From the Hill to the Homeland to the Red Rock Desert Danielle Traub & Lauren Kaufman-Bergmann, JNFuture in DC Co-Chairs
IN MARCH, WE LAUNCHED JNFUTURE
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in Washington, DC with overwhelming success and excitement. We were confident that JNFuture in DC would offer young professionals in our nation’s capital an opportunity so many of us were seeking—a chance to get involved in the premier organization for developing the land of Israel while creating lasting friendships and connecting with other young professionals. We thought our 80-person kick-off event was the highlight of our involvement with Jewish National Fund. We were wrong. On July 22, 2012 we gathered in Tel Aviv for the second JNFuture Leadership Institute Mission (JLIM). From the beginning, it was clear we all felt the same deep commitment to our homeland, Israel, while working hard to develop leadership in our communities in the U.S. The next four days were filled with inspiring visits to JNF projects and historical sites across Israel. We reflected on the past with visits to David Ben Gurion’s home and Independence Hall. We learned about the challenges presented to Israeli leaders like Mayor of Be’er Sheva Ruvik Danilovich and MK Yoel Hasson. We drove right into the future of Israel with a visit to Better Place. We traveled along the ancient Spice Route in the Central Arava and marveled at a land that seems barren but grows 60% of
Israel’s exported produce and 10% of the fresh cut flower exports. We visited the Carmel Forest and recalled the tragic forest fire of December 2010. We planted trees in Be’er Sheva. We played basketball with children at the Sderot Indoor Recreation Center. We met with students at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI). Each site we visited wove the vision of JNF: invoking Israel’s rich history while opening doors to a bright and sustainable future. We returned from JLIM with a renewed sense of urgency to become further involved with JNF and to expand JNFuture into a cohesive national movement. And still we know that will not remain the highlight of our involvement with JNF. As JNF’s young leadership arm, JNFuture has a strong affinity to the issue of promoting sustainability in our communities. The pinnacle of these efforts will be when we join forces at The Summit in April 2013. The first-ever JNFuture Summit will be a one-of-a-kind two-day experience focused on sustainability of water, food and energy. Bringing together young leaders from across the globe in agriculture, journalism, environmental studies and politics, we’ll take a deep look at the economic, social and environmental issues affecting our daily lives. We’ll engage in conversation about the impact of sustainability and we’ll highlight Israel’s leadership in
Young professionals connecting in Israel.
this area. We’ll meet new friends and share an amazing celebration in the best setting for discussing renewable resources — Nevada’s Red Rock Desert. This is a not-to-bemissed event; we invite you to join us and bring others. JLIM brought us together and we’ll meet again at Red Rock. We can’t wait to share our stories and claim our mark as the voice of our generation. n
For more information on The Summit with JNF, visit jnf.org/summit. For more information on JNFuture, visit jnf.org/jnfuture or contact Sharon David at sdavid@jnf.org or 212.879.9305 x242.
Every Generation Has a Story. Ours is Sustainability. Join JNF at The Summit | April 27-29, 2013 • Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa • Las Vegas, NV Today, Israel is a global leader in sustainability initiatives. To help share these innovations with the rest of the world, we need to come together and lend our voices. It’s up to us to make it work, and bring scalable new solutions to the table for: Water • Energy • Food It is the chance to make new friends and network with thought leaders from the centers of innovation, while bringing to light the core issues of our time. For more information, contact Sharon David at sdavid@jnf.org or 212.879.9305 x242.
Register at jnf.org/summit. Sign up now!