By Russell Robinson
Jewish National Fund-USA
NEW YORK — There are moments that define us—not just as individuals, but as a Jewish people and supporters of our land of Israel. There’s far too much happening in our Jewish National Fund-USA world to include in this short update, yet I hope I can provide a small taste of what’s inspiring hundreds of thousands of philanthropists throughout our nation to stand together with the most trusted organization for the land and people of Israel – Jewish National Fund-USA.
This past month, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel with our dear friend and Jewish National Fund-USA partner, Todd Patkin, on his first visit to our homeland since 2016. Together, we traced the past, present, and future of Zionism—not through textbooks or memories, but through blueprints and a bold vision.
We began in Be’er Sheva, the beating heart of Israel’s South and future home of our global 16-acre, $350 million World Zionist Village. Todd, one of the earliest believers in this transformative initiative, didn’t just see master plans—he saw destiny. He saw how this project will elevate Be’er Sheva and Israel and energize global Zionism for generations to come.
We unveiled the Patkin Pathway, a tribute to Todd’s enduring legacy and unwavering commitment. Nearly two decades ago, his first gift helped restore Rothschild Boulevard, the very first street in Tel Aviv. Today, he lays down another path—one of purpose and promise, connecting past to future, diaspora to homeland, and soul to soil.
We were honored to be joined by Be’er Sheva’s visionary Mayor, Ruvik Danilovich, whose stirring words reminded us that in the land where Abraham established his first well, we are not lamenting what was—we are building what’s next.
From Be’er Sheva, we journeyed south to a place once covered in sand dunes—now a world-renowned rehabilitation village for people with disabilities. Supported by Jewish National Fund-USA and championed by Todd since day one, ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran rehabilitation village has become an oasis of dignity, inclusion, and resilience.
Since October 7, it has also become a sanctuary for wounded soldiers and survivors of terror—a place where healing meets hope, and where the spirit of our people refuses to break.
Meanwhile, at our Lauder Employment Center, we met passionate young adults ready to build their futures in the Negev. These aren’t just job seekers—they are Zionist pioneers, fueling our vision to attract 500,000 new residents to Israel’s South.
We then traveled to Sha’ar HaNegev, where my dear friend Ofir Libstein, of blessed memory, served as mayor before his life was tragically taken by Hamas during the October 7 massacre. But even in grief, we witnessed a resurgence of life.
We toured the site of the new Regional Sports Complex, named in memory of Ofir Libstein, currently under construction—which will feature soccer fields, along with workout, track, and field facilities, locker rooms, and seating for 1,000. Soon, it will be a place where families gather, children play, and the Negev beats with renewed energy as we rebuild together.
At Kibbutz Re’im, established in 1949 by members of the Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation and the site of the infamous NOVA Music Festival massacre, we saw rebirth in action. A new Central Park is rising, and with 88% of residents already returning and more moving back this fall, the housing development sites we’re creating are more than just the future site of new homes. They are sanctuaries of hope.
Come and hear the sound of children playing, and you will see what a brighter tomorrow can—and does—look like.
In the Eshkol Region – located next to the borders of Egypt and Gaza, we met with their remarkable new Mayor Michal Uziyahu and visited the site of our newest resilience center, where mental health services will soon serve this growing community.
We are in the business of attracting new residents to the Israel Envelope (formerly known as the Gaza Envelope), and to do that, we must invest in world-class infrastructure: education, employment, health and mental health services, youth programming for young leaders, and so much more. Every initiative we undertake is strategic, every project purposeful, and all part of our circle of impact.
This is why we are the most trusted and impactful philanthropic organization for the land and people of Israel.
We ended our journey at a Jewish National Fund-USA-supported agricultural high school, where 36 highly gifted students gave us a glimpse of Israel’s future.
Before their campus even opened, they walked the land for two weeks, tracing the steps of Abraham and Ben-Gurion. When they arrived at this campus, which we built in just three months, they were handed an Israeli flag and a challenge. They found a pole, carried it a mile, dug a hole, and raised the flag over their future school—a powerful declaration that this land, this dream, this mission was now theirs.
These teenagers rise at 5 a.m. to work the fields, then study, then dive into leadership and Zionist education. In them, we didn’t just see potential—we saw tomorrow. And it looks pretty darn good.
Meanwhile, the signs are up, and construction is on the horizon for our Emergency Response Centers (incorporating fire and rescue, medical, and security teams) in Nahal Oz and Kissufim—two pioneering communities located along Israel’s border with Gaza.
When seconds count, these state-of-the-art centers (that we have, and continue to build throughout Israel’s North and South) will ensure that both residents and visitors can rely on immediate, local emergency responders—just minutes, rather than hours, away.
As Jewish National Fund-USA works to attract 800,000 new residents to Israel’s North and South, together with the people of the region, we are building confident communities where families will have access to the same world-class amenities and critical services found in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
Why? Because populating Israel’s North and South isn’t just a dream—it’s a prerequisite for growth. And we’re delivering it.
And because of you—because of our community—because of the Todd Patkins, the farmers, the students, mayors, and dreamers—we are proving, every single day, that the land and people of Israel’s best days are ahead.
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Russell Robinson is the chief executive officer of the Jewish National Fund-USA.