JNF Dinner: ‘They Seek to Destroy, We Build’
The annual Jewish National Fund Breakfast for Dinner event set a local record for attendance along with “ruach.”
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
The theme of the annual Jewish National Fund Breakfast for Dinner Event was an uplifted testament to Jewish resilience and the good works of the organization.
A crowd of 500 gathered at the Atlanta History Center Overlook Ballroom on Sunday evening, Feb. 25, helping to establish a new record for attendance at the event.
Mark Kopkin, JNF President Atlanta Board of Directors, shared his appreciation and excitement, saying, “We were thinking we could never exceed the 287 mark a few years back, then last year was 400, and tonight, we topped that! Importantly, 100 of those are first timers and represent more geographical diversity.”
Also, at the top of the program, Kopkin introduced the parents of slain Lone Soldier Rose Lubin, who then offered the Prayer for the State of Israel. Kopkin announced that since the recent passing of Gladys Hirsch, this annual event would be named The Gladys and Jack Hirsch Breakfast for Israel.
Keynote speaker, Rick Krosnick, chief development officer, JNF-USA, who began his speech with a review of JNF history dating back to 1901, stated, “We repurchased our homeland from the Ottoman Turkish Empire.” He showed a compelling slide of what a barren Tel Aviv looked like in 1903 when land was selling acre by acre.
He announced that, post-Oct. 7, JNF took immediate action. “We had operations centers, vans, busses … 15,000 were moved out of the Gaza Envelope … no one told us to do it. We just did it! JNF takes risks others won’t.”
Meanwhile he saluted the volunteers who stood with recognition, and who traveled to Israel to help with farms and repairing the landscape, “While others seek to destroy, we build!”
Adam Ginsberg, 33, member of the JNF-Atlanta Board of Directors, delivered meaningful statistics in real time. Since Oct. 7, 16,600 rockets have been launched, which translates to 1.3 rockets per day during his entire lifetime. He spoke of recent Jew hatred and pledged that his generation would “keep the torch burning brightly.”
Event chair Robin Feldman introduced honorees, Kaufman siblings Mark, Jeff, and Karen Kaufman Senft, who rotated to share how their parents left a legacy of giving, starting with the first scholarships to high school in Israel and continuing through donating a bomb shelter, and purchasing a fire engine. Father, George, led family pride starting with the Blue Box. Jeff stated, “JNF is a good steward in all our values.” They evoked the memory of late brother, Richard, who was a philanthropic mensch, and concluded reciting, “Ldor V’Dor,” in unison.
Atlanta Executive Director, JNF-USA, Beth Gluck, evoked the emotion donors feel when they contribute to the right fit for them. She said, “I see the emotion on your faces. So what? What’s next? Act on what works for you.” She spoke of an Atlanta couple who donated to a horseback riding therapy for PTSD patients. Gluck announced that a representative from Red Mountain Therapy would be available for one-on-one meetings after the event. Stella Galanti sang the “Star Spangled Banner,” and Yulie Maimon lead the “Hatikvah.”
The theme of the program was “Livnot B’yahad,” a strategic initiative to rebuild communities in the Israel Envelope to honor the memory of those lost, and to rebuild a beautiful haven for those returning, while increasing the population in this critical region to show the world the unity of the Jewish people.
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