IsraelCast Episode 133

With plans to open in early 2023, Jewish National Fund-USA’s Galilee Culinary Institute (GCI by JNF) is set to revolutionize the culinary arts. Located in Kiryat Shmona in Israel’s fertile Galilee region, GCI by JNF is a 12-month, community immersion and intensive culinary arts program designed specifically for students to acquire a combination of practical culinary skills and a broad understanding of the major themes moving the food world today. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with the CEO of GCI by JNF, Nathan Hoffman, to discuss the culinary scene in Israel’s north, how GCI by JNF plans to transform the industry, and why he loves living in Tzfat.

Nathan Hoffman is the CEO of the Galilee Culinary Institute by Jewish National Fund-USA (GCI by JNF), located on the eastern side of the Galilee in the Greater Kiryat Shmona area. He is responsible for the strategic leadership and oversight of the Institute's operational and management processes. Hoffman started his Jewish National Fund-USA journey by helping to start the Arizona JNFuture chapter. He made aliyah with Nefesh B'Nefesh, a Jewish National Fund-USA affiliate, in 2017 to Tzvat. Hoffman has over 18 years of diverse experience leading business operations for both startups and established organizations.