Page 29 - Jewish News_May-June-2020

ISRAEL & THE JEWISH WORLD May/June 2020 29

Jewish National Fund-USA brings students home

Jewish National Fund-USA charters El Al Boeing 787 Dreamliner to fly students
studying at Alexander Muss High School in Israel back to the U.S.
arasota, FL – March 23, 2020 – time) and arrived in JFK’s Terminal 4 others have been such strong support-
As Israel strengthens measures on March 16 at 5:33 a.m. U.S. EDT. ers of JNF-USA for so many years. We
Sto curb the spread of COVID-19 Toby Halpen, a member of JNF- are very sad that our daughter is miss-
and as uncertainty around the avail- USA Sarasota’s Board of Directors ing the remainder of the semester, as
ability of international flights grows, and the grandmother of High School it was the most amazing experience,
Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF- in Israel student Rachel Warhaftig, is but we know that she will find a way to
USA) immediately released $500,000 glad to have her granddaughter home. return to Israel when the time is right,
from the organization’s endowment to “I can’t say enough about how won- through another JNF-USA program.”
charter an El Al Boeing 787 Dreamlin- derful she found the program; “awe- Joshua Mellits, Jewish National
er to fly home 282 American students some, incredible” are her words. And Fund-USA Western Florida Director,
studying at Jewish National Fund- I can’t say thank you enough to JNF- shared, “As a proud alumnus of High
USA’s Alexander Muss High School USA for bringing her and her class- School in Israel, this operation has to
(AMHSI-JNF / High School in Israel) mates home safe and sound. I am be one of my proudest moments. Act-
in Hod HaSharon, Israel, in addition to certain that she will return to Israel at a ing in such a time-sensitive manner
students from other programs. more auspicious time for another JNF- showed the students and their parents
Recently, High School in Israel USA program. Rachel and her parents our organizational heart and soul.”
staff joined students and escorted them have become devoted to JNF-USA, “With every challenge there are
by bus to Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, as am I.” opportunities,” said AMHSI-JNF Pres-
where chaperones accompanied stu- Rachel’s mom, Elise Warhaftig, ident Ron Werner. “I am inspired by the
dents through passport control and to also feels grateful to have her daughter words of High School in Israel’s Rabbi,
the plane. Once on the plane, students back in the U.S. “There are not enough Leor Sinai, who shared with me that it
were accompanied by El Al staff mem- words of thanks to JNF-USA for bring- is certainly a time for cheshbon nefesh, 32,000 alumni who have experienced
bers. Students were greeted on arrival ing our kids home safe and sound on self-reflection, as we take stock of our the same ‘Muss magic’ since 1972.”
at JFK by Jewish National Fund-USA the chartered flight. We are so grate- past and prepare for our future. Despite Jewish National Fund-USA is the
and High School in Israel profession- ful for the hard work, coordination the current challenges, we remind our- leading philanthropic organization for
als, in addition to many of the students’ and swift action of everyone involved. selves that the hundreds of students we Israel that supports critical environ-
parents. JNF-USA is an incredible organization are bringing back to the U.S. will have mental and nation-building activities
The El Al flight departed on Sun- and we always knew there was a rea- had the most transformative experi- in Israel’s north and south. Through its
day, March 15 at 11:00 p.m. (Israel son why our parents, grandparents and ence of their lives in Israel as they join One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the
Next Decade, Jewish National Fund-
USA is developing new communities
in the Galilee and Negev, connecting
the next generation to Israel, and creat-
ing infrastructure for ecology, special
needs and heritage preservation.
High School in Israel looks for-
ward to welcoming students back for
the 2020 Summer Session. Prospective
students and parents who are inter-
ested in learning more about AMHSI-
JNF or Roots Israel (a three-week
service learning program), can visit
www.AMHSI.org or contact Andrea
Schleider at aschleider@amhsi.org or
Staff from High School in Israel and Jewish National Fund-USA Teens from Jewish National Fund-USA’s High School in Israel
manage the arrival of students into JFK (photo credits: JNF-USA) reunited with parents in the arrivals hall of JFK’s terminal 4 212.472.9300 x482.

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