Robinson Report—November 2025

Dear Friends,

On Thanksgiving, we pause with gratitude for the blessings we share and the partnerships that strengthen our work for the land and people of Israel. I am personally thankful for your philanthropic leadership and unwavering commitment to our homeland—and for the incredible Zionist pioneers with whom we work on the ground. 

This month, we continue to ride the wave of excitement from our sold-out Global Conference for Israel, which featured a record-breaking Shabbat dinner and the largest-ever turnout of attendees under 40—all contributing to our movement achieving a historic $175 million annual campaign. In this Robinson Report, I’m thrilled to share with you a bold new enrollment goal for our Alexander Muss High School in Israel, along with important updates from our work in Israel’s North and South.

Remembering Stanley Chesley and Keeping Ran Gvili’s Memory Alive

I still carry the memory of a young boy named Ran Gvili—wide-eyed, laughing, and utterly determined to “test” every inch of our $5 million fortified indoor playground in Sderot when it was launched in 2009. He checked the slides and ensured the soccer field was good enough. He embodied the very innocence that playground was built to protect.

Back then, the Sderot community faced almost daily rocket fire from Gaza. Families lived in a constant state of alert, with parents teaching even their toddlers how to sprint for shelter at the sound of a siren. They had less than 15 seconds to hide—far too little time for children to enjoy the simple freedoms of playing outside or exploring their own neighborhoods. Outdoor playgrounds gathered dust, their swings and slides serving as painful reminders of a childhood paused. What should have been the soundtrack of a community—children laughing, running, arguing over whose turn it was—had been replaced by the thud of rockets landing nearby and the anxious silence that followed.

Our then Jewish National Fund-USA President, Stanley Chesley z”l, who passed away earlier this month, visited Sderot and saw children holed up in their homes, their lives compressed into bomb shelters and reinforced bedrooms.

He refused to accept that the children of Sderot should grow up under the shadow of constant fear. And in that classic Stanley way—bold, imaginative, and unbothered by convention—he came up with the idea for a rocket-proof indoor playground, a place where kids could be kids, even in the most challenging of circumstances. When we launched the playground, he proclaimed with a smile that the new center was now “the country’s safest building.”

At the playground’s grand opening, the sounds of children laughing and yelling drowned out Stanley’s speech. And it couldn’t have been better. To him, those joyful voices were the only applause he ever truly needed. A place once defined by fear now echoed with the sounds of possibility. And for the children of Sderot, it was the first time in years that play, imagination, and freedom belonged to them again.

Fourteen years later, on October 7, 2023, that same boy, Ran Gvili, who tested out the playground’s equipment—now a young police officer—left a medical center where he was receiving treatment and rushed into danger to protect others. He saved festival-goers fleeing Nova and fought to defend Kibbutz Alumim until Hamas terrorists murdered him. His body was taken into Gaza, where it remains in violation of every moral and legal standard. Ran deserves dignity. Ran deserves a funeral. Let him go!

For me, this is not a headline. It’s personal. His parents, Itzik and Talik, were the contractors who helped build that playground; I watched their son grow from a child full of joy into a hero whose bravery was instinctive. And not a day passes that I don’t think of him. His parents deserve closure, and I won’t stop wearing my dog tag until he and all the bodies of the hostages are returned.

Do not let the world forget!

But if Jewish history teaches us anything, it’s that hope is our secret weapon and source of our 3,500 years of resilience and victories. From our earliest exiles to today’s 21st-century Israeli pioneers supported through Jewish National Fund-USA, hope has carried us, united us, and pushed us to build for tomorrow, even when the world ignored our plight.

Across Israel’s North and South—where families rebuild their lives—we see that same hope every day in the people who we see as our family. It lives in our resilience centers helping children smile again, in new housing sites rising from the ashes made possible by our Housing Development Fund, and in frontier communities strengthened through our philanthropic investments in Zionist education, employment services, economic development initiatives, and more. Every project and every dollar you trust us with declares, Am Yisrael Chai—the People of Israel Live.

The Magic of Working Together

Jewish National Fund-USA is an organization of firsts. Since 1901, we were the first to turn our millennia-old dream of returning to our land of Israel a reality by repurchasing it acre by acre. We made the desert bloom, reclaimed our Zionist heritage, and today, are strategically creating circles of impact throughout Israel’s North and South while being the leaders of Zionist engagement through our Alexander Muss High School in Israel.

