Over the past few years, when I was privileged to visit Federation projects in Israel, Ethiopia, and Boulder, I have seen with my own eyes the amazing accomplishments of Federation and its partners.

During a mission trip to Israel, we helped Yemenite women at a shelter in Be’ersheva. Each woman owned only a single pair of shoes, and they all were facing domestic abuse. We spent time in Ramat Negev, our Federation sister city, meeting teens who emigrated from their Eastern countries. We were able to spend a few short hours in Sdterot on the Gaza border, speaking with health professionals about post-traumatic stress and talking with blast survivors from Katusha rockets. (We did so while underneath the protection of a bomb shelter. These bomb shelters, provided by Federation, each cost ten thousand dollars.) We watched tiny dancers from poor families in Lod dance at the JCC in stocking feet because shoes were out of the question. Our Colorado Federation group collected money on the spot to provide shoes for these little girls.

On a similarly funded Federation mission trip to Addis Abbas, we met men and women who had never seen toothbrushes, and we taught them how to use them. We taught Ethiopian women ready to immigrate to Israel how to use a toilet and buckle an airplane seat belt. On that same Federation trip, we saw children with large, curious eyes strapped to their homeless mothers’ backs, and we fed them.

I have been lucky enough to embark on many trips with Federation, however, it is important to remember that the needs are not only global and nor is the support that our Federation provides.  Our own neighborhoods, our own neighbors have needs that are met by the Federation. In Boulder, the eleventh grade class at the Hebrew High School in the JCC anxiously awaits their opportunity to visit their Jewish roots in Israel. Federation has provided generous subsidies to IST families for many years, ensuring that lack of money is never a reason not to go. Jewish Family Service hosts an amazing Passover seder every spring for everyone in need. JFS also receives funding from Federation.

Why am I telling my story, you ask? I am sharing my path to Federation in the hopes that it illuminates yours. Please join me for dinner at CHOICES on November 9^th from 6-9 p.m. at the Sheraton in downtown Denver and help support all of the important work of Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado. There will even be a bus going from Boulder to the event so parking and driving is not an issue. CHOICES is made possible by a generous gift from Sue Allon and several other donors, so there is NO charge to attend. A $200.00 minimum pledge to core funds payable by December 31, 2012 is requested in return.

We are VERY excited to announce that the speaker for CHOICES this year will be Tzipi Livni, the current Israeli Opposition Leader and the leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. The evening will be fascinating, filled with incredible shared experiences and inspiring stories. Join 1,200 other Jewish women and help Jews in need everywhere. We need you!

Over the past six decades, Israel’s landscape has changed dramatically and nowhere is that more evident than in the Negev, a once-barren landscape that now has flourishing communities and an enhanced quality of life.

This trip will provide access to sites not found on most typical itineraries.

Some highlights include:

• Ramon Air Force Base – interact with IDF soldiers and tour the JNF’s Wetlands Solution Project
• Ayalon Institute – a secret bullet factory established during the War of Independence
• Arava Institute – which houses the Methuselah Tree, the oldest germinated tree seed
• Kibbutz Grofit – home to Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center – focusing on children with special needs
• Optional treatments at Kibbutz Revivim’s thermal mineral spa
• Briefings by top Israel newsmakers, experts and opinion leaders
• JNF’s state of the art, secure indoor playground in Sderot
• Timna Park – site of King Solomon’s mines
• Wine tasting at Boker Valley vineyards
• Optional day trip to Petra

Israel’s Great Frontier – A Mission to the Negev will begin on May 12 in Eilat and conclude in Tel Aviv on May 19, 2011.  An optional extension to Jerusalem will continue through May 22, 2011.

To learn more about this exciting opportunity,  please join us for an informational meeting with opening remarks from Professor Shaul Gabbay on Wednesday, August 18th at 7 p.m.  Call 303-573-7095 to RSVP.

You may also click on the following link for a detailed itinerary:  http://support.jnf.org/site/DocServer/Israel_s_Great_Frontier_-_A_Mission_to_the_Negev_-_Narra.pdf?docID=4983

Discover how dynamic & vital Israel is today!  With over 100 years of experience as the caretaker of the land of Israel, no one knows Israel better than JNF!

Denver Metropolitan Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to Participate

Denver, CO – Breast cancer knows no boundaries – be they age, gender, socio-economic status, race, creed, or geographic location. In Israel, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women with nearly 4,000 new cases diagnosed every year.

In October 2010, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® will bring together advocates, survivors and supporters from every corner of the globe in the historic Jerusalem to help launch the Israel Breast Cancer Collaborative. The Collaborative, in partnership with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Global Promise Fund, is designed to empower people with life-saving information and to raise funds for the global breast cancer fight. The Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is inviting Coloradoans to represent our state at this historic event.

