Jewish National Fund-USA’s JNFuture Leadership Institute Mission (JLIM) participants recently returned from an immersive week in Israel where they developed their leadership skills, deepened their Zionist identity and gained the knowledge and perspective to make an impact within Jewish National Fund-USA and their local communities.
The invitation-only mission was offered to select members of JNFuture, Jewish National Fund-USA’s community of young professionals ages 22-40, who already serve in a JNFuture lay leadership role at the national or regional level. The experience brought the cohort to Israel for leadership development training and workshops, as well as opportunities to engage with Jewish National Fund-USA’s work across the country’s north and south.
“If you are a proud Zionist who wants to secure a strong, prosperous future for the land and people of Israel and want an inside look at how Jewish National Fund-USA is changing lives across the country, there is no opportunity quite like this,” said Leora Lindenbaum, senior campaign executive of JNFuture and co-leader of JLIM.
Throughout the week, participants gained a deeper understanding of Israel, its people, its challenges and its opportunities. Participants spent Shabbat with lone soldiers, volunteered alongside Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers making sandwiches and played basketball with residents of ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran, where they saw firsthand how Jewish National Fund-USA is creating opportunities for Israelis of all abilities.
“For those who are hearing the headlines, Israel is much more than a headline and I think you have to be here and see it to believe it,” said Ari Meridy, JNFuture Tri-State board member and chair of the JLIM mission on the Ynet Global Podcast. “You get inundated so much with the headlines, so you come here and you really get to experience the country and the way that it’s living and operating. It’s a really great experience.”
A key aspect of the trip was a training session at the Lauder Employment Center, where participants met and networked with young Israeli professionals from a variety of industries, bonding over their shared experiences in the workforce while strengthening ties between the United States and Israel. The session allowed JLIM leaders to form connections with local Israelis and better understand the experiences of young professionals building their careers in Israel.
“It felt like there was one ‘aha’ moment after the next,” said Matthew Halpern, national director of JNFuture. “From the moment we started in Tel Aviv to welcome Shabbat to our final dinner, each moment built on the previous one. Part of that had to do with our amazing cohort of participants, who I saw grow together as philanthropists and community builders, while each finding their own path within Jewish National Fund-USA and developing their own voice as a leader within the organization.”
Although the mission lasted only a week, participants returned with new knowledge and tools they can draw on as they continue serving as ambassadors for Jewish National Fund-USA—sharing the organization’s impact and inspiring others to get involved.
“Coming away from this trip, I think it’s now clearer to me than ever how urgent the work is that we’re doing and how important every single project is to the future of the land of Israel,” said JLIM participant Robert Bernton. “I plan to talk about all the work that Jewish National Fund-USA is doing and ideally raise funds, create new proposals and really make an impact here on the land and on the ground.”
For more information about JNFuture or to learn about future JLIM missions, contact Matthew Halpern at mhalpern@jnf.org or 212.879.9300 x344.
