AUSTIN – On May 8, 2024, 250 philanthropic “wonder women” united at the Dell Jewish Community Center in Austin, Texas for Jewish National Fund-USA’s Women for Israel “Women’s Wednesday Your Way.” Featuring a midday luncheon and an evening cocktail reception, the annual community event was held in solidarity with the people of Israel while highlighting how the organization is supporting Israel’s resilience and rebuilding efforts in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attacks.

Co-chaired by local philanthropists Carli Price and Patti Sokol, the keynote speaker was Emmy-nominated TV host and author Alison Goldstein Lebovitz. The host of “The A List with Alison Lebovitz,” a weekly interview series for WTCI-PBS, and Co-founder and President of One Clip at a Time, a nonprofit that promotes student activism and supports service learning in classrooms across North America, Lebovitz combined