Bergen County Gets Greater Israel Presence

Contact: Tali Tzour • KKL Israeli Emissary to NJ • 973-593-0095 • ttzour@jnf.org

September 27, 2006--New Jersey -- With the goal of educating the Bergen County community about how to develop and care for the land of Israel, Jewish National Fund has established a new Board of Directors to spearhead activities in the area.

Still in formation, members of the board currently include Izzet Ozdogan, CEO of Osem Food Products USA; Linda Scherzer, former CNN correspondent; the artist Zehav Wolosky; and area residents Bob Levine, Janice and Gerald Rosen, Doryne Davis, Stan Goodman, Karen Shawn, Herb Steiner and Mark Young. Representing a gamut of professions, the group offers expertise in a wide variety of fields able to bring a vast scope of ideas and energy to the board’s work.

With the board's formation, JNF- KKL emissary from Israel,Tali Tzour, is hoping to “build the foundation of JNF in the area and educate residents about JNF, its role in building the land of Israel, and connect the whole community -- its schools, congregations, adults and children -- to Israel."

“As a strong supporter of Israel and the mother of two children with dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship,” said Linda Scherzer, “I feel strongly committed to strengthening the bond between these two countries. By serving on the board of the JNF, I'm gratified to contribute my energy and expertise to an organization which helped build the foundation of the Jewish State and continues to be an important force in shaping its future and the quality of life for all its People.”

“Thanks to the impetus of one dynamic Israeli Shlicha, Tali Tzour, and the devotion of a number of residents of Bergen County, a new Bergen County JNF Board has been established,” said Bob Levine, chair of JNF’s Israel Advocacy and Education Department. “When these interested parties were brought together to hear the dynamic story of the Jewish National Fund's 105- year history and its many past contributions as well as its future plans to develop Israel's Negev desert they said, ‘Hineinu. We are here and ready to help.’” 

Major celebratory events for the entire community and intimate parlor meetings are planned to bring the message to a large portion of the county. A large scale Tu B’Shevat event is in the works and the annual Teaneck dinner run by Bob Levine will continue.

The board invites anyone who is interested and can invest time and experience to join them. For more information, please contact Tali Tzour at ttzour@jnf.org or 973-593-0095.

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Jewish National Fund (JNF) began in 1901 collecting coins in blue boxes to purchase land and return the Jewish people to their homeland. In over 109 years, JNF has evolved into a global environmental leader and become the central address for partnering with the land and people of Israel. JNF has planted 250 million trees; built over 1,000 parks and recreational areas; constructed security roads; educated students around the world about Israel; created new communities so that Jews from around the world would have a place to call home; discovered new means of growing plants under arid conditions, bringing green to the desert; and built over 200 reservoirs and water recycling centers, increasing Israel’s water supply by 10%. Today, JNF is supporting Israel’s newest generation of pioneers by bringing life to the Negev Desert, Israel’s last frontier. 

A United Nations NGO, JNF sponsors international conferences on desertification, shares afforestation techniques, and funds research on arid land management. JNF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and continuously earns top ratings from charity overseers. For more information on JNF, call 888-JNF-0099 or visit www.jnf.org.