Jewish National Fund-USA’s Impact Across Israel – April 2025
Creating Circles of Impact
In a month once again marked by challenge and triumph, Jewish National Fund-USA is not just standing with the people of Israel—we are building, healing, and shaping a brighter future. From the emerald hills of the Galilee to the silent beauty of the Negev Desert, our work stretches across every corner of the land—and through every layer of Israeli society.
We call this our Circles of Impact: interconnected initiatives that strengthen Israel’s physical and social infrastructure, uplift communities, and drive economic growth – all of which helps us achieve our vision of attracting 800,000 new residents to the North and South.
Community Building and Resilience
Healing Hearts, Rebuilding Lives
In Israel’s South, a Jewish National Fund-USA-supported rehabilitation village is a sanctuary of healing. Here, 170 residents with severe disabilities and 210 special education students thrive. Wounded IDF soldiers are reclaiming their lives through innovative therapies and the “Taking Charge of Life” program.
Meanwhile, over 5,200 mental health treatments are delivered monthly to students in the South—seeding resilience in every classroom and family touched.
Economic Development & Employment
Turning Opportunity into Reality
Our Lauder Employment Centers in the Galilee and Negev are proving that Zionism means business. We are helping evacuees and entrepreneurs find support through mentoring, job placement, and financial workshops. Meanwhile, a new scholarship program is preparing Arab and Druze students for careers in Israel’s growing high-tech and finance sectors.
These centers don’t just find jobs—they help build futures.
Tourism, Agriculture & Culinary Excellence
Breaking Ground on Our Tomorrow
Our Galilee Culinary Institute by JNF in northern Israel is more than a cooking school—it’s becoming a beacon of culture, economy, and pride. Dormitories are nearly complete, with specialized culinary spaces underway while cutting-edge equipment is en route from Germany, Italy, and Israel.
In the town of Arad in Israel’s South, our Desert Edge Promenade is rising—a transformational project blending tourism, community, and design – and just another example of how every philanthropic investment we make is aimed at attracting new residents to Israel’s frontiers.
In the Galilee, 73 local tourism operators are back in action, fueled by our platforms like Taste the Galilee and the JNF Mitzvah Marketplace, which alone has moved 25,000+ packages of local Israeli goods made by small businesses.
Support Israeli small businesses today at jnf.org/store
Zionist Education & Heritage Preservation
Stories That Bind Us
We honor memory not by mourning alone, but by acting with purpose. Our “Stories That Bind Us” series is creating sacred spaces for reflection and resilience—from Ben-Gurion’s Desert Home to Kfar Masaryk. Survivors, hostage families, and heroes share their stories where memory meets mission.
Across dozens of heritage sites, thousands celebrated Jewish holidays with matzah baking, reenactments, and powerful cultural programs.
At Ammunition Hill, the beating heart of Jerusalem’s legacy, we welcomed families for Passover and look forward to hosting 150 volunteers this Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day - for an unforgettable tribute to courage and history.
Security & Emergency Response
Safety, Security, and Swift Response
In communities like Eshkol and Kibbutz Reim, nearly 100 fortified safe rooms are under construction. Emergency response centers and lifesaving signage are being deployed in coordination with municipal partners.
In addition, one of our southern Search and Rescue Units—fueled by our partners’ (donors’) generosity—trains for disasters and saves lives in the harshest desert conditions.
And when wildfires raged for over 30 hours in the Jerusalem foothills and throughout Israel, Jewish National Fund-USA-provided equipment turned the tide, saving homes and lives because they already had the equipment. However, they need to replenish their tools. Support our frontline heroes: jnf.org/fires
Global Action, Innovation & Sustainability
Inspiring Innovation and Global Impact
In the middle of Israel’s southern desert at our start-up hub, 24 entrepreneurs are turning dreams into startups, with training in AI, sales, and tourism. Out in the fields, farmers supported by our Jewish National Fund-USA programs stepped up when global tomato imports stopped, ensuring food security through local ingenuity.
And beyond Israel, our Kasser Joint Institute for Food, Energy, and Water Security is changing lives in Kenya, where agrivoltaic solar farms now bring clean water and food to communities—creating a replicable model for sustainable development worldwide.
This is Our Moment
What does it mean to stand with the land and people of Israel in 2025?
It means building where others hesitate, taking action where others just talk, and dreaming boldly when the world says wait. At Jewish National Fund-USA, we don’t just respond. We lead. We plant. We nurture. We deliver.
Because when you support us, you don’t just invest in a project—you invest in circles of impact.
Support our and people of Israel today: jnf.org/donate
