Over 300 eager and excited individuals filled the room at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills to show their support for Israel during Jewish National Fund’s (JNF) Annual Community Breakfast. The event brought in $250,000—an unprecedented amount of monetary support from the Central New Jersey community. The overwhelming response from attendees is an indication of the tremendous work that JNF is doing, which is resonating across the world, activating people to get involved in such a meaningful cause.
“I am so proud of our community for their support of Jewish National Fund and the great work we do in Israel,” said Central New Jersey Board President Andrew Solomon. “Due to their generosity, the dollars raised will make a big difference in the lives of many Israelis.”
The event featured guest speaker Bret Stephens, who currently writes “Global View,” the foreign affairs column of the Wall Street Journal, for which he was awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary. He is the Journal’s deputy editorial page editor. Stephens’s remarks focused on what the next President of the United States needs to know about the Middle East.
JNF CEO Russell F. Robinson remarked at the breakfast that “over its 115-year history, JNF has evolved into a dynamic organization that constantly grows to meet Israel’s long-term needs as well as respond in times of crisis. Our mission is a comprehensive one: to improve the quality of life for all Israelis and develop Israel for the next generation.”
Attendees of the breakfast got a glimpse into the vision of JNF and how it provides a unique voice in building a prosperous future for the land and people of Israel. JNF strives to bring an enhanced quality of life to all of Israel’s residents and translate these advancements to the world beyond. JNF is “greening” the desert with millions of trees, building thousands of parks across Israel, creating new communities and cities for generations of Israelis to call home, bolstering Israel’s water supply, helping develop innovative arid agriculture techniques and educating both young and old about the founding and importance of Israel and Zionism.
We are well on our way to realizing our 10-year, $1 Billion Dollar goal, having raised $365 million to date after three years. To learn more about JNF in Central New Jersey, upcoming events and how you can get involved, please contact Anna Richlin, Campaign Executive, JNF Central New Jersey at 973-593-0095 ext. 826 or [email protected].
By Marina Brodetsky
