TORONTO — Hundreds of people between the ages of 23 to 45 gathered at the Thompson Hotel in Toronto recently for the Jewish National Fund’s first Future Party.
Darren Slavens, JNF Future Party co-chair and Jessica Fenton, JNF Future co-chair
JNF Future, a branch of the Jewish National Fund, strives to engage young professionals through programming and fundraising events that support projects in Israel. This year’s Future Party committee has chosen to use the evening’s proceeds to build a playground for the children of Moshav Rehov in Israel’s Beit Shean Valley.
Moshav Rehov is an impoverished area with little infrastructure that relies heavily on farming. Currently, there are no recreational facilities for children and very few meeting points in the community.
“Moshav Rehov is an area heavily populated by new immigrants to the state. The people that populate this area are starting out new lives in a new country. If we can take any little burden off their lives and provide their children with an area to play in, that is pretty great,” said Darren Slavens, a Future Party co-chair, along with Michael Kimel, Alana Konopny and Candace Zwicker.
The Oct. 7 party featured musical guest Max Weinberg of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, as well as appetizers and desserts and a live auction. Items up for bid included backstage passes for a Bruce Springsteen concert, a guitar signed by members of the group Down with Webster and a painting made during the evening by Melysa Gorlicky.
Slavens said the event was an essential fundraiser, especially for the younger Jewish demographic in Toronto. “We need to be involved with our community and promote a strong, safe State of Israel because no one is going to do it for us. We are losing a PR battle on a massive scale, and it’s important that we be proud to be Jewish and proud of Israel. That means the next generation has to get involved.”
Jessica Fenton, a JNF Future co-chair, said JNF has so far been “fairly low profile” among young professionals. “With the Future Party and other events going forward, we are hoping to create a younger, savvier image for JNF Toronto. It is our ultimate goal to attract and retain a new generation of supporters and donors.”
Fenton said she takes pride in knowing that while young Toronto Jews are out partying and having fun, they are also supporting a community in Israel. “That’s the best part about JNF – all funds go directly to Israel. Get ready, Toronto – this is just the first of many Future parties to come!”
Fenton said JNF Future’s next event will be the JNF Hoops Classic Five-on-Five basketball tournament on Nov. 28 at the Hoop Dome.
Visit http://toronto.jnf.ca/ for more information.
