Sara Bronfman
Encyclopedia
Sara Bronfman, humantitarian and human rights activist (born 1976) is the daughter of the billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman, Edgar Bronfman Sr.
Shortly after Clare's birth, Georgiana asked Edgar for a divorce. After remarrying in 1980 and a subsequent second divorce, the girls would visit their father, who owned estates outside Charlottesville, Virginia, and in Westchester County, a home in Sun Valley, and an apartment on Fifth Avenue. But their lives would be centered in England and in Kenya, with their mother.
through a family friend. According to the family friend, Sara was "desperately looking for some purpose in her life. And she found it at NXIVM." After her introduction to NXIVM, Sara urged Clare, then 23, to take an intensive. During that time, Clare was passionately committed to her equestrian career—she was a competitive jumper, trained horses, and owned her own company, Slate River Farm, but was described as being "a bit withdrawn and certainly the type to stay in and read while everyone else goes out." After attending the first sessions at the NXIVM
branch in Monterrey, Mexico in 2004, Clare's trainer and classmates stated that Clare had changed and had become more open.
Sara and Clare became committed followers of NXIVM and its leader, Keith Raniere
, relocating to upstate New York to work as NXIVM trainers.
, formed a non-profit organization called the Ethical Humanitarian Foundation after being "conceptualized" by Keith Raniere in 2007. Sara is listed as a Trustee within the organization. The group claims that its goal is to move humanity "towards a more noble civilization" by adopting a "humanity first foundation". As part of their involvement in WEFC, Sara and Clare were credited with being able to bring the Dalai Lama to Albany to participate in the WEFC's inaugural event on May 6, 2009.
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However on January 7th, just a month before the games were set to begin, the Dalai Lama canceled under uncertain circumstances. Two weeks later, on January 21st Sara Bronfman wrote a letter to Idaho Mountain Express, a local Blaine County newspaper, demanding an explanation on the cancellation from the Special Olympics board due to rumors that his invitation was withdrawn. She stated that she would formally resign as an honorary board member if His Holiness was dis-invited by no fault of his own, "not as a stand against the Special Olympics, but rather as a stand for the values (she) hoped to uphold when (she) chose to support the organization". While the media drew no formal conclusion, official statements were made by both the Special Olympics Organizing Committee, who claimed the Dalai Lama turned down their invitation, and the Office of Tibet who claimed the organizers tried to appease Chinese opposition by rescheduling his visit to a date impossible for him to attend.
Background
Edgar Bronfman, Sr. first met Rita Webb in Marbella, Spain. The daughter of a pub owner in Essex England, the young Miss Webb was an unapologetic social climber. Renaming herself "Georgiana" after Edgar Sr. took to calling her "George," she married him in 1975, two years after his divorce to his first wife, the investment-banking heiress Ann Loeb. Webb gave birth to Sara the following year and had Clare two and a half years later.Shortly after Clare's birth, Georgiana asked Edgar for a divorce. After remarrying in 1980 and a subsequent second divorce, the girls would visit their father, who owned estates outside Charlottesville, Virginia, and in Westchester County, a home in Sun Valley, and an apartment on Fifth Avenue. But their lives would be centered in England and in Kenya, with their mother.
Involvement in NXIVM
At the age of 25, Sara was introduced to NXIVMNXIVM
NXIVM is an Albany County, New York, United States-based organization founded by Keith Raniere. It offers classes and seminars that encourages clients to pursue a path of self-discovery...
through a family friend. According to the family friend, Sara was "desperately looking for some purpose in her life. And she found it at NXIVM." After her introduction to NXIVM, Sara urged Clare, then 23, to take an intensive. During that time, Clare was passionately committed to her equestrian career—she was a competitive jumper, trained horses, and owned her own company, Slate River Farm, but was described as being "a bit withdrawn and certainly the type to stay in and read while everyone else goes out." After attending the first sessions at the NXIVM
NXIVM
NXIVM is an Albany County, New York, United States-based organization founded by Keith Raniere. It offers classes and seminars that encourages clients to pursue a path of self-discovery...
branch in Monterrey, Mexico in 2004, Clare's trainer and classmates stated that Clare had changed and had become more open.
Sara and Clare became committed followers of NXIVM and its leader, Keith Raniere
Keith Raniere
Keith Raniere is an American entrepreneur and founder of NXIVM. NXIVM has been described as a successful executive coaching program by its supporters and as "cult" organization in news reports.-Background:...
, relocating to upstate New York to work as NXIVM trainers.
Ethical humanitarian Foundation
Sara, along with her sister, Clare BronfmanClare Bronfman
Clare Bronfman is the youngest daughter of the billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman, Edgar Bronfman Sr.-Background:Edgar Bronfman, Sr. first met Rita Webb in Marbella, Spain. She married him in 1975, two years after his divorce to his first wife, the investment-banking heiress Ann...
, formed a non-profit organization called the Ethical Humanitarian Foundation after being "conceptualized" by Keith Raniere in 2007. Sara is listed as a Trustee within the organization. The group claims that its goal is to move humanity "towards a more noble civilization" by adopting a "humanity first foundation". As part of their involvement in WEFC, Sara and Clare were credited with being able to bring the Dalai Lama to Albany to participate in the WEFC's inaugural event on May 6, 2009.
A Capella Innovations
Sara is a VIP Liaison with A Cappella Innovations, a non-profit organisation whose goal is to share the joy and enlightenment that comes from singing. The organisation hosted several events at the EGG performing arts center in Albany, New York in 2008. These events included performances by Blake Lewis, Allison Mack, and Fork.Special Olympics
In 2009, the Special Olympic games were held in Boise, Idaho, 85 nations were to be in attendance with over 3000 athletes competing in seven Olympic type sports. The event was to be attended by several dignitaries, including his holiness the Dalai LamaDalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
.
However on January 7th, just a month before the games were set to begin, the Dalai Lama canceled under uncertain circumstances. Two weeks later, on January 21st Sara Bronfman wrote a letter to Idaho Mountain Express, a local Blaine County newspaper, demanding an explanation on the cancellation from the Special Olympics board due to rumors that his invitation was withdrawn. She stated that she would formally resign as an honorary board member if His Holiness was dis-invited by no fault of his own, "not as a stand against the Special Olympics, but rather as a stand for the values (she) hoped to uphold when (she) chose to support the organization". While the media drew no formal conclusion, official statements were made by both the Special Olympics Organizing Committee, who claimed the Dalai Lama turned down their invitation, and the Office of Tibet who claimed the organizers tried to appease Chinese opposition by rescheduling his visit to a date impossible for him to attend.