IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hollywood, FL - October 26, 2025: At Jewish National Fund-USA’s Global Conference for Israel, close to 3,000 attendees were invited to “Join the Journey” toward The Emergence of a New North—a sweeping vision of rebirth, resilience, and reimagining unfolding across northern Israel.
The session brought together Israeli leaders, innovators, and visionaries who are transforming war-scarred communities in Israel’s North through Jewish National Fund-USA.
Opening the session, Jewish National Fund-USA Ambassador, Dr. Orlee Panitch, set the tone with a deeply personal reflection.
“My father’s aliyah was facilitated by Rav Kook in 1935 from Nazi Germany,” Panitch shared. “He and his family were among the early halutzim who planted trees in Tel Aviv. When he passed, it only felt natural to honor him through Jewish National Fund-USA trees. But soon we realized this organization is so much more than trees—it’s about building entire ecosystems of life and opportunity.”
steve dabrow on stage with chef lior lev sercarz at the global conference for israel
Panitch described a vibrant vision of Israel’s North—where Jewish National Fund-USA is helping attract 300,000 new residents through strategic investments in housing, infrastructure, economic development, and more.
From Jewish National Fund-USA-supported high-tech incubators to the Galilee Culinary Institute by JNF, featuring the Rosenfield School of Culinary Arts on the Marvin Sukonik Campus, she described a renaissance built on partnership and purpose.
Voices from the Galilee
Asaf Langleben, Mayor of the Upper Galilee, who served on the front lines during the war, spoke movingly about his community’s journey from crisis to recovery:
“Under fire, we built an alternative school, kept our factories running, and went out every morning to work the land,” he said. “Now we are rebuilding together—with Jewish National Fund-USA at our side.”
Michal Shiloah Galnoor, CEO of Western Galilee Now and operator of the Lauder Employment Centers—both created by Jewish National Fund-USA—shared how the organization helps sustain small businesses through its Online Mitzvah Marketplace initiative.
“When everything shut down, Jewish National Fund-USA called. They said, ‘We’re with you.’ Bakers, artists, and farmers who thought they’d lost everything suddenly had customer orders again. That marketplace wasn’t just commerce—it was hope.”
From the fields of the Galilee, farmer Dor Pintel told a story of courage and community that left the audience breathless.
“When no one else would help, Jewish National Fund-USA delivered a bomb shelter to my farm,” Pintel said. “It wasn’t just concrete—it was a message that we were not alone.”
The Culinary Future of the North
Bringing the conversation to the table—literally—Steve Dabrow, Chair of the Galilee Culinary Institute by JNF (GCI by JNF), painted a vivid picture of what he called “the future of food and the future of the Galilee.”
“This land is a crossroads of 82 cultures,” Dabrow said. “It’s time to put it on the global map next to Tuscany, Napa, and Bordeaux. The Galilee Culinary Institute will be that stage.”
Joined by renowned chef Lior Lev Sercarz, co-founder of GCI by JNF and owner of La Boîte, the duo led a dynamic discussion on how the institute will serve as an international hub for culinary innovation.
Thousands gathered to hear about Jewish National Fund-USA's reimagining of Israel's North
A Call to Build the Future
Concluding the session, Dabrow urged attendees to be “builders of this vision.”
“We have a blueprint for the future of the Galilee—but a blueprint is only the beginning,” he said. “If you will it, you still have to fund it. We need early adopters—people who will visit, learn, and taste what’s growing in the North.”
As Michael Miller of Georgia closed the session, he captured the day’s spirit simply:
“The North is indeed rising.”
CONTACT: JENNIFER MILTON
JMILTON@JNF.ORG / 561-447-9733 x875
