A message from the CEO

Many supporters of Israel in the U.S. and around the world are asking themselves: How should we celebrate the modern state’s milestone 75th anniversary, especially in a time of historic controversy?

The truth is that at a moment like this, celebrating Israel is more important than ever.

Indeed, the days when people supported Israel “just because” are mostly behind us. For Zionism to survive and for Israel to thrive, we need a fresh, compelling rallying cry to mobilize a new generation around a vision for 21st-Century Zionism.

Amid today’s heated discourse about what’s wrong when it comes to Israel, celebrating the Jewish state doesn’t have anything to do with avoiding controversies. Those issues must still be discussed robustly. Rather, this new approach centers on rallying around what’s right, celebrating the remarkable aspects of Israel, and aligning around the values we share.

This is precisely the kind of breakthrough innovation that defines Israel at this milestone anniversary. At its core, the start-up nation of Israel isn’t simply about the next unicorn company.

It’s about a future where Israel is living up to the nation’s promise of being a “Migdal Or”— a beacon of light to the world by helping to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges.

Envisioning Israel’s future also hearkens back to the modern state’s roots — namely, the pioneering spirit of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founder and first Prime Minister. Ben-Gurion was a visionary who essentially saw the future of Israel in the Negev and Israel’s role as a beacon of light for the world. That vision is still worth celebrating and actualizing today.

With this sentiment in mind, Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU), a community of like-minded individuals that supports the university bearing BenGurion’s name and raises awareness around his legacy more broadly, is celebrating Israel’s 75th anniversary by amplifying the modern scientific technologies that will be shaping the future of Israel and the world.

As we look to the future, let’s carry with us the spirit of David Ben-Gurion, the visionary who set us on this path to begin with. Be part of solving some of the world’s greatest challenges. Support innovations that are making a difference both in Israel and beyond.

Join us in our mission to fulfill Ben-Gurion’s vision of Israel in the Negev by supporting the Ben-Gurion Annual Fund today. Visit www.americansforbgu.org/donate, mail a gift in the

Doug Seserman CEO of Americans for Ben-Gurion University