Komen for the Cure will host an Israel Mission Delegation of philanthropists, dignitaries, survivors and activists to serve as mission Ambassadors. The delegation of mission Ambassadors will join Komen leaders the week of October 25, 2010 to participate in the launch of Komen’s Breast Cancer Collaborative efforts in Israel. Delegates will visit Komen grantees and learn directly from Israeli dignitaries about the burden of cancer on local families. Delegates will have many opportunities to experience the culture and heritage of this ancient city considered holy to three of the world’s major religions. The week will culminate in the inaugural Israel Race for the Cure, which will be held just outside the walls of Old Jerusalem, and will serve as the rallying cry for all people to join together around the common goal of ending breast cancer forever.

The launch of the Israel Breast Cancer Collaborative also highlights the higher breast cancer risk among Jewish women of Ashkenazi descent.  In the United States, breast cancer risk seems to be slightly higher among Jewish women than among other women. This increased risk is likely due to the high prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations in Jewish women of Eastern European descent. While BRCA1/2 mutations are rare in the general population, about 2.5 percent or an estimated 1 in 40 of Ashkenazi Jewish women carry a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. People who carry a BRCA1/2 mutation have a very high risk of breast cancer. A woman’s lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 12 percent if she does not have a BRCA1/2 mutation. For women with a BRCA1 mutation, however, the lifetime risk of breast cancer ranges from 60 to 90 percent. And, for women with a BRCA2 mutation, estimates range from 30 to 85 percent.

Komen delegates can choose from three Mission Delegation package levels ranging in price from $4,240 to $13,244 per person (USD). Funds raised from each Mission Delegation package include a donation to support the mission of Komen – to save lives and end breast cancer forever. For more information, call 303.744.2088.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and the Komen Denver Metropolitan Affiliate

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. The Denver Metropolitan Affiliate of Susan G Komen for the Cure is working to better the lives of those facing breast cancer in the local community. They join more than a million breast cancer survivors and activists around the globe as part of the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting breast cancer. Through events like the Komen Denver Race for the Cure®, the Komen Denver Metropolitan Affiliate has invested $25 million in community breast health programs in 19 Colorado counties (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Park, Phillips, Sedgwick, Summit, Washington, Weld, and Yuma). Up to 75 percent of net proceeds generated by the Affiliate stay in the Denver Metropolitan area. The remaining income goes to the national Susan G. Komen for the Cure Grants Program to fund research. For more information, call 303-744-2088 or visit www.komendenver.org.

March 2010 — New York, NY — May is a beautiful time to visit Israel. Coming just after the rainy season, it marks a time of rebirth and renewal in the land. Whether you are looking to explore all of Israel or are interested in choosing a trip with a special theme or focus, Jewish National Fund (JNF) offers a variety of missions to suit your needs.

With over 100 years of experience as caretaker of the land of Israel, no one knows Israel better than JNF. JNF’s missions appeal to all types of travelers and offer participants the chance to see a side of Israel that other trips don’t. It’s an opportunity to appreciate the history and culture of Israel while also seeing firsthand JNF’s efforts to improve the land of Israel through forestry, water and recreational projects.

For your next vacation, consider one of JNF’s exciting upcoming missions to Israel:

Heart and Soul Mission, May 2-9, 2010 — Discover the beauty and innovation of the land of Israel and learn about JNF’s projects on this 7-day mission. For more information, contact Beth Gluck at bgluck@jnf.org or Ronnie Porat at rporat@jnf.org or call 404-236-8990.

Baseball Mission, May 9-15, 2010 — Celebrate the continued growth and survival of baseball in the Jewish homeland, including JNF’s Project Baseball. For more information, contact Hannah Schwartz at hschwartz@jnf.org or 212-879-9305 ext. 254.

Israel Insights Mission, May 23-29, 2010 — Tour the best of Israel’s historic and cultural sites and visit some of JNF’s important projects. For more information, contact Lois Tannenbaum at ltannenbaum@jnf.org or 407-804-5568.

In the works for 2011, we’ll offer exciting new trips, including a culinary tour of Israel that explores the spirit of the land of Israel through food.

No matter your taste or level of interest, you can find your next trip to Israel with JNF. To find out more about these and other upcoming JNF missions to Israel, please contact the individuals listed above, visit www.jnf.org/travel, email travel@jnf.org or call 877-JNF-TOUR (563-8687).

Jewish National Fund (JNF) began in 1901 collecting coins in blue boxes to purchase land and return the Jewish people to their homeland. In over 107 years, JNF has evolved into a global environmental leader and become the central address for partnering with the land and people of Israel. JNF has planted 240 million trees; built over 1,000 parks and recreational areas; constructed security roads; educated students around the world about Israel; created new communities so that Jews from around the world would have a place to call home; discovered new means of growing plants under arid conditions, bringing green to the desert; and built over 200 reservoirs and water recycling centers, increasing Israel’s water supply by 10%. Today, JNF is supporting Israel’s newest generation of pioneers by bringing life to the Negev Desert, Israel’s last frontier.

A United Nations NGO, JNF sponsors international conferences on desertification, shares afforestation techniques, and funds research on arid land management. JNF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and continuously earns top ratings from charity overseers. For more information on JNF, call 888-JNF-0099 or visit www.jnf.org.

