Efraim's JNF-USA Alternative Break Fundraising Page
Efraim Kooijmans
Efraim Kooijmans
Hello! I have the great privilege to help fundraise for the JNF, an amazing organization helping build up the Jewish Homeland. This has been a tough year for all of us, but the Jewish community has shown its strength in these trying times. We've shown how we can help each other to pull through, both in Israel and around the world. After my year in Yeshivat Lev HaTorah in Israel, I developed a deep love and connection to our homeland, and that's why I've decided to fundraise for the JNF. Please help me continue to help Israel by either donating to my page or sharing this link around. I will be able to go to Israel to volunteer and this will help rebuild the communities affected by October 7th. Am Yisrael Chai!!!
JUN
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A beautiful mural painted in Ofakim, a community hit especially hard by October 7th.
Hostage Square in Tel Aviv
Planting my own very tree in Eretz HaKodesh
The Nova Music Festival Site
Blueberry picking!!
A farm that we visited on the second day!!
Hello everyone!! I wanted to give an update to my campaign so that everyone could see how their contributions to this page led to actual results in Israel. I'll post some pictures, but here are some of my thoughts to my volunteer week. We visited many places and helped out many different communities throughout the South of Israel. We helped rebuild Moshav Zochar near the Gaza envelope, picked crops at HaShomer HaChadash, and packaged food for soldiers and people in need. This all made an incredible impact, but beyond just the volunteering, we connected with the land and its people. We spoke to different individuals and communities and heard their accounts of October 7th and how it affected them. One thing which I heard over and over again was how affected the people were by our mere presence. The fact that the college kids had come all the way from America to help out made these people feel the eternal bond that keeps the Jewish people together. Perhaps my favorite memory was of the bonfire chat we had with some reservists soldiers. Late one night after volunteering for the whole day, we made some poiky's (idk how to spell it, it's basically just an Israeli stew made in these really cool pots that you put in a fire) and sat by a bonfire with some reservists soldiers, most of whom had been in Gaza over the past few months. They told us their stories and we were able to pose some questions, but what really struck me was how worried they were for us. Crazy right?!? The soldiers who had been fighting for the survival of the Jewish state, who had been in active war, were worried about us college students and the antisemitism we were facing on our respective campuses. For me, this was such a beautiful moment that showed how connected we all are. No matter where we are in the world, we can be comforted by the fact that we are part of this amazing, tight-knit family that we call Am Yisrael. Thank you all so much for your donations. It helped make my trip to Israel a reality and left a true impact on countless communities and people. Yesher Koach!!
MAY
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Thank you everyone for donating!! I'm glad to announce that, as of Friday, May 17th, I hit my fundraising goal!!! This couldn't have been possible without all of the people who donated. It makes a huge difference in my personal volunteer trip and for the JNF's efforts in improving Israel. Thank you guys!!!!
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