which included such prominent New York business names as real estate entrepreneur, Don Peebles, Billy Macklowe, founder of Macklowe Properties, developer, Mitchell Moinian, and Michael Stern, CEO of the JDS Development Group.

Elie Hirschfeld is the President of Hirschfeld Properties which has developed such visionary projects as luxury residential towers Park Avenue Plaza, The Gotham and The Exchange, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hotel Pennsylvania, New York’s first open-air parking garages, Manhattan Mall and the Sports Club LA Building.

His long record of accomplishment in the field gave him a particularly insightful perspective on the topic of the workings luxury real estate market in New York City.

“We have an inventory of luxury free market rentals in Tribeca, the Village, Sutton Place, Upper East side and other areas throughout the City,” he revealed.

“As the free market apartments come up for renewal we explore the luxury for sale market against the luxury for rent market. This helps us understand how a prospective renter or the renewal of the current renter might proceed themselves in the market in the alternatives of them buying or them renting.”

And while he remains committed to the local market as his primary focus, Elie Hirschfeld does not dismiss the importance of foreign capital to the industry.

“As for foreign markets, it is no longer primarily, China, but DOES continue to be Asian, Indian, and the Middle East,” he pointed out.

“There is fair amount of money migrating under radar and freely from Russia, Ukraine, the Stans (Kazakstan, Uzbekistan), the Middle East and Asia.”

Elie Hirschfeld‘s influence and insights into the New York real estate market are well known and heavily sought by peers who include President Donald Trump who is both a friend and business partner.

For more information on the New York Real Estate market go to hirschfeldnyc.com

ELIE HIRSCHFELD: GREG LEMOND STILL RIDING HIGH FOR ABUSED MEN

Giants collided when one of the greatest athletes in American history, Greg LeMond  visited in the Fifth Avenue home one of New York’s premier developers in Manhattan, Elie Hirschfeld on April 22! Towering New York real estate developer and philanthropist, Hirschfeld, is also a premier triathlete. He has also long been a fan and admirer of three-time Tour de France Champion Greg LeMond.

The two first met when Hirschfeld, 67, competed in the 1995 World Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii where LeMond served as a commentator for NBC.

Today, Hirschfeld is still competing and winning among his age group in triathlons and LeMond is breaking new barriers in sports technology.

“Greg is the epitomy of excellence — not only in sports, but in technology and humanity,” said Hirschfeld.

LeMond is now heading LeMond Composites, a company that developed lightweight carbon fiber materials originally used to produce faster racing bikes, but has now expanded to offer new solutions in transportation, infrastructure and renewable energy!

Read The rest of the story here ELIE HIRSCHFELD: GREG LEMOND STILL RIDING HIGH FOR ABUSED MEN

Elie Hirschfeld Supports Ambassadors Against BDS and First Anti-BDS Conference at the United Nations

The World Jewish Congress and Israel’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations co-hosted a special conference on the delegitimization of Israel, at the UN headquarters in New York on March 29. The annual Ambassadors Against BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement) summit brought together over 2,000 students, dignitaries, public officials, diplomats and opinion makers. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who was the first US governor to sign into law anti-BDS legislation, addressed the conference participants at the opening plenary session in the General Assembly Hall. Ambassador Haley said, “Silence is weakness, silence is defeat,” Danon said. “We are all here to say we cannot, we will not, be silent.”

In March 2017 Elie Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah we were invited to the home of Israel Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon, a neighbor and friend. There, they attended a reception with Nikki Haley. Elie Hirschfeld said, “There is no cause more important to me than Israel’s long-term vitality, security and sovereignty and I am proud to be a supporter of this mission and those driving it forward.”

The company he keeps, reveals some of the most important and highly valued causes, Elie Hirschfeld supports – social justice, economic prosperity, health and culture and Israeli international relations.

Danny Danon was a Member of Israel’s Knesset from 2009-2015, served as Deputy Speaker, Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and a member of the Labor, Welfare and Health Committee, House, Constitution, Law and Justice, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Education, Culture, and Sports Committee, and Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs, as well as on the Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality and the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

In May 2015 Mr. Danon was appointed Minister of Science, Technology, and Space, serving until his appointment in August 2015 as Israel Ambassador to the United Nations.

Elie Hirschfeld strongly supports Danon and Haley, who spoke forcefully about the importance of efforts to change the tone at the United Nations, and the need to continually strive for awareness of issues surrounding BDS, and support world leaders in the United States, Israel and beyond.

