LOS ANGELES, Calif., November 30, 2021 — On Sunday, November 21, 2021, Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) hosted an exclusive event for major donors in Los Angeles featuring an elegant reception and behind-the-scenes tour of Dodger Stadium, home of the 2020 World Series Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
JNF-USA major donors in Los Angeles attend VIP event at Dodger Stadium
Attendees were also treated to an intimate conversation with Team Israel’s General Manager, Peter Kurz, who discussed what it was like to lead a team of Jewish-American baseball players to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and what’s next for baseball in Israel in the coming months and years.
“This event was initially scheduled 18 months ago, prior to the Olympics, but was postponed because of the pandemic,” said Kurz. “I appreciated the opportunity to update our most loyal donors about how Israel Baseball performed over the last six months (quite admirably I must say), as well as what our plans are for the future and how JNF-USA’s partners can continue supporting us."
Attendees took photos for personalized baseball cards, received customized Team Israel jerseys, and experienced the rare opportunity to walk on the field, sit in the dugout, and visit restricted areas of Dodger Stadium that are typically only accessible to players and staff.
JNF-USA major donors sit in the dugout at Dodger Stadium wearing custom Team Israel jerseys
The VIP guests also heard from Louis Rosenberg, JNF-USA’s Executive Director in Los Angeles, who spoke about the generosity of local partners in LA and across the U.S. who have helped Jewish National Fund-USA make the impossible possible for the Israeli national team and the organization’s continued efforts to invest in the future of baseball and softball throughout Israel.
“Featured in national publications including USA Today and Associated Press, among other major news outlets across the country, JNF-USA’s Project Baseball initiative covered a large portion of Team Israel’s expenses for the 2021 Olympic Games and will continue to raise millions of dollars in the coming years to help develop the next generation of Israeli athletes,” said Brian Cohen, member of JNF-USA’s President’s Society and Project Baseball/Softball Task Force. “Additionally, we are building state-of-the-art baseball and softball fields in Israel, including the primary Team Israel field in Beit Shemesh which is expected to be the site of future international competitions and boost tourism in the area.”
To learn more about JNF-USA and future events in Los Angeles, and/or how you can play a role in the future of baseball in Israel, contact Louis Rosenberg at lrosenberg@jnf.org or 323.964.1400 x963.
Click here to view photos from event (photo credit Esteban Ramirez).
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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.