Within a year of its founding in 1979, I became involved with fledgling NIF as a member of its Board. Ever since, NIF has been and continues to be a very important part of my life.

I grew up in Chicago in almost a totally secular environment, apart from Reform religious school.

At college, I first heard about Palestine/Israel in 1948, when the state was finally established. The Holocaust was not known to me or our families.

As a young married couple, Nick and I experienced Israel first in 1963. We were totally impressed with the work of nation-building. UJA/Federation leadership in Omaha on Nick’s part became the force that brought us back to Israel right after the Six Day War in 1967, again in 1969 for a summer with children, again in 1970 and 1971.

I continued to spend much time in Israel over many decades.
However, the Israel I fell in love with began to change radically by the end of the 1980s.

After Nick’s demise, I returned to Israel dozens of times and learned its communities, its ways of relating to us in the Diaspora, and the limitations of what Federation gifts could do to meet my personal values of social justice and equality for all lsraelis.

NIF drew me deeply for its mission and values; its countless ways to help strengthen Israel’s democracy via advocating for those unable to, seeking pluralism and tolerance of different views, building the NGO sector in Israel through our arm, Shatil, showing how to organize and build new organizations.

I have served on the International Board, continue on the International Council, and happily participate in our Regional Council.

Membership in our Legacy Society is my small way to ensure that NIF succeeds and thrives after I will not be present to help our outstanding organization.

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