By Lauren Schmidt, ICB Reporter 
Students at the Seder
If you needed evidence that just about any kind of program can be turned into an opportunity to learn about Israel, look no further than the recent Tu B'Shvat celebrations at the George Washington University's Hillel.
More than 50 students gathered for “Growing a New Year: A Sustainable Tu B'Shvat Seder,” an event sponsored by nearly 10 campus and international organizations including GW Student Alliance For Israel (SAFI) and the World Zionist Organization (WZO).
Although the Seder included delicious, fresh fruit from a local farmers market and conversing with peers about sustainability on campus, it was more than another fun night for Jewish students; it was an opportunity to learn about green initiatives in Israel.
Quizzes about Israel’s agriculture, geographic makeup and green initiatives covered the tables as opening speaker Gary Jay Kushner approached the podium to kick off the event.
Kushner, a prominent food industry lawyer, spoke about Israel and his involvement in the Jewish National Fund’s Makor initiative, which trains a cadre of highly involved JNF volunteers. Makor members travel to Israel to study JNF projects and programs and share their experiences with the community back in the United States.
Kushner spoke about a recent food and wine tour he went on with his wife where he had a chance to see some JNF initiatives in the Negev, Sderot, and other parts of Israel.
He highlighted an indoor playground and community center that promoted recreation including sports and art in a safe manner for the children of Sderot. In Sderot, he noted, it is not always safe for children to play outside because of the threat of rocket attacks from neighboring Gaza, so JNF helped create a safer environment: an indoor sheltered playground [see the video here].
He also spoke about efforts to create a giant park in the Negev city of Beersheva which, when completed, will be twice the size of New York's Central Park.
Kushner recalled that when he was a child, he thought, “all that JNF did was plant trees." By coming to GW, he hoped to share a fuller picture with a small segment of the GW community.
GW students also heard about JNF's alternative spring break program in Israel, and had an opportunity to engage with activists from the organization.
“I always thought JNF was an organization that you got involved as an adult once you had the means to do so financially,” senior Jenny Orel said. “I now know that it is much more than that and there are many initiatives I can see myself getting involved in while still on campus.”
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