2020 Report: Strengthening Israeli Society | The Jewish Agency

Israel is at the heart of The Jewish Agency and the work we do.

We are on the ground in Israel, serving its people through a wide range of initiatives, from supporting at-risk populations and small businesses to educating future leaders and olim, and more. During the coronavirus pandemic, our staff in Israel were essential, prioritizing Israel's most vulnerable, continuing to help beneficiaries and those in need despite multiple lockdowns and restrictive challenges.

  • In April 2020, The Jewish Agency partnered with Ogen, an Israeli nonprofit lender, to launch The Emergency Loan Fund for Israeli Nonprofits. The Fund’s mission was to help organizations in danger of going under survive the challenging COVID period.

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  • For at-risk kids in Israel and their families, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns introduced new and unique hardships. Fortunately, across Israel, Youth Futures mentors continued to ensure they received special support.

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  • With older adults at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19, our staff immediately took precautions to protect elderly Amigour residents, implementing extra safety measures to ensure vulnerable seniors were taken care of and that their chances of getting sick were low.

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DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Seth Greenberg
Atlanta, Georgia

Growing up in New Jersey (Metro West), Seth’s parents were heavily involved in Jewish communal life. He considered it a given that he would be engaged in the same way as an adult, and got involved with Jewish Federations local to where he lived as well as nationally. After a trip to Israel through a Jewish Federations of North America initiative, he learned more about The Jewish Agency and its many programs.

“While the organization may be called The Jewish Agency for Israel, it’s really The Jewish Agency for the Jewish People,” explained Seth.

A lawyer by trade, Seth is currently the CEO of ECI Group, Inc. in Atlanta, which specializes in multifamily housing in the southeastern U.S. He has a special affinity for The Jewish Agency subsidiary Amigour, which provides housing for the elderly in Israel, many of whom are Holocaust survivors.

“I have spent days walking through Amigour sites and looking at the different complexes in Israel,” shared Seth. “Seeing the amazing things The Jewish Agency is doing is life-changing. The work of this organization is so critical and has such great impact, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Seth has been a member of the Board of Governors since June 2016. He has been a donor since 2017, recently supporting Ethiopian Aliyah through Operation Zur Israel, in addition to making donations supporting other Jewish Agency programs.

Photo courtesy of Seth
Photo courtesy of Seth

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Warren Kimel
Toronto, Canada

Born to parents with less than junior high-level schooling, Warren Kimel was taught from a young age that education was fundamental. Over 30 years ago, Warren got involved with UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, which led to his supporting social Jewish Agency projects that help Israelis on the periphery.

“When I saw The Jewish Agency’s Youth Futures program in action, I was in awe. Thanks to Youth Futures, children are given the tools to succeed, teens are empowered to serve as role models and families are able to flourish. Through positive, supportive mentoring, The Jewish Agency is helping the next generation learn by example,” shared Warren. “I could actually see successful results with these kids graduating from schools. It just proved that The Jewish Agency follows through and prioritizes education in Israel. And that’s big-picture thinking.”

Warren also appreciates how The Jewish Agency values the connections between global Jewish communities and Israel, promoting these bonds through flagship programs like Masa Israel Journey and Shlichim (Israeli emissaries).

“Israel is important to all Jews, whether they realize it or not; having a homeland for the Jewish People is key. Every generation should know this and believe it, and The Jewish Agency leads these efforts by providing programs that create bonds which connect Jews everywhere to Israel,” Warren said.

Warren has been a member of The Jewish Agency’s Board of Governors since 2012 and serves as the Chair of the Marketing & Communications Committee. Since 2014, he has been a generous Jewish Agency donor, supporting diverse projects globally that benefit the Jewish People.

Photo courtesy of Warren
Photo courtesy of Warren
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