New York, NY: December 3, 2020 – In 1901, Jewish National Fund founder Theodor Herzl started a revolutionary conversation within the Jewish world that would inspire and empower the Jewish people to return to their ancestral soil after 2,000 years. Today, Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) has renewed that conversation with the announcement of its planned $350 million World Zionist Village in the southern Israeli city of Be’er Sheva.
An artist's impression of the World Zionist Village
On Wednesday, December 2, over 500 JNF-USA partners (donors) attended the World Zionist Village Virtual Launch Event. The evening featured International Chair of the World Zionist Village Committee Joseph Wolfson, who said: “There are so many conversations. Yet, are we speaking to each other? Do we hear each other? And are our conversations building our Jewish community? They certainly need to.”
The 21-acre village will include the second campus for JNF-USA’s Alexander Muss High School in Israel; a post-college internship program; adult education opportunities, and more. Fundraising for the Village will take place over the next five years with multiple giving opportunities at various levels available.
JNF-USA will use its vast connections through the Lauder Employment Center, Nefesh B’Nefesh, and its relationships with companies such as Dell, Intel, and Cisco to help college graduates and post-graduates obtain internships for one or two years in Be’er Sheva.
JNF-USA President, Dr. Sol Lizerbram said: “The World Zionist Village will become the greatest place to bring our Jewish world together. The Village will feature an internship program that will [support] professional aptitude, strengthen personal character, and provide a door of opportunity to the next generation of technology-driven professionals. By investing in internships, we will help young people, especially in today’s competitive environment, get ahead while giving them the opportunity to engage with the people of Israel.”
With enrollment applications at JNF-USA’s Alexander Muss High School in Israel exceeding places, the World Zionist Village will provide a much needed second campus and enable enrollments to increase from 1,400 to 5,000 in the coming years.
An artist's impression of the World Zionist Village
JNF-USA Chief Executive Officer, Russell F. Robinson called on Zionists from around the world to “join the greatest conversation ever had to build bridges across generations, denominations, and politics as we embark on the first global Zionist education center.”
Educational content developed by world renowned Jewish experts will allow learners of all levels to explore the richness and beauty of the Jewish world. A conference center with ample space for organizations and individuals will draw teachers, adult learners, and scholars from around the world. Modern overnight accommodations for short- and long-term stays will allow visitors to connect with a rich mosaic of Jewish people from all walks of life who are unified in their belief in a vibrant future for global Jewry.
Be’er Sheva Mayor, Ruvik Danilovich remarked: “We still have many things to do in order to make Be’er Sheva central. Not just the center of the country. Not just the center of Israel – but an international center of studies, of education, of technology, academia – a center that creates the future. With [JNF-USA’s] help, we are doing it!”
Envision Tomorrow’s Israel - A competition to design the World Zionist Village was also announced during the launch event. The competition aims to solicit ideas for key elements of this Village, including dormitories, high school classrooms, conference center space, café’s, houses of worship, outdoor gardens, or entranceways. Additionally, JNF seeks a unique design concept — an iconic structure — as a means for attracting people to the desert city of Be’er Sheva.
For more information, visit zionistvillage.jnf.org.
ENDS
Media Contact:
Stefan Oberman, Jewish National Fund-USA Director of Communications.
E: soberman@jnf.org.
P: 212.879.9305 x222
About Jewish National Fund-USA
Jewish National Fund-USA is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s north and south. Through its One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade, Jewish National Fund-USA is developing new communities in the Galilee and Negev, connecting the next generation to Israel, and creating infrastructure and programs that support ecology, individuals with special needs, and heritage site preservation.