High Energy

LEADING LIGHTS Neil Auerbach travels the globe to influence policy on clean energy worldwide but Wall Street and the clean-energy sector aren’t the only places where he’s well-known. “The rebbe demonstrated a deep and sophisticated understanding of the inner workings of some of the world’s largest financial institutions. I was impressed by the rebbe’s grasp of international finance clearly achieved without the Wall Street Journal” (Photos: Amir Levy Tosh and family archives)

I t was a cold Purim night the March winds stonewalling the spring buds that had tentatively sprouted on branches.

But inside Neil Auerbach’s Monsey home there was music and merriment a mingling of every sort of Jew. A Wall Street businessman in a red jumpsuit was in deep conversation with a couple close to retirement. Unaffiliated singles scanned the room for their potential zivug. A group of bochurim twirling fire batons shook the floorboards. A small knot of youngsters already tipsy performed a song they’d composed especially for this party.

At the head of a dining table in the center of the room sat Neil Auerbach on this night dressed in a tie-dyed shirt and a Texan fringed vest. On his one side was a chassid wearing a flowered beketshe; on his other a rosh yeshivah. Listening deeply his head bent close to his visitors Neil wrote checks. The chassid stood proffered a warm brachah and walked away while folding the bounty into his breast pocket. The rosh yeshivah similarly encouraged left with his small entourage. They were quickly replaced by others a bevy of generosity seekers on this most holy of nights.