May 26, 2021 — JNFuture, Jewish National Fund-USA’s (JNF-USA) community of philanthropists ages 22-40 who share a commitment and passion for the land and people of Israel, is hosting its inaugural LGBTQ+ event on Sunday, June 13 during National Pride Month. Moderated by JNF-USA’s Associate Director of Los Angeles Quentin Ozeri, Pride in the Israeli Frontier: A Virtual Event for Young Professionals will feature a panel of incredible speakers who are invaluable to the Israeli LGBTQ+ community.

“LGBTQ+ rights are an important connection for many individuals from the Millennial and Gen Z generations when it comes to supporting Israel because it is such an open and welcoming society, said Ozeri. “As a broad-based organization, it’s important for us to provide programming and content that resonates with our diverse partner (donor) base and shows them that JNF-USA remains committed to fostering diversity and inclusion.”

Attendees will hear from an all-star lineup of Israeli LGBTQ+ activists, including Gil Elias, CEO of the Be'er Sheva Pride House, who is also a poet and a local activist in the southern LGBTQ+ community, as well as a language and sexuality researcher at the Hebrew language department at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Hadash Goldman, Co-Founder of JNF-USA affiliate MAKOM, a network focused on empowering and revitalizing towns and villages throughout Israel, is a founding member of the LGBTQ+ center in Afula and is a Co-Founder and Resource Development Director of Tarbut, an Israeli organization that supports low-income neighborhoods. The panel will also feature Arnon Allouche, the manager of Communities’ House for Pride and Tolerance who previously worked in mental health rehabilitation, helping people with mental health disabilities integrate into society.

“JNF-USA’s work is having a positive impact on Israeli residents from the Negev to the Galilee, including those in the LGBTQ+ community,” said Jeffrey Greenberg, Associate Director of JNFuture, Florida, who is co-organizing the event with Quentin Ozeri. “We aim to host events that cater to everyone’s interests and want to create as many opportunities as possible for JNF-USA’s supporters to connect with like-minded peers. This event is an exciting opportunity to highlight Israel’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community and LGBTQ+ initiatives that many here in the United States aren’t aware of.”

Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

Event details:

What: JNFuture Presents: Pride in the Israeli Frontier

When: Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PT

Where: Zoom. Register at jnfuturepride

Cost: Free to attend

Questions about the event? Contact Jeffrey Greenberg at jgreenberg@jnf.org or Quentin Ozeri at QOzeri@jnf.org.

In addition, don’t miss JNF-USA’s virtual reading series event on Wednesday, July 28 featuring a live Q&A with author Ben Freeman about his book, Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People. Inspired by his experiences with LGBTQ+ pride, Freeman aims to educate, inspire, and empower Jewish people to reject the shame of antisemitism imposed on Jews by the non-Jewish world, as well as non-Jewish perceptions of what it means to be a Jew.

Learn more about JNF-USA and JNFuture at jnf.org.

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Media Contact:

Jennifer Milton

561.447.9733 x 875

jmilton@jnf.org

About Jewish National Fund-USA

JNF-USA is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation building activities in Israel’s north and south. Through its One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade, JNF-USA is developing new communities in the Galilee and Negev, connecting the next generation to Israel, and creating infrastructure and programs that support ecology, individuals with special needs, and heritage site preservation.