Since the events of October 7, a plaza outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art—now known to the world as "Hostage Square"—has become the beating heart of a grieving yet determined nation. Amid prayer circles and protest signs, one sees not only sorrow but the spirit of resilience. When history shifted, the museum didn’t close its doors—it opened them wider. Art spilled outside. Hospitality was extended. And humanity stood tall.
That same spirit animates the work of Jewish National Fund-USA and its support of Israel's heritage sites, where it reaches communities across the country.
From Heritage Sites to Hotel Rooms
What began as outreach to entertain displaced children quickly evolved into something more profound. Jewish National Fund-USA-supported heritage site preservation teams visited emergency centers across the country—not with supplies, but with stories. The tales they told weren’t fairy tales. They were the real, raw, and inspiring accounts of Israel’s founders: immigrants who built a state from dust, who overcame hardship with hope.
Children listened—and connected. Grandparents wept quietly. Even those who had lost everything began to feel rooted again, not in what they had, but in who they are.
It’s what the team preserving Israel's heritage sites calls their “We Come to You” initiative, and nearly two years after its inception, it’s still going strong.
Summer Resilience in the Galilee
This week alone, the heritage site preservation team—with the support of Jewish National Fund-USA—brought their “Stories That Bind Us” programming to the northern communities of Israel:
In Kibbutz Kfar Szold, 55 children learned about the medicinal plants and agricultural practices of early Zionist pioneers, thanks to educators from the Dubrovin Farm Heritage Site.
In Kibbutz Dafna, 73 children became archaeologists for a day, unearthing history under the guidance of the Yigal Allon Museum.
In Kibbutz Machanayim, 30 seniors enjoyed a lecture from the Naharayim at Gesher team, while the next day, the same educators engaged 40 local children with hands-on activities.
And in a hotel in Be’er Sheva—where families whose homes were destroyed in the Iranian War are still evacuated—teams from Ben-Gurion’s Desert Home visited children, offering not just stories but stability.
These programs aren’t just educational. They’re therapeutic. They remind participants—young and old—that they are part of a people whose history is filled with trial, but never tragedy; only triumph.
A Former Hostage Finds His Voice
Earlier this week, nearly 300 people gathered at the Valley Train heritage site in Kfar Yehoshua for an unforgettable event. Shlomi Ziv, one of the hostages rescued in the heroic operation that also freed Noa Argamani, chose this site—and this platform—for his first public recounting of that ordeal.
Through the “Stories That Bind Us” initiative, Shlomi’s testimony became more than a moment in the news cycle. It became part of the national narrative—a story of survival that now joins the chain of stories that make up the Israeli experience.
A Legacy Made Possible by You
This sacred work—this bringing of heritage to where it’s needed most—is possible because of the partnership and philanthropy of Jewish National Fund-USA and its supporters. Together, we are not just preserving history. We are activating it. We are using it to heal, to teach, and to inspire.
As we enter Shabbat, we’re reminded that showing up—for our people, our history, and each other—is itself an act of faith. And in that spirit, we thank you for walking with us.