Elie Hirschfeld Contributes to Central Park Conservancy

New York City’s Central Park was America's first major landscaped public park. It is a favorite destination for tourists and locals alike, and a treasure in the mind of Elie Hirschfeld. With 42 million visits each year to its 843 acres, today Central Park is the most frequently visited urban park in the United States. Elie Hirschfeld is a Chairman Circle Member of the Conservancy, and in early 2017 he contributed $20,000. towards two Central Park benches named for Hirschfeld, in honor of his love of Central Park and the important historic components of the city’s landscape.

The Central Park Conservancy is the official caretaker of New York City’s majestic Central Park, and is one of the many organizations that Elie Hirschfeld contributes to as part of his commitment to philanthropy. The Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization, formed in 1980 by a group of concerned citizens determined to improve Central Park. And, it raises 75% of the Park's annual budget and is responsible for the work essential to keeping Central Park beautiful.

Over its 160-year history, the Park has experienced several cycles of restoration and decline. The Central Park Conservancy is uniquely qualified to prevent future declines and ensure the Park's care for current and future generations.

Thanks to the generosity of many individuals such as Elie Hirschfeld along with corporations, foundations, and the City of New York, the Central Park Conservancy has invested over $875 million to date in the Park, making it a model for urban parks worldwide.

To manage the Park, Conservancy crews aerate and seed lawns; rake leaves; prune and fertilize trees; plant shrubs and flowers; maintain ballfields and playgrounds; remove graffiti; conserve monuments, bridges, and buildings; and care for water bodies and woodlands, by controlling erosion, maintaining the drainage system, and protecting over 150 acres of lakes and streams from pollution, siltation, and algae.

The Adopt-A-Bench program was established in 1986 as a permanent fund to maintain and endow the care of Central Park's more than 9,000 benches and their surrounding landscapes. To date, more than 4,100 benches have been adopted. In recognition of contributions to the fund, Central Park Conservancy installs a personalized plaque on a park bench of the donor's choosing.

Elie Hirschfeld Celebrates 45th Inauguration Day Ball

Mr. Elie Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah were pleased to attend the Inaugural Freedom Ball on January 20, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. The event was held from 7pm – 11pm following the Presidential Inauguration of Donald J. Trump.  Elie Herschfeld also enjoyed taking in the Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration, and concert from 4-6pm earlier that day. Elie Hirschfeld was very proud to participate in this momentous occasion and historic event. Elie Hirschfeld is the esteemed real estate developer behind New York landmarks including the Hotel Pennsylvania and the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and has been a vocal and proud supporter of Mr. Trump’s candidacy.

Elie Hirschfeld, who partnered with Trump on apartment complex Riverside South, told the New York Post of the Republican frontrunner, “I consider him a giant in business. Donald is actually extraordinary, he is so engaging. When you meeting him you get a Bill Clinton-esque feeling of warmth. He’s charming, and its a little bit disarming because you don’t see initially the genius in the man, but that is what he is, he works nonstop.” Elie Hirschfeld added, “I think Donald Trump can be an extraordinary leader for America and the world in a way that not many people appreciate yet.”

Sarah and Elie Hirschfeld Honored with Israel Bonds Award

Israel Bonds recently congratulated Mr. Elie Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah, and honored them with the Israel69 Award. Individuals recognized with this prestigious award were celebrated at a cocktail reception and the Prime Ministers Club Dinner hosted by Mr. Jason Alexander, and held at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, on February 12, 2017.

Mr. Elie Hirschfeld is President of Hirschfeld Properties. He is a successful real estate developer, philanthropist and community leader based in New York City. This award recognizes Sarah and Elie Hirschfeld for their ongoing achievements and dedication to Israel Bonds.

Elie Hirschfeld and his wife were honored for their long-standing dedication to Israel and the Jewish community. They were among 15 recipients from the United States, Canada and Mexico presented with the Israel69 Award for their dedication and significant contributions to the important work supported by Israel Bonds.

Dignitaries and an audience of leaders dedicated to strengthening relations with Israel attended the event to applaud the accomplishments of Sarah and Elie Hirschfeld and other award recipients.

For Israel, having the support of Israel Bonds - a reliable and independent financial pipeline - is an invaluable and strategic national resource, especially since Bonds clients have proven time and again that when Israel is in the midst of a crisis, they do not walk away.

Brown University’s Judaic Studies Building Named after Elie Hirschfeld

In recognition of a $3.5 million gift made by Elie Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah, in support the renovation and ongoing maintenance of Brown University’s Judaic Studies Building, the University has renamed the building the Hirschfeld House.

The structure is a focal point for Jewish life and learning at Brown, and the renovations to the historic 108-year-old building will significantly improve the academic facilities for Judaic studies faculty, scholars and students and help ensure the long-term vitality of the program.

