Dr. Kenneth Fried has taken many trips to Israel in the past, but there’s a reason he keeps returning with Jewish National Fund-USA. So, when he and his wife Sharon, and their entire family down to their three young grandchildren were planning a 10-day trip he knew exactly who to ask for help.

At the end of December, after handing Jewish National Fund-USA the planning reigns, the Frieds spent two days in Tel Aviv and Jaffa, checking out the vibrant cities and exploring the Museum of the Jewish People. Then, on the way from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, they stopped at a Kedem vineyard and the Ayalon Institute Museum. The rest of their trip included time at Yad Vashem and in the Old City of Jerusalem, trips to Eilat, the Dead Sea, and Masada, and three days in Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev.

As a member of Healthcare Professionals for Israel, Century Council, and the President’s Society it was natural for Fried to first contact Jewish National Fund-USA to plan the itinerary. What he got was the adventure of a lifetime that was organized down to the last detail. More than that, he got to show his family just what it means to be part of the work Jewish National Fund-USA does to make a difference for the land and people of Israel.

“Jewish National Fund-USA is a living, breathing organization and it’s part of building the future of Israel. On every trip, they show me something I’ve never seen.”

“We went on camel rides, tried sandboarding, visited the Jewish National Fund-USA GrooveTech Center, went stargazing, and hiked 3-billion-year-old rock formations, which was incredible,” Kenneth said, but it was seeing the family name on a plaque outside the Sderot Indoor Recreation Center that made a real impact on his children. “When you see a parent or grandparent so involved and connected to something, it automatically creates a meaningful connection. When they saw our name at the entrance, they felt part of it, almost like they had been there before.”

He estimates this was his 20th trip to Israel – in the past, he hosted his four daughters’ bat mitzvahs at the southern steps in Jerusalem and went on Jewish National Fund-USA missions.

“It was only natural to reach out to (them) to see if they could coordinate our trip,” he said. “It’s an easy choice,” he explained, “Jewish National Fund-USA is a living, breathing organization and it’s part of building the future of Israel. On every trip, they show me something I’ve never seen or heard of or shine a new light on a place I’ve been and loved before. They have the connections to offer a perspective on Israel that most tourists never get to see. It’s about being part of building the future for Israelis and for Jews around the world.”

Fried is grateful he had this opportunity to travel around Israel with his family, sharing special experiences with them and creating memories to last a lifetime. The couple is already planning their next family Israel trip.

“It was absolutely amazing to share Israel with my grandkids,” he said. “They absorbed everything. It was wonderful to see it through their eyes.”

The Fried Family in Israel