Sunday, October 21, 2018

Fashionistas for Israel: Hip T-shirts, Golda Meir jean jackets help JNF



By Sara Armet (JNFuture NYC)

It's T-shirt time! The highly anticipated JNF National Conference is right around the corner, October 26-29, in Phoenix, and we are so excited to be back with our second annual "Johnny + Sara: Fashionistas for Israel" campaign.

This fall, Jonathan Solomon (JNFuture Tampa) and I relaunched our fundraising initiative with brand new offerings and fresh "products with a purpose." Through the sale of our original T-shirt and limited-edition designs, JNFuture is shaping the landscape of of Israel. One hundred percent of our profits go to JNF. Our call to action: the recent Emergency Town Hall Series for the Gaza Border Crisis.
OUR MISSION

Our passion project is fueled by our endless commitment to see the people defining modern-day Israel continue to prosper and thrive. We are inspired by artisans and the small-business owners in the north and south.

OUR STORY

Our story is pretty reflective of what JNF stands for. The seed for "Johnny + Sara: Fashionistas for Israel" was planted by two friends on a mission to Israel. Through the generosity of major JNF donors, we received the ultimate gift, JLIM (JNFuture Leadership Institute Mission), a highly subsidized trip to Israel for young professionals. We wanted to find a way to say thank you and pay it forward. Thus, a few message T-shirts were born!

HOW CAN JNFuture MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

There are endless ways to be philanthropic -- with your time, your determination, your wallet. I see an opportunity to make a contribution at JNF through creativity. By selling products, we can raise funds for an incredible cause, generate momentum, and leave our footprint in Israel. We see tangible results, and we are eager to continue to do the work. As Futures, we have the opportunity to pave the way for the next generation.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Over the past year, our little grassroots project has evolved. From last year's conference, we were able to fundraise $15k through our T-shirt profits. This year we intend to bypass that. We'll be directing our gift to painting playgrounds/bomb shelters in Sderot and surrounding areas. 

For me, the most gratifying moment is seeing fellow JNF members wearing our T-shirts on the ground in Israel, during the many missions JNF leads throughout the year. Something as simple as seeing my friends and comrades in our T-shirts fills me with immense pride and gratitude. The T-shirts truly are the gift that keeps on giving.

WHY "BE’ER SHEVA OR NOWHERE"?

Be'er Sheva spoke to us. David Ben Gurion believed in the Negev and so do we. With water initiatives, the Lauder Center providing resources and job opportunities to young people and pioneers moving to the area, the amphitheater attracting artists from far and wide, Be’er Sheva is buzzing and changing rapidly. Sure, you can take holiday in Tel Aviv, but Be'er Sheva is the future.

GOLDA MEIR MIC'D UP

Be a woman with a voice! That is what "Golda Meir Mic'd Up" represents. I saw this iconic image of Golda Meir, the first female prime minister of Israel, mid press conference surrounded by all these microphones. I love this idea of women standing up for what they believe in, and I found it especially relevant in the current climate in which we live.


I knew we could reinterpret the famous Golda Meir photograph in a modern, yet wearable way. This illustration of Golda Meir is super personal to me. We take great pride in all aspects of our creative process, including the talent we work with. Our commissioned artist Julianne Norton of the Lolo Collective recently completed the MASA program in Jerusalem. It's exciting to give young artists (furthermore, young Zionists) a platform to shine.

There's a certain spirit to Golda. If you dig deeper, you see "ruach" embedded in our illustration. My favorite product: our limited-edition "Golda Meir Mic'd Up" jean jacket. 

THE TIME IS NOW

Purchase your "Johnny + Sara: Fashionistas for Israel" limited-edition designs through visiting our website. We offer a range of styles of unisex tees and other exclusive products. For a limited time, get 10% off with the code GOLDA

www.johnnyandsara.com

Also, please stop by our booth at National Conference. We'll be up and running Friday, October 26 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and again on Sunday, October 28 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

We hope you enjoy these products near to our hearts. After all #LoveGrowsInIsrael.

3 comments:

  1. JNFUTURE! I congratulate your efforts! Stay the course, engage with friends and family of all generations. Our jewish future is inextricably connecting to the future survival of our jewish homeland, israel!

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  2. Hoping to see your presence at AIPAC in march 2019! Beautiful art, powerful message. THE TIME IS NOW

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