“Judaic studies has been at the heart of my nearly 50-year relationship with Brown University,” said Elie Hirschfeld. “It is my hope that our gift will allow many future classes of students to have the same deeply enriching experience that I did with Judaic studies at Brown.”

The Judaic Studies Program at Brown University is dedicated to the study of Jewish history, literature, language, politics and religions.

Elie Hirschfeld graduated from Brown University with a double major in Math and Economics and a minor in Religious Studies. A trustee emeritus at Brown, Hirschfeld also sponsors a visiting professor fellowship at the University. He is President of Hirschfeld Properties, owner and developer of properties worth several billion dollars in New York City.

Maud S. Mandel, Ph.D., Dean of the College and professor of history and Judaic studies, said, “We are profoundly grateful to Elie and Sarah Hirschfeld for their generous support and ongoing commitment to the future of Brown University and our Judaic Studies Program.

“The newly named “Hirschfeld House” will serve as a welcoming beacon of Jewish scholarship for generations to come.”

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Elie Hirschfeld, Trump’s New York real estate buddies descend on DC

Elie Hirschfeld, an early Trump supporter who worked alongside him at the Riverside South apartment development in the 1980s, will be spending some of his time with the Republican Party of New York at Washington’s Loews Madison Hotel, where a number of city real estate players are expected to show for a Thursday morning breakfast. “It’s very exciting, but we in New York are a little jaded because we know the president-elect so well,” Elie Hirschfeld said in an interview, “in a sense that takes a little bit away from the magnificence of the event.”When Donald Trump raises his right hand and puts his other on the the Lincoln Bible, his real estate friends from New York City will be standing nearby. A cadre of real estate bigwigs are descending on the nation’s capital to watch one of their own be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. The guest list isn’t surprising: Outspoken supporters like Richard LeFrak , Howard Lorber and Steve Witkoff have all confirmed that they will attend Friday’s ceremony. Vornado Realty Trust’s Steve Roth will most likely also be in the crowd, though he hasn’t yet confirmed his plans. The night before the inauguration, some of the country’s biggest financial underwriters will be attending a private dinner with the president-elect. Witkoff said he’s attending the candlelight dinner at Union Station, which is part of a package of perks offered to those who donated at least $250,000 to the Presidential Inauguration Committee. Those who donated at least $1 million received a slew of additional benefits, including tickets to a private dinner with Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife. Michael Lorber, the son of the Vector Group CEO, posted a video on Instagram of the vice presidential dinner.

Inaugural attendees from the real estate world were major financial backers during Trump’s campaign as well. Roth and LeFrak each individually donated $250,000 to the Trump Victory Fund, and Lorber and Witkoff each gave $200,000, according to the latest filings from the Federal Election Commission. Catsimatidis gave $100,000, Joe Cayre donated $50,000 and Ziel Feldman chipped in $25,000.

LeFrak and Feldman confirmed through representatives that they would attend the inauguration. Cayre had a vacation commitment with his grandchildren that will keep him away from the festivities. Stan Gale Jr. said he, his father and sister will be at the inauguration. Catsimatidis, who when asked last summer which candidate he would support for president told TRD “I’m very friendly with both people running,” is also attending.

Elie Hirschfeld, an early Trump supporter who worked alongside him at the Riverside South apartment development in the 1980s, will be spending some of his time with the Republican Party of New York at Washington’s Loews Madison Hotel, where a number of city real estate players are expected to show for a Thursday morning breakfast. “It’s very exciting, but we in New York are a little jaded because we know the president-elect so well,” Elie Hirschfeld said in an interview, “in a sense that takes a little bit away from the magnificence of the event.”

Elie Hirschfeld isn’t the only Trump old-timer drawing his sentiments from decades of Trumpanionship. Kramer Levin attorney Jay Neveloff, who has represented Trump on major deals dating back to Trump Tower in the early 1980s, said the 58th presidential inauguration would for him be more exciting than most. “It’s somebody I’ve known for so long, that’s the exciting thing,” Neveloff said. While he won’t be attending the candlelight dinner, Neveloff did say he had “great seats” for the parade.

Over the next few days, Trump’s friends will be staying at the Ritz-Carlton, the Willard InterContinental, the Loews Madison Hotel and the Fairmont. No one who spoke to TRD, however, said they were staying at the newly-opened Trump International Hotel.

Real estate developer Elie Hirschfeld supports Donald Trump

Pope Francis may have met with Elie Hirschfeld in Rome last month, but that won’t stop the real estate developer from endorsing the pontiff’s new nemesis, Donald Trump, for president. Hirschfeld — the developer behind New York landmarks including the Hotel Pennsylvania and the Crowne Plaza Hotel — even famously rented his Hamptons mansion for two summers to Hillary and Bill Clinton, but still insists he’s firmly in The Donald’s camp.The Hirschfeld Properties chief was granted an audience with the pope last month after being invited by his rabbi, and said his holiness was warm and gracious, but he just isn’t The Donald.

