Ira Riklis Blog

Vail, Colorado is one of the best places in the world to ski. Indeed, for some, including Ira Riklis, it is THE best place in the world to ski. Other places have plenty to offer, including great slopes and world-class facilities. But Vail has all these and more. It’s easily accessible from anywhere in the U.S. It was built from the ground up specifically for skiing. And it takes great care to keep its many, many miles of slopes well groomed each day.

So why talk about a Winter destination like Vail with Summer just a week away? Because, as Ira Riklis well knows, Vail is also a great Summer and Fall destination! The area’s beauty is there to be enjoyed year round, and there are plenty of activities to take part in, including golf, tennis, river rafting, mountain biking, hiking, four wheeling off road trips and many more. Plus, the area’s much less crowded, which makes it easier to find peace and solitude and, of course, much easier to get reservations in the many top-notch restaurants!

We’re all familiar with the phrase “preaching to the choir.” And most of us have done our fair share of that, expounding our beliefs to those who already feel the same way. If we do express our point of view to another who doesn’t feel the same way, more often that not we’re trying to convert them to our way of thinking. But one of the things Ira Riklis appreciates about Aish HaTorah, a network of educational centers dedicated to teaching about the Jewish holy book, is that they welcome all who come for learning without trying to change them.

The group’s name translates as “Fire of Torah,” and their mission is simply to offer teachings about the book and about Jewish traditions and heritage. The group does come from a position of strict Orthodoxy, but Ira Riklis has been able to turn to them for loving support even though he’s much less strict in his practices. And it’s that spirit of offering welcoming support that has made him a strong supporter of the organization.

What do you like to do while on vacation, sleep in or get up early? Many vacationers, whether at the beach or skiing in the mountains like to sleep in. They get a lazy start, enjoy a nice breakfast and get out on the slopes sometime by mid-morning. There’s nothing at all wrong with that, but as an avid skier Ira Riklis wants to be out on the slopes. When he goes on vacation, the goal is to make the best runs and the most runs without waiting in line or dodging other skiers, many of whom have questionable skills and lack good slope etiquette.

At Vail, Ira Riklis’ favorite place to ski, the numbers tell the story. While there are plenty of lifts to get you back into the large network of trails, these are fed by just four main feeder lifts which most skiers use. Even though these are remarkably fast, you still face long waits in long lines when the slopes are crowded. But get up and out early, before the rush, and you’ll have them to yourself. By the time the late risers get to the slopes you’ve already had some great runs on untouched slopes. And by mid-day, while others are fighting the crowds, you can be back at the lodge enjoying a nice lunch and a lazy afternoon!

Besides gaining a quality education, one of the benefits of attending a top business school such as Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania, is the chance to make connections and form friendships that will last a lifetime. That was certainly the experience of Wharton graduate, Ira Riklis. He’s remained grateful for his experiences there and especially for his connection with Dr. William Zucker, who started as his advisor and went on to become his mentor and his dearest friend.

In honor of that friendship, Ira Riklis recently funded an Entrepreneurial Intern Fellowship program in the name of Dr. Zucker, who passed away in 2006. The fellowship, which is in addition to the support the Ira Riklis’ currently provide to the university, provides paid internship opportunities for outstanding students to enable them to spend a summer in an entrepreneurial setting. Students receiving the internship support then become Ambassadors of Entrepreneurship who pass along what they’ve learned by working to promote the entrepreneurial career path to other Wharton students.

Last year was one of gala celebrations throughout Tel Aviv as the first Hebrew city marked its 100th birthday with a whirlwind of gala events. In all, more than 400 activities including a flower carpet in Rabin Square, top Israeli performers wowing revelers in a grand kickoff performance, and a special Milan opera house performance of ‘Aida’—were spread out over nine months. To give bog readers a taste of the experience, Ira Riklis sent us this link to the beautiful YouTube video.

His links to the city go back to those early years when his great grandfather, Zelig Krinkin, opened city’s first pharmacy. (Look closely in the video for an old-time photo of an early pharmacy’ one of the individuals shown there just may be Zelig himself.) Ira Riklis’ connection continues to this day. Recognizing that in the midst of the city’s achievements and modern wonders pockets of great poverty still exist, he’s been a staunch supporter of the American Friends of Tel Aviv Foundation for the past twenty years.

Having spent plenty of time on ski slopes over the years, Ira Riklis has noted an interesting, if somewhat disturbing, fact. Some skiers seem to think the laws of physics somehow don’t apply on steep, snow-covered mountainsides. Either that, or they’re under a delusion that they’re much better skiers than they actually are, or that they’re so privileged that everyone else must yield the right of way to them. Or (perhaps the most likely) they never learned proper manners or courtesy.

A case in point was once when Ira Riklis was speeding down a short, but narrow funnel. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of another skier barreling towards him from above and to the left. An expert skier, he made a quick, hard turn to the right to avoid the skier. Fortunately, he was able to avoid a collision that could have injured them both. Unfortunately, the slope was too steep and the snow too hard for him to hold the tight turn. Ira went down hard, and (grateful that he was wearing a helmet) skidded to a bruising stop. The other skier? He stopped just long enough to shout out something rude that indicated he took no responsibility for his actions.

It’s hardly surprising to learn that more than 70 percent of children ages 5 to 14 ride bicycles. That’s close to 28 million kids out there pedaling and having fun. Therefore it’s not hard to guess that kids also experience plenty of bicycle-related injuries. But as Ira Riklis can tell you, the statistics beyond that are sobering. Children in that age group account for 21 percent of all bicycle-related deaths. More than half of those deaths are due to traumatic head injuries.

Ira Riklis became aware of these difficult facts years back when he was approached by a local child-safety organization in Charlotte, North Carolina seeking help in preventing some of these deaths. It turns out there’s a simple way to cut these injuries: well-fitted bicycle helmets. He graciously provided local children and their families with 5,000 helmets. But that’s just a drop in the bucket in what’s needed around the country. National estimates are that 25 percent—at most—of children wear properly fitted helmets. So if you’re a parent or grandparent or even the friend of a family with a young bicycle rider don’t bet against the odds. Make sure that child gets a good helmet!