GALILEE, Israel, July 21, 2026 — According to the latest half-yearly report from LOTEM, an organization that makes the Jewish homeland, including its great outdoors, accessible for all, Jewish National Fund-USA helped support the provision of educational, therapeutic, and resilience services to more than 30,000 Israeli children, teenagers, and seniors, including individuals with disabilities and wounded soldiers.
“Jewish National Fund-USA's support accounts for 50% of our ongoing operational budget,” said Gaylee Schif, the organization’s Jewish National Fund-USA liaison. “As in previous years, the funding we receive from them continues to play a vital role in enabling us to operate at a significant scale, especially in light of recent events.”
Jewish National Fund-USA's support for Israelis with disabilities in Israel’s North and South is part of its “circles of impact” strategy that is attracting 800,000 new residents to Israel’s frontier communities. When families moving from Israel’s central cities to the Negev and Galilee know that their needs will be catered to, population growth, economic development, and greater regional prosperity are achieved.
Throughout the first half of 2026, frequent security threats forced the cancellation and rescheduling of activities while programming was forced to adapt to safety guidelines. At the same time, the demand for respite, resilience, and therapeutic programming grew dramatically, particularly among residents of frontline communities, wounded soldiers, victims of terror, and individuals coping with trauma from October 7.
Despite these unprecedented challenges, Jewish National Fund-USA supported LOTEM in continuing operations across Israel, ensuring uninterrupted support for the schools, municipalities, institutions, and organizations that depend on its services during both times of routine and crisis.
"If the land of Israel is the soul of the Jewish people, then every person deserves the opportunity to experience its beauty,” said Russell F. Robinson, CEO of Jewish National Fund-USA. “Our responsibility is to ensure that every member of society can connect with the land, explore it, and feel the same sense of joy, belonging, and pride that it inspires in all of us."
Thanks to Jewish National Fund-USA, 5,308 participants with disabilities in southern Israel, 4,964 in central Israel, 4,781 in northern Israel, and 2,499 residents in the Israel Envelope (bordering Gaza) received support. Services are provided to individuals across the full spectrum of disabilities, including autism, cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, and mental health challenges. Over the past three years, there has been a marked increase in participants requiring mental health support as the emotional toll of war continues to grow.
As communities across Israel continue rebuilding and recovering, Jewish National Fund-USA ensures that Israelis of every age and ability have access to healing, inclusion, and meaningful experiences in nature, strengthening resilience one community at a time.
For more information about Jewish National Fund-USA's support for people with disabilities, visit jnf.org/disabilities.
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About Jewish National Fund-USA
For 125 years, Jewish National Fund-USA has helped strengthen the land and people of Israel by investing in the communities, infrastructure, and leadership that shape the country’s future. Our work is focused on making Israel’s North and South places where families can build full, vibrant lives with access to medical care, emergency response, water solutions, parks, playgrounds, jobs, and economic opportunity. Working with our donors and partners, we support underpopulated communities, help attract new residents, improve quality of life, and create the conditions for long-term growth. Our work reaches beyond projects on the ground. Through education, travel, and leadership opportunities, we connect Americans of all ages to Israel in meaningful and lasting ways. That vision continues with the World Zionist Village in Be’er Sheva, a global center that will bring people together to live, learn, lead, and strengthen the next generation of Zionist leadership. From urgent relief to long-term transformation, Jewish National Fund-USA is helping build a stronger future for Israel and creating lasting legacies for generations to come. Learn more at jnf.org.
