Philadelphia to Host JNF National Conference

More than 500 donors expected to attend

Contact: Jodi Bodner • JNF Director of Communications • 212-879-9305 ext. 221 • jbodner@jnf.org

June 30, 2009 -- Philadelphia, PA -- It is only fitting that the seat of this nation’s independence will play host to the organization that has most developed and cared for its strongest ally in the Middle East.

Jewish National Fund (JNF), caretaker of the land of Israel, will hold its annual national conference October 25-26, 2009 at the Marriot Downtown in Philadelphia.

More than 500 people are expected to attend the two-day conference to learn about JNF’s most recent innovations and developments in Israel and hear from experts about the latest issues Israel faces. Topics include: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in the Shadow of Hezbollah and Iran; Water and the Future of the Middle East; Engaging the Next Generation on College Campuses and Beyond; and Providing Security for the People of Israel.

Participants will hear from such notables as PA Governor Ed Rendell; Sderot Mayor David Buskila; Professor Uri Shani, director of the Israel Water Authority, Jay Bielski, son of Zus Bielski of the movie “Defiance”, and Jewish Rock Artist Rick Recht.

The annual Sunday night gala will be held at the historic National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

“This is the first time that Philadelphia is hosting this conference,” said Alan Dabrow, JNF First Vice President, chair of the conference, and a Philadelphia-area resident. “We are very excited about it -- in fact our slogan is 'it's gonna be a bell ringer' -- and we will be doing some very interesting things.

“For the first time we are holding a Friday night dinner at the oldest continually operating synagogue in the U.S. -- Congregation Mikveh Israel. Our Sunday night gala will be held at the Constitution Center, and we even have Ben Franklin coming. But more than that this is an opportunity for people to really learn what JNF is doing to combat very serious issues like the water shortage. JNF’s work with water will not and does not affect just Israel but the entire Middle East. It’s just a two-day conference but it’s a jam-packed, riveting, thought-provoking two days and we encourage everyone who cares about Israel to come.”

To register for JNF’s annual conference, go to www.jnf.org.

 # # #

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 107 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 240 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.