Young leaders from four continents completed KKL-JNF’s Zionist Leadership Academy in Israel with a week of training, advocacy and resilience building.
Raouf Leeraar of the Netherlands listened quietly as a mother from Kibbutz Kfar Aza told JNS how her four children survived Oct. 7, 2023, by chance, while their father was murdered.
“What struck me was her resilience, her determination to rebuild and stay,” said Leeraar, 34. “For all of us, Oct. 7 is unforgettable, but standing here, in a community so scarred, you see true leadership in action.”
Leeraar is one of 25 Jewish leaders, aged 25-35, from Latin America, Australia, Europe and Canada who were in Israel this past week for the final stage of the Zionist Leadership Academy, run by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund. Now in its fourth year, the program combines about 10 months of online sessions with a mandatory intensive week in Israel.
KKL-JNF is a global body with 41 independent entities abroad, all tied to its mission in Israel. “Most countries already have board members,” Yuval Yenni, chief financial officer of KKL-JNF, told JNS. “What is special about this program is that we are cultivating younger leaders who will carry on the mission. Not everyone qualifies. We carefully select candidates who are talented, educated and mature.”
Seventy-five participants have completed the program. Several now sit on KKL-JNF boards in their home countries, including Brazil and Italy. Starting in 2025, alumni will also meet annually by continent, with a global gathering in Israel planned every two years.
This year, too, said Yenni, KKL-JNS was working “in close partnership” with WZO. “It is important to share this as a special partnership,” he added.
“A young leader must know their community from all sides,” he said. “They need to be strong, know how to advocate, and know how to defend our work against propaganda that is based on lies and politics, not reality.”
“In my job, leadership meant advocacy, giving politicians information rooted in Torah values,” said Leeraar, a former Israel Defense Forces officer and now policy director of the Israel Allies Foundation’s European branch, which promotes faith-based diplomacy. “But this program showed me that to be a better leader, I need to listen. It opened my eyes and made me reflect on my own approach. In diplomacy you cannot always be direct.”
He noted the diversity of the group, which includes participants with different political leanings and definitions of Zionism. “Being open to perspectives I don’t always agree with has challenged me to reflect,” he said.
The depth of connection among participants was unexpected. Leeraar compared it to bonds he once felt in the army but said this was different.
“Every participant feels like my brother or sister,” he said. “That connection is the basis for future cooperation.”
During the Israel week, participants met with senior officials from KKL-JNF and the World Zionist Organization, and visited resilience centers in the western Negev. One site is a temporary housing complex for evacuees from Kfar Aza, built with a 300 million shekel ($90 million) investment.
“Even in difficult times we focus on constructive building, for Israel and for humanity,” Yenni said. “We must stay connected, in Israel and in the Diaspora, for the benefit of the Jewish people.”
“The part of the trip I look forward to most is Jerusalem,” said Leeraar. “Not everyone here is religious, but Jerusalem does something to all of us. I have been countless times, but I am curious how this visit will deepen our connection and shared mission.
“If young Jews let go of their fear of being Zionists and fully embrace that identity, they will discover light,” Leeraar said. “If you are afraid of your identity, you face darkness. But when you face it, you find brighter paths, especially regarding your Jewish identity and connection to Israel.”
