Westchester Did It…You Can, Too
In Westchester, New York a group of Jewish National Fund-USA partners have found the secret sauce to connecting with young moms in their region. The result has been a vibrant and growing group of young women who have come together to support JNF-USA, and the work being to support the land and people of Israel and in Israel’s Eshkol region.
About six years ago, a woman who has been actively involved with JNF-USA decided to invite some young women who have children and had recently moved from New York City to Westchester to her home. They enjoyed visiting her lovely home, the breakfast that she served, the interesting content that was discussed and it was “magic.” A group formed and it became a long-term success, growing to about 40 women so far.
Originally, the group was run by a couple of more senior woman, but now the leadership has shifted to women in the younger demographic. So, what does this mom’s group do? They talk: about (preplanned) topics of importance to them, such as puberty, B’nai Mitzvah projects, Covid, TikTok. etc. For a number of years, seeking engagement and inspiration was the mission of the group, but now they have gotten involved with more JNF-USA education and have even fundraised for the organization.
The group has chosen to support a specific JNF-USA project in Israel’s Eshkol region. GrooveTech is a safe indoor playground and innovative learning center that will provide a welcoming space in which kids can thrive during the day and after school hours. The center’s two stories will house rock climbing walls, a “tree house” play structure, virtual reality rooms, a planetarium, science and robotics spaces, art workshops, and general gathering spots.
Now that the group has been around for several years and some of the children are tweens and teens, they will be developing programs about how to engage this age group. As the pandemic has dragged on, the group has had some programs on Zoom in the evening, and that has broadened their circle to include more women and younger working women.
Other regions could benefit from reaching young moms in their areas. Consider that the young moms of today could become the future leaders of JNF-USA tomorrow. And in the process of learning about JNF-USA, these women could also be educating their children about the important work JNF-USA does in Israel.
Written by Lynette Buzen, Board President, Long Island
Contact Rebecca Zimilover, Director, Westchester and Southern Connecticut at [email protected] for more information.