Over the weekend, the Jewish National Fund-USA launched its Global Conference for Israel at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. The conference, which officially opened on November 15 and featured a Shabbat dinner, centered on the theme "We Choose Life: Rebuilding and Reimagining Israel's North and South," bringing together over 2,500 supporters from across the world, according to reports from PR Newswire and FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. Jewish actor and comedian Michael Rapaport served as emcee for the event.
Live with the one and only @michaelrapaport, our incredible emcee for tonight's Gala Dinner at the Global Conference for Israel! 🎤✨#JNFGC24 #PoweredByJNF pic.twitter.com/HXL0TXFUKQ
— Jewish National Fund-USA (@JNFUSA) November 17, 2024
"When we come together, we are unstoppable. Indeed, one of the greatest things about Jewish National Fund-USA is that we're not about Right or Left, red or blue, we're about the land and the people of Israel," Jewish National Fund-USA President Deb Zaluda told attendees during her opening remarks.
Conference Co-chair Michael Miller addressed the organization's emergency response efforts: "5784 was a horrific year all around the world. You – we – came together urgently to fight antisemitism and to support our brethren in Israel. Jewish National Fund-USA immediately started providing emergency relief, as well as monthly volunteer missions and community events. Together, we're building a future that will have a lasting impact for generations to come."
The gathering featured prominent Israeli leaders, including Mayor of Eshkol Michal Uziyahu and Commander of the Emergency Squad of Kfar Giladi Nisan Zeevi. Uziyahu emphasized the resilience of communities under pressure, stating, "When confronted with such darkness, we face a crucial choice. We can passively watch as history unfolds around us, or we can actively choose to shape it. By choosing life, light, and hope, we follow in the footsteps of generations before us… who refused to be merely victims of circumstance."
Jewish National Fund-USA CEO Russell Robinson reflected on recent events, noting, "The stories that will be written about October 7 will be about the over 1,200 people who were murdered, raped, and massacred... yet the stories should also be about the bravery of the 60,000 people in the Israel envelope and the 120,000 people in the north who had to leave their homes and became refugees in their own land."
Shabbat Shalom from the JNF-USA Global Conference! The energy is electric as over 2,500 passionate Zionists will gather tonight for Shabbat dinner. Wishing everyone a peaceful and joyous Shabbat filled with unity, connection, and Israel pride!#JNFGC24 #PoweredByJNF #Israel pic.twitter.com/9yEVAWCuCk
— Jewish National Fund-USA (@JNFUSA) November 15, 2024
The conference this year aims, in part, to provide a counterweight to pro-Palestinian activism spreading across university campuses, including UT Dallas, according to SMU Political Science Professor Matthew Wilson.
"The vast majority of Jewish Americans believe in the legitimacy of the state of Israel," he said. "Now, they vary in their assessment of specific Israeli government policies, particularly with regards to the conduct of the war in Gaza or Israeli actions in Lebanon. I think the organizers of this conference, to some degree, want to push back on that and to rally support among younger people for the Israeli position," Wilson said.
However, opposition to the Israeli prime minister's war strategy continues to increase. Outside the conference venue, Palestinian solidarity demonstrators made their presence known, with police arresting several protesters during a street sit-in on Thursday.
"You have both Jews that have an interest in this, and you have non-Jews who have an interest in this," said Kenneth Gray with the University of New Haven. "And so you have quite a few voices that are speaking out against Israel."
