JFLV CEO Weekly Message - Making David Ben-Gurion’s dreams come true

Ramat HaNegev & Las Vegas are making
David Ben-Gurion’s dreams come true

Last week I returned from an incredible visit to Israel.  I specifically went to meet with the people and officials in our  partnership region of Ramat HaNegev and to explore collaboration opportunities for Las Vegas.  It was a tremendous experience that allowed me to tour the entire region and meet the people who are writing the next chapter for the Jewish State.  Ramat HaNegev is the largest municipality in Israel making up 22% of the country.  Comparatively, in the United States, that would be the equivalent of an area the size of Alaska and Texas…combined.  The region lies just south of Be'er Sheva and extends to the Egyptian border on the west, the Zin valley to the east, and Makhtesh Ramon to the South.  Most significant to me, the region includes the village of Sde Boker, the home and final resting place of Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion.

The people and municipal leadership of Ramat HaNegev have been carrying out the dream of Ben-Gurion - to make the desert bloom.  The region hosts acres of farm land containing some of the worlds best produce and an innovative irrigation system that has been deployed in nearly every corner of the planet and certainly in Southern Nevada.  But agriculture is not the end of the story in Ramat HaNegev, it is just the beginning.  The region is quickly becoming a leader in solar energy, eco-tourism, and farm-to-table dining.  It is the home of the largest track of mountain bike trails in Israel, miles of hiking trails, and bed and breakfasts that would rival anything found in Santa Fe or Sanoma.  Ramat HaNegev also has the only drug and alcohol treatment center between Eilat and Jerusalem.

The connection between Ramat HaNegev and Las Vegas began nearly 9 years ago and has blossomed into a true partnership.  My first evening in Israel I witnessed the power of our relationship first hand.  I attended a celebration for the recipients of the Joan and Laurence Davis Scholarship.  Joan and Laurence established this fund six years ago to provide vocational and/or university scholarships to residents of Ramat HaNegev.  Since it's inception, the fund has awarded over 800 scholarships and has created an environment where young people are staying in the Negev and not moving to the larger cities in Israel.  Nearly every person that I interacted with in Ramat HaNegev had either known about the scholarship, had a friend or family who had been a recipient, or they had personally received a scholarship.  The program has steadily grown and has received recognition throughout Israel.  The Israeli lottery system has started to contribute to the fund and exponentially expanded the capacity and reach of the scholarship program.  It was truly an honor to be with Joan and Laurence at this celebration and to witness the appreciation of the past and current recipients.

The scholarship fund is just one of the ways that Ramat HaNegev is building the future of the Negev and Israel.  During my tour I also visited Kibbutz Revivim, the oldest Kibbutz in the region.  While the Kibbutz has many of the markings of a traditional Kibbutz community, it also has a component that is very non-traditional.  Revivim houses a start up incubator called Madgera .  This program provides entrepreneurs with the opportunity to work on their business concepts while living on the Kibbutz. The kibbutz provides a working space and staff to assist the start-ups in getting to the marketing phase of their product.  It was truly inspiring to see this type of activity and innovation and I hope to one day see young entrepreneurs from Las Vegas taking part in the program.

My visit also included visits to social service projects in other locations in Israel with which our community is also involved.  I visited Ben Yakir, an all boys, religious, Jewish Agency Youth Village near Hadera.  Ben Yakir has about 90 students who are precariously close to falling through the cracks of Israeli society.  Their circumstances range from less than optimal home environments to behavioral issues.  Ben Yakir provides an environment for these boys, the majority of whom are Ethiopian, to learn in a traditional school setting while also providing vocational training in electronics and agriculture.  The youth village has a small zoo that helps the boys learn how to be responsible for others by caring for the animals on a daily basis.  They also take part in a therapeutic horseback riding program to help boost self confidence.  The Las Vegas community has provided funding to Ben Yakir for specific programs and we look to expand our activity in the coming years.

I was privileged to also meet with the Michael Levin Lone Soldiers Center.  For years I had thought that the only lone soldiers were those who came to Israel from foreign lands to serve in the IDF.  My eyes were opened when I learned that Lone Soldiers can also include those who have been abandoned by their families for several reasons including those from Haredi homes who have joined the IDF.   Many of these Israeli soldiers are considered "Lone" as they have no family support system outside of the IDF.  In addition to supporting the lone soldiers while they are enlisted, the center is establishing educational programs to help those soldiers enter the workforce upon completing their compulsory military service.  Firing a tank and loading a rifle are essential skills in the army, but are not always helpful in finding a job after the service.  I believe that there is a potential partnership for our community with the Lone Soldiers Center and I look forward to discussing it with our leadership.

The last visit that I will mention was with a terrific program called “The Sky is the Limit."  This program is run by an incredible, 28 year old woman named Moriah Ben-Ami.  Moriah happens to be from Kibbutz Revivim in Ramat HaNegev and was a recipient of a Davis Scholarship.  Moriah has an infection enthusiasm for her work and has established The Sky is the Limit to provide after school activities for underprivileged middle school grade children in Jerusalem.  Spending the day with Moriah, I was inspired as I witnessed Moriah’s team — young post army, college student Israelis - dedicating their careers and volunteer time to helping those in need in their community.  It is a story not often told in or about Israelis.  There is social entrepreneurship happening and Moriah and her team are the embodiment of this trend.  I hope to bring Moriah to Las Vegas in the near future to speak about her program and to learn from agencies in Las Vegas who are running similar programs for youth in our community.

Again, there is way to much to tell about my ten days in Israel.  It was a whirlwind trip that exposed me to the real and profound difference that we - in Las Vegas - are having on the people of Ramat HaNegev and others touched by our supported programs.  The Jewish Federation of Las Vegas is committed to this partnership and we will do everything possible to continue it's growth and mutually beneficial impact on our community and the State of Israel.  If you are interested in becoming involved in our programs in Israel, please be in touch at todd@jewishlasvegas.com.

Shabbat Shalom

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