Jack Rose got scholarship help as a kid, now pays it forward in Israel

Jack Rose of Maryland (left), with JNF-Green Horizons liaison
Ido Reichman-Eisikovisits and Joel Friedlander of Delaware. 

When Jack Rose was growing up in his native New York City, he never could have imagined the life he'd lead as a philanthropist and leader in the Jewish community. 

Jack was raised by a loving single mother who worked multiple jobs to put food on the table. Thanks to a scholarship provided by his local Jewish social services organization, Jack and his sister got to discover and experience the outdoors at a summer camp -- an opportunity that left a lasting impact on him. As an adult, Jack became a talented engineer and worked his way up the corporate ladder through hard work and long hours, eventually building a professional reputation for himself and always exploring ways to give back. 

Building self-confidence on Israel's nature trails, one step at a time

Ben Freedman. who's in the eleventh grade, is now a Green Horizons guide leading younger children on 

Israeli nature excursions. 

By Itai Freeman 

I'm a father to two teenage boys who are very active in Green Horizons, which teaches kids about Israel's history, geography, and culture through outdoor field trips -- Ron, who's in the the eighth grade, and Ben, who's in the eleventh grade. My wife Inbar and I have seen some remarkable changes in our boys, particularly Ben, and we attribute them to Green Horizons.

Ben participated in the training for young guides during the summer, a crazy time here in the western Negev due to the last Gaza war. It was truly amazing to see the Green Horizons team work together and not give up on the young guides training course, despite the fact that the organization's senior staff members were recruited for reserve duty in Gaza. Through these very challenging days, the course was successfully completed and kids and parents alike were very excited.

Modern miracle #PoweredByJNF: Silenced by fear, a boy speaks again

During the eight days of Hanukkah, which celebrates an ancient miracle, we'll be highlighting some of the many modern-day miracles experienced by Jewish National Fund partners. We start with Green Horizons, known in Hebrew as Hugey Sayarut (hiking groups). The educational organization teaches kids about Israel's history, geography, and culture through outdoor field trips led by professional guides, and sometimes unexpected -- and miraculous -- things happen along the trails. 

Avinoam, a young boy in one of Green Horizons' northern groups, stopped talking during the summer of 2006. A katyusha rocket fired from Lebanon fell next to his house and since then, he had stopped communicating with words. His family did all they could do to help. They took him to doctors and psychologists, but Avinoam couldn't overcome his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Chanukkah Camp - Green Horizons

Over Chanukkah, Green Horizons scouts from across Israel participated in four-day hikes all over the Negev! This outdoor Chanukkah adventure enabled participants to connect to the land of Israel on a deep level while building their outdoor skills and cementing their friendships. Enjoy a taste of this adventure of a lifetime!