{"id":182204,"date":"2026-06-29T03:27:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T03:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/182204\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T03:27:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T03:27:16","slug":"the-blogs-the-golden-age-of-israel-engagement-isnt-ending-its-growing-russell-f-robinson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/182204\/","title":{"rendered":"The Blogs: The Golden Age of Israel Engagement Isn\u2019t Ending \u2014 It\u2019s Growing | Russell F. Robinson"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent Times of Israel article questioned whether rising challenges signal the end of the golden age of American Jewish travel to Israel.\n<\/p>\n

But on the ground\u2014and in the hearts of our community, we see something very different.\n<\/p>\n

At Jewish National Fund-USA<\/a>, the answer is clear: not only is this golden age not ending\u2014it is growing stronger, deeper, and more meaningful than ever before.\n<\/p>\n

Across the country, families, students, and leaders are answering a powerful call:
Our family is waiting for you. Come home for a visit.\n<\/p>\n

In the coming years, more than 10,000 participants will engage in Jewish National Fund-USA\u2019s life-changing Israel experiences at our Alexander Muss High School in Israel<\/a> (Muss) Semester abroad and summer sessions<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

Many are traveling far from their families for the first time, yet what they discover is something extraordinary: a second home, an extended family, a sense of belonging that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.\n<\/p>\n

Even in challenging moments, that bond only strengthens. Students don\u2019t just visit Israel\u2014they become part of it. They build friendships that feel like family, rooted in shared purpose and shared identity.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"
\n\t\tMuss students experience sunset in the Negev Desert (Courtesy: JNF-USA)<\/p>\n

This is the story of a new generation of Zionists\u2014confident, resilient, and deeply connected. Anyone who thinks we are retreating simply hasn\u2019t met them.\n<\/p>\n

And this story extends far beyond high school students.\n<\/p>\n

This year, we launched the \u201cIsrael Leadership and Service Cohort<\/a>,\u201d an innovative eight-month experience for young adults, including high school and college grads, and early career professionals seeking purpose, direction, and impact. Combining leadership development, service, career exploration, and immersive time in Israel\u2019s South, it reflects a growing demand among young people for truly meaningful experiences that enrich their souls and resumes.\n<\/p>\n

At the same time, our Faculty Fellowship Program in Israel<\/a> and Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Fellowship to Israel<\/a>\u00a0have brought more than 1,000 non-Jewish student leaders and educators to Israel. They return home more informed and inspired to stand with their Jewish colleagues and peers on campus. Not with assumptions, but with understanding.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"
\n\t\tCaravan for democracy participants in Israel (Courtesy: JNF-USA)<\/p>\n

Our Alternative Break<\/a> programs continue to attract college students after their birthright experience who choose to spend their time in Israel learning, volunteering, and building lifelong connections with the people of the land.\n<\/p>\n

Through all of this, one truth remains constant:\n<\/p>\n

No screen, no social media platform, no classroom, no article can replace being in Israel.\n<\/p>\n

The momentum is undeniable.\u00a0Yet it\u2019s not all about young people.\n<\/p>\n

Our Jewish National Fund-USA trips this fall are already sold out\u2014including our Sunshine Tour for Active Adults 55+<\/a>, proving that one\u2019s connection to Israel only deepens with time.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"
\n\t\tSunshine Tour participants in Israel (Courtesy: JNF-USA)<\/p>\n

Why? Because Israel is not just another destination.\u00a0It\u2019s our home.\n<\/p>\n

Feel and watch the sun rise over Masada.
Have a conversation walking the streets of Jerusalem, Akko, or Be\u2019er Sheva.
Stand in the place where your story began.\n<\/p>\n

Every student boarding a plane.
Every family encouraging them.
Every adult choosing to return.\n<\/p>\n

Every family planning on going.\n<\/p>\n

Every donor who wants to see their investment at work.\n<\/p>\n

They are all sending the same message:\n<\/p>\n

We are still coming. We are still connected. We are still one family.\n<\/p>\n

So we say it clearly:\n<\/p>\n

The golden age of Israel engagement is not ending.\n<\/p>\n

It is evolving.
It is expanding.
And most importantly\u2014it is calling you.\n<\/p>\n

Your family is waiting.
Come home for a visit!\n<\/p>\n

Book your next Israel experience today at jnf.org\/travel<\/a> or call 877.563.8687.\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tRussell F. Robinson is JNF\u2019s chief executive officer. Under his leadership, JNF has developed successful far-reaching programs that play a significant role in the quality of life for all Israelis, such as community development, environmental work, sustainable development of the Negev, and solutions for Israel\u2019s water crisis.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A recent Times of Israel article questioned whether rising challenges signal the end of the golden age of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":182205,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[33],"tags":[37,28509,8138,462,6393],"class_list":["post-182204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-israel","tag-israel-programs","tag-jewish-travel","tag-travel","tag-zionism"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@iran\/116831272866843892","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=182204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/182205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=182204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=182204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=182204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}