LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 20, 2022 — On Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Jewish National Fund-USA’s major donors from Greater Los Angeles enjoyed a memorable evening celebrating their shared passion for the land and people of Israel at a VIP reception hosted by Judy and Bud Levin in Sherman Oaks.
Shawn Evenhaim, Judy Levin, Lou Rosenberg, Rachel Herman
The event featured Judy and Bud’s son, author Max Levin, a staunch Zionist who after graduating from de Toledo High School, then known as New Community Jewish High School, immigrated to Israel, and served as a “lone soldier” in the Israel Defense Forces. After Levin was severely wounded during Operation Protective Edge, the 2014 conflict between Israel and Gaza, he journaled about his experience while recovering in the hospital — later turning hundreds of pages into a book titled Under the Stretcher.
“It was our great pleasure to host our fellow LA Zionists for a beautiful event celebrating our brave son, Max, who left behind everything and everyone he knew to defend Israel,” said Judy Levin.
Mark Egerman
Ido Eisikovits, VP, Resource Development at Jewish National Fund-USA’s affiliate, Green Horizons, also provided remarks about the transformative program for Israeli youth in grades 5-12, who are taken on hiking and camping trips throughout the country, among other outdoor activities, with the goal of building interpersonal and leadership skills and fostering a strong connection to the land of Israel.
“Separated from their smartphones, television, and computers, these children and young adults learn about Israel’s history, geography, and culture while completely immersed in nature. This fosters a deep bond and connection to the land in a very meaningful way,” said Lauren Cohen, JNF-USA Major Gifts Director, Greater Los Angeles.
Lou Rosenberg, Jack Lin, Lauren Cohen, Ido Eisikovits
Attendees also played “is it cake?” with a hyper-realistic cake designed to look like the cover of Levin’s book and received a copy of the book as a gift. Guests also received a stunning mezuzah made by a soldier from Levin’s unit who founded Healing Mezuzah after discovering that creating artistic mezuzahs helped him heal from combat-related PTSD.
Questions? Contact Lauren Cohen, Major Gifts Director, Greater Los Angeles at 323-964-1400 x953 or LCohen@jnf.org.
Alyse Golden Berkley, Judy Levin
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About Jewish National Fund-USA
JNF-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, JNF-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.