Jewish National Fund-USA Russell Robinson remains optimistic about the future of Zionism

In an interview with Michael Starr, Diaspora correspondent at The Jerusalem Post 2024 Annual Conference, Russell F. Robinson, CEO of Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA), expressed optimism about the Zionist movement’s future and detailed ongoing initiatives supporting Israel’s resilience and recovery.

“The Zionist movement is stronger than ever before,” Robinson asserted. “Our obituary has been written for years, and they have been wrong. Our team is winning.” He highlighted the active participation of Jewish youth in Israel, noting that over 200 high school students remain in the country despite the ongoing conflict.

Robinson spoke of the long-standing commitment of JNF-USA to the Gaza envelope communities, stating, “We have been working with these people for over two decades. Our volunteers and professionals knew these people; they’re our family.” He elaborated on the “Build Together” initiative, launched a week after the war began, which aims to reconstruct and rehabilitate the affected areas. “Over 60% of the people have moved back,” he revealed.

Robinson stated “It’s always about people. This is a generation of suffering, but we have to build resilience,” and detailed collaborations with various organizations to support victims and rebuild lives.

Robinson also introduced the ambitious project of a Zionist village in Beersheba, designed to bring together Zionist Jews and non-Jews from around the world. “It’s not about Right or Left, religious or non-religious. It’s about all of us caring about a common destiny,” he explained. He concluded with a message to young American Jews, Robinson stated that “If [they] want to join the greatest winning team in the history of the world, join the Jewish community.”

JNF-USA sponsored a portion of the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference. www.jpost.com/AC24