Elie Hirschfeld, who partnered with Trump on apartment complex Riverside South, told Page Six of the Republican frontrunner, “I consider him a giant in business. Donald is actually extraordinary, he is so engaging. When you meeting him you get a Bill Clinton-esque feeling of warmth. He’s charming, and its a little bit disarming because you don’t see initially the genius in the man, but that is what he is, he works nonstop.”

The Clintons stayed at Elie Hirschfeld’s mansion at 211 Lily Pond Lane in 2011 and 2012, until a dispute over a security deposit sent them to rent elsewhere. Of Hillary, Elie Hirschfeld said, “I admire Secretary Clinton greatly, but these two candidates are different types of people. I think Donald Trump can be an extraordinary leader for America and the world in a way that not many people appreciate yet.”

Papal encounter can’t trump Elie Hirschfeld’s belief that the Donald should be president

The Pope may be infallible, but that won’t stop developer Elie Hirschfeld – who met with the pontiff in Rome last month – from endorsing Donald Trump as the next president of the United States of America.

Pope Francis recently drew the Donald’s ire when he said during a trip to Mexico that the GOP candidate’s plan to build a wall on the southern border is “not Christian.” Trump fired back, naturally, saying he envisioned ISIS descending on the Vatican in the near future, adding that the Pope would have “wished and prayed” that he were president if the day comes.Elie Hirschfeld, who considers both the real estate mogul and his Democratic rival Hilary Clinton personal friends, said Trump’s track record of building makes him perfect for the job of president. “Simply, there’s no more rough ­and tumble ­game than making it in New York City real estate and the Donald is best equipped to make it happen,” Elie Hirschfeld wrote announcing the endorsement. “Trump is a giant and I would invest with him anytime, and this country would be well ­served by having this man as President of the United States.”

The real estate mogul, whose company was behind such buildings as the Hotel Pennsylvania and the Manhattan Mall, recently visited the Pope at the Vatican. “I was a handshake away from him,” he said, describing a wordless interaction with the Pope, who he said exuded a sense of calm, warmth and graciousness. Back in the 1980s, Hirschfeld was Trump’s business partner on his mega development known as Penn Yards on the Upper West Side, now called Riverside Boulevard. Meanwhile, the Clintons are known to vacation at Hirschfeld’s eight­ bedroom mansion in East Hampton. They stayed there in 2011 and 2012, but reportedly changed their plans following a dispute over security.

Elie Hirschfeld said he maintains a personal relationship with both Clinton and Trump, but in the end gives the Donald the nod for the big job.

New York Developer Elie Hirschfeld to Meet Pope Francis in Rome Representing Rabbi Arthur Schneier and the Park East Synagogue in Rome's Great Synagogue on January 17

Elie Hirschfeld, the principal and president of privately held New York City ownership and development group Hirschfeld Properties is traveling to Rome to greet Pope Francis on his visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome on January 17, 2016. Pope Francis will become the third-ever Roman Pontiff to visit Rome's Great Synagogue, following in the footsteps of St. John Paul II in 1986 and Benedict XVI in 2010. Hirschfeld is representing Rabbi Arthur Schneier and The Park East Synagogue, and will greet the Pope on the momentous occasion. Hirschfeld is coming as a guest of the Chief Rabbi of Rome, Riccardo Shmuel Di Segni, and Rabbi Joseph Arbib, both leaders of the Great Synagogue. According to the Vatican, this visit will include a personal encounter between Pope Francis and representatives of Judaism worldwide, and the members of the Jewish Community in Rome.

Elie Hirschfeld said, "I was honored to be asked to witness this important event, as this Pope has made it a point   to befriend the Jewish people. As it might appear that anti-Jewish sentiment has risen worldwide, this visit sends a message of unity and warmth, and I am proud to help herald Pope Francis'  embrace."

This visit comes following the invitation from the Chief Rabbi and Jewish Community of Rome, and accepted by a Pope who has put a great emphasis on ecumenism.

About  Hirschfeld Properties:

Hirschfeld Properties is an owner of real estate, developing projects in the New York metropolitan area. With affiliates, it has been engaged in the development or ownership of some of the most renowned office buildings, hotels, multi-family residential buildings, parking facilities and retail projects in New York City. It has developed projects such as luxury residential towers Park Avenue Plaza, The Gotham and The Exchange,  Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hotel Pennsylvania, New York's first open-air parking garages, Manhattan Mall and the Sports Club LA Building.