Leaders and communities throughout Israel see what we’re doing and want to be a part of our ecosystem. I can’t tell you how many calls I get per week from people and organizations who want to learn from and emulate our work. They’re inspired by our Emergency Response Center concept, which combines critical first responder services under one hub in communities on Israel’s frontiers (a unique concept created by Jewish National Fund-USA). They see our Galilee Culinary Institute by JNF about to be launched (and I ask you to join our journey in changing the narrative of the Upper Eastern Galilee). And they gain excitement from our visionary plans, such as the $350 million 16-acre World Zionist Village, which will bring Zionists from around the world together for a new conversation about our collective future and shared destiny.

We are building an interconnected ecosystem that is both strategic and effective, spanning multiple generations. When you contribute to Jewish National Fund-USA, you’re not just donating a fire truck or bomb shelter; you’re not just giving to a disability rehabilitation facility or resilience center, you’re creating circles of impact, where every project, program, and initiative strategically drives job creation, economic development, and population growth in Israel’s North and South. It’s impossible to achieve this unless everyone works— and talks—together. Yet, that’s the magic of our approach, and why so many sophisticated philanthropists trust us to make their major charitable investments with Jewish National Fund-USA. They see how they can make their dollars go further and have a greater impact over the long term. And yes, it also helps that we’re the most trusted philanthropy for the land and people of Israel.

A Recipe for Success in Israel’s North

We’re hiring! Our Galilee Culinary Institute by JNF (GCI by JNF), featuring the Rosenfield School of Culinary Arts, is hiring multiple positions, including a Head Chef. We’re on the cusp of our soft opening, and I can almost smell the aromas of the spices, dishes, and culinary delights representing Israel’s 80+ unique cultures wafting from the institute’s world-class commercial kitchen.

Our journey was just as important as the upcoming opening and operation of GCI by JNF. No matter the challenges facing Israel’s North, including rocket attacks from Hezbollah, we were the only major construction site in the region that never stopped building. People saw that we believed in tomorrow, and they, too, joined our journey.

As we prepare to open GCI by JNF, we will create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs and attract thousands of tourists, which are key to our impact strategy. We’ll be utilizing local artisans, farmers, bakers, chocolatiers, and other skilled professionals to enrich the institute’s curriculum. We are changing the North: join our journey!

GCI by JNF will turn Israel’s North into the culinary capital of the region, where towns like “Kiryat Shmona” will become synonymous with culinary destinations like the Napa Valley and Tuscany.

Exclusive Announcement: 10,000 Students by 2035

You heard it here first! By 2035, we plan to educate, engage, and inspire 10,000 high school students annually at our Alexander Muss High School in Israel (Muss). Why is this crucial? Because we must reach and connect our next generation to their Zionist heritage while they’re still in high school. Once they reach college, it’s too late. We must invest now!

Muss, the ultimate study abroad experience for high school teenagers, is the solution. We’re creating the leaders of our communal organizations, and Muss alumni have added over $90 million in value to our campaign. During our long-term programs, students immerse themselves in an environment of academic excellence across two campuses, featuring excellent amenities, impressive classrooms, and beautiful surroundings, all while gaining valuable global experiences. At Muss, they explore 3,500 years of their people’s history right where it happened. They also forge lifelong friendships with peers from across the country – not to mention the impressive look of studying abroad at Muss on a college application or resume. Just ask our alums!

If you know a high school teen who is ready to embark on a life-changing study abroad experience in Israel, visit amhsi.org/refer. Or take advantage of generous tuition support and jnf.org/dreamisrael.

Thank you for your partnership, passion, and commitment to and for our land and people of Israel. As we approach the New Year, remember to make your tax-deductible contribution to Jewish National Fund-USA by December 31st at www.jnf.org/donate to maximize your tax savings. Additionally, please remember the family and come home for a visit to Israel with Jewish National Fund-USA. Spots are filling quickly on our upcoming tours and missions. For more information or to register, visit

Russell F. Robinson

Chief Executive Officer

Jewish National Fund-USA