Dear JNF Campaign Leaders:
Last weekend was another fantastic major donor weekend in Phoenix, which included more than one thousand attendees at the JNF Breakfast for Israel, hundreds more at the JNFuture Shabbat in the Desert, and many great learning sessions. Thank you and Yashir Koach to all the lay leaders and professional staff that worked hard to make it a fun and successful weekend.
As a reminder, March is JNF Women’s Month. Every women’s gift closed this month will be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to two generous donors in Arizona, who combined will contribute a total of $1 million.
In addition, we received a challenge from a New York foundation toward the Alexander Muss High School in Israel that will provide a 2-for-1 match for any gift of $10,000 or more to support AMHSI through the month of June. Women can “double dip” and receive both matches in March. A women’s gift of $10,000 designated to support AMHSI would receive a $5,000 match from the NY foundation and a $10,000 match from the Phoenix donors turning a $10,000 gift into $25,000.
PLEASE SAVE THE DATES FOR TWO IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN MEETINGS.
2018 Campaign Planning Summit
August 12 & 13
New York, NY
Ronald S. Lauder JNF House
This is your opportunity to help plan our 2019 fundraising campaign and bring home new ideas to strengthen your local fundraising. The annual campaign planning meeting will begin Sunday afternoon and conclude Monday afternoon. All participants are then invited to stay for the National Board of Directors meeting on Monday from 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
National Conference Community Leadership Meeting
Thursday, October 25
2:00 – 5:00 pm
Phoenix, AZ
Biltmore Hotel
In conjunction with the National Conference, join together with other community leaders for a training session focused on enhancing our leadership skills. Time will also be given for sharing best practices to help you enhance your local JNF fundraising campaign.
As a reminder, March is JNF Women’s Month. Every women’s gift closed this month will be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to two generous donors in Arizona, who combined will contribute a total of $1 million.
In addition, we received a challenge from a New York foundation toward the Alexander Muss High School in Israel that will provide a 2-for-1 match for any gift of $10,000 or more to support AMHSI through the month of June. Women can “double dip” and receive both matches in March. A women’s gift of $10,000 designated to support AMHSI would receive a $5,000 match from the NY foundation and a $10,000 match from the Phoenix donors turning a $10,000 gift into $25,000.
PLEASE SAVE THE DATES FOR TWO IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN MEETINGS.
2018 Campaign Planning Summit
August 12 & 13
New York, NY
Ronald S. Lauder JNF House
This is your opportunity to help plan our 2019 fundraising campaign and bring home new ideas to strengthen your local fundraising. The annual campaign planning meeting will begin Sunday afternoon and conclude Monday afternoon. All participants are then invited to stay for the National Board of Directors meeting on Monday from 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
National Conference Community Leadership Meeting
Thursday, October 25
2:00 – 5:00 pm
Phoenix, AZ
Biltmore Hotel
In conjunction with the National Conference, join together with other community leaders for a training session focused on enhancing our leadership skills. Time will also be given for sharing best practices to help you enhance your local JNF fundraising campaign.
Shabbat Shalom,
Bruce K. Gould
President Elect and Vice President, Campaign
AMHSI students participated in a Zionism seminar this week. Small groups were each assigned a prominent Zionist figure, such as Theodor Herzl, Ahad Ha'am, A.D. Gordon, Abraham, or Isaac Kook, to research and create presentations about. There were plays, songs and art projects that told these important stories. Everyone learned a great deal and had fun at the same time!
Did you know that there are more than 30 employment agencies working for various populations – religious, secular, Bedouin, small towns, and more - in the Negev? Established in 2016, the Forum for Employment Organizations, which was created by Jewish National Fund partner Eretz Ir, brings these agencies together to create regional solutions to employment problems. Last week's meeting focused on building partnerships between employment agencies in different sectors.
This week, as part of the nationwide Good Deeds Day, Jewish National Fund partner HaShomer HaChadash hosted over 1,200 volunteers in over 13 sites across the country. High school students in the Negev collected Jojoba seeds; members of the hi-tech company Elbit near Haifa worked in forest preservation and fire prevention; and so much more. The main theme of the day was giving back to our communities, and the importance of caring for and protecting the land.
The “Adopt a Heritage Site” program, led by Jewish National Fund partner Society for Presevation of Israel Heritage Sites, uses hands on techniques and activities to teach students about the importance of preservation and conservation. In 2017, more than 5,000 students from 160 different classes and 50 different schools across Israel participated in the “Adopt a Heritage Site” program. One of the most unique projects from 2017 was SPIHS’s work with the Albironi school. This school, whose students come from Nazareth and the surrounding area, is one of the first Arab schools to participate in the program. Through continued collaboration with the Albironi school, SPIHS is working to make the “Adopt a Heritage Site” program accessible for Israeli and Arab students alike.