February 2010 – New York, NY – Pack your bags and batter up! If you love the game of baseball and feel the same way about Israel, then read on! Join Jewish National Fund’s (JNF) first-ever baseball mission to Israel May 8-15, 2010 and bring your cleats because you’re going to be playing your way across the country. Yes, this week-long trip includes daily games and clinics with the Israel Association of Baseball, coupled with touring the land.

With over 100 years of experience as caretaker of the land of Israel, no one knows Israel better than JNF. JNF missions, arranged through JNF’s Travel & Tours Department, allow you to see a side of Israel that other trips don’t, going above and beyond the classic tourist experience. The Baseball Mission to Israel looks to do one better than that.

Playing baseball in the holy land is the perfect trip for people like me who love baseball and Israel,” said mission chair Dr. Kenny Fried, “In addition to showing mission participants a good time, we hope this also highlights the value of integrating baseball into Israeli society – for adults and kids alike. It works well with JNF’s Project: Baseball campaign.”

JNF’s Project: Baseball is a far-reaching plan to foster the growth of baseball in Israel, where the number of fans and players is on the rise but adequate baseball fields are scarce. The campaign involves building state-of-the-art baseball, softball, and professional-caliber fields throughout the country to provide recreational outlets and entertainment opportunities for Israelis of all ages.

The first real baseball field in Israel was built in 1979. Today, there are scores of leagues throughout Israel, accommodating players of all ages, genders, and denominations; it is estimated that the number of regular baseball players exceeds 2,000. Israel’s baseball federations — the Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) and the Israel Softball Association (ISA) — compete against teams from Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East. Since 2001, the IAB has held annual “peace clinics” in which children from Jewish and Arab schools meet on the baseball field to learn the sport and make new friends, giving them rare opportunity to interact and work together. The result of these clinics is Tel Aviv’s first Jewish-Arab baseball team in Jaffa.

Growth of the sport has been stymied by a severe shortage of baseball fields. In Jerusalem, where hundreds of adults and children participate in league play, there is only one true baseball field, but instead of grass, it is covered with a dangerous combination of dust, rocks, and thorns. In Bet Shemesh, the only field is built on a slope, forcing children to run uphill to reach first base. Haifa, Be’er Sheva, and Tiberias have no baseball fields at all, so players must travel to other cities.

As part of Project Baseball, JNF has upgraded and enhanced two baseball fields—Sportek, a much-needed facility outside of Tel Aviv that hosted the 2009 Maccabi Games and caters to local amateur players, and the field at the Yarkon Sports Complex in Petach Tikva, which is used by hundreds of people each day.

Now JNF is committed to upgrading Israel’s first baseball field at Kibbutz Gezer. Located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the community overlooks the historic route that Herzl took from Jaffa to Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century. The kibbutz’s baseball field is used by fans throughout the region, especially those from the popular baseball/softball enclaves of Bet Shemesh and Modi’in. It is also a favored site for games of the national softball league. Long-term plans call for creating an all-inclusive Sports Park at Kibbutz Gezer, which in addition to baseball fields will include basketball courts, soccer fields, a swimming pool, and a children’s playground.

In addition to daily games, trip highlights include stops in the Old City of Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, Atlit Illegal Immigration Camp, lunch with soldiers at an IDF base, a day tour of the Negev, and an optional trip to Massada, just to name a few itinerary stops.

Land Only: $2360 (based on double occupancy). Single supplement is $595. Includes six nights at a Tel Aviv hotel, seven days with a guide, entrance fees and all touring and transfers.  For information, contact Hannah Schwartz at hschwartz@jnf.org or 212-879-9305 ext. 254.

Jewish National Fund (JNF) began in 1901 collecting coins in blue boxes to purchase land and return the Jewish people to their homeland. In over 107 years, JNF has evolved into a global environmental leader and become the central address for partnering with the land and people of Israel. JNF has planted 240 million trees; built over 1,000 parks and recreational areas; constructed security roads; educated students around the world about Israel; created new communities so that Jews from around the world would have a place to call home; discovered new means of growing plants under arid conditions, bringing green to the desert; and built over 200 reservoirs and water recycling centers, increasing Israel’s water supply by 10%. Today, JNF is supporting Israel’s newest generation of pioneers by bringing life to the Negev Desert, Israel’s last frontier.
A United Nations NGO, JNF sponsors international conferences on desertification, shares afforestation techniques, and funds research on arid land management. JNF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and continuously earns top ratings from charity overseers. For more information on JNF, call 888-JNF-0099 or visit www.jnf.org.

“Israel is a concept until you visit. When you are there and you feel it, breathe it, experience it, it changes your relationship towards Israel and American Jewry in ways you never could imagine.”

Here is the link for the Heart To Heart mission on the Jewish Federations of North America website. Deadline for registration is December 1, 2009. Please consider joining me and if you have any questions, let’s talk. Love, Jackie Sprinces Wong