Building Resilience and Telling Its Story

A Jewish National Fund-USA leader wearing many hats, Betsy Fischer serves as Assistant Vice President of Israel Relations on the organization’s National Board of Directors and on various boards and committees. One role, however, is especially close to her heart.

As the founder and chair of the Rebuild the Envelope Task Force, which works to ease the lives of Israelis living in the Western Negev and support population growth, Fischer, along with her husband Peter, plays a critical role in strengthening communities on the border with Gaza. “Our task force has been very successful in changing the lives of people living along that volatile border,” Fischer says. “We’ve made a big difference in the area.”

One powerful example is GrooveTech, an innovative safe science and technology center in the Eshkol region, built with Betsy’s generous support. Another is Betsy’s work to help renovate the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Athletic Complex, now named in memory of her friend, former mayor Ofir Liebstein (z’’l). A dream project of Ofir’s, the refurbished center is a transformative investment in southern Israel.

“This center is the jewel in the crown of Sha’ar HaNegev,” says Fischer. “Beyond its state-of-the-art track and field facilities and upgraded bleachers, it is a source of community pride that will help strengthen resilience for all residents.”

Betsy’s deep connection to the region ultimately inspired her to write her first book, Even After Everything: How One Humble Kibbutznik Believed in Heaven While Living Through Hell. Published in December 2025, the inspirational biography chronicles the life of Gadi Yarkoni, a farmer at heart who lost both legs in the last hour of Operation Protective Edge in 2014. In the face of devastating loss, Gadi chose to move forward in service to his community and was later elected mayor of the Eshkol Regional Council.

Through Yarkoni’s journey, Fischer shows how perseverance and communal responsibility are woven into the spirit of the land and people of Israel, echoing Jewish National Fund-USA’s mission. Her book is available on Amazon.

Through leadership, advocacy, and now authorship, Fischer exemplifies what it means to stand in solidarity with Israel—not only helping rebuild communities in the South, but ensuring the stories of residents like Yarkoni inspire generations to come.

To book Betsy to speak at your next event, contact the Global Speaker’s Bureau at JNFUSASpeakers@jnf.org