(Courtesy of JNF) Last month, nearly 150 tri-state young professionals united for Jewish National Fund-USA’s Tu B’Shevat cocktail party, where community members ages 22-40 celebrated “the original Earth Day” and networked with like-minded professionals while learning how the organization is spearheading rebuilding initiatives in Israel’s North and South.

“Tu B’Shevat is a holiday that has long been a symbol of renewal, growth and resilience,” said event co-chair Adam Zeelens. “It is a time to reflect on the incredible gifts that our world provides, and a moment to recommit ourselves to nurturing and protecting the environment for future generations. In a post-October 7 world, that takes on a new meaning. Celebrating Tu B’Shevat is not simply about planting trees: it’s about tikkun olam—repairing the world. And repairing our beloved and resilient Israel.”

Jewish National Fund-USA has led efforts to rebuild impacted communities in Israel’s North and South through its Build Together and Reimagine plans, which are providing the infrastructure and quality of life needed for residents who were displaced or evacuated after October 7, 2023, to feel safe moving back home.

Event co-chair Jackie Grosser explained how she saw this firsthand when she participated in one of Jewish National Fund-USA’s Volunteer in Israel Missions, where she got to personally farm the land and prepare food for Israeli soldiers, playing an even more direct role in repairing the region.

“We sat in the dining hall of the recently opened Alexander Muss High School in Israel, whose campus is in Be’er Sheva, and heard from a local mayor who shared her October 7 story,” said Grosser. “We worked on a kibbutz in the southern part of the country that needed our help to prepare for the return of its residents, and so much more. Because of Jewish National Fund-USA’s decades-long work in the South, we were able to have a direct impact on the people and communities who needed it most.”

Attendees were also invited to join JNFuture on Friday, June 6, for Jewish National Fund-USA’s annual Shabbat in the Park (jnf.org/sitp) on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. With over 400 in attendance last year, the event once again promises to be one of the largest gatherings of young Jewish professionals in the country.

Jewish National Fund-USA’s fastest-growing demographic, JNFuture is the organization’s community of young professionals. To learn more visit jnf.org/jnfuture.

For more information about Jewish National Fund-USA or to learn about upcoming events in the tri-state area, visit jnf.org or contact Sophie Rubin at [email protected] or 212-879-9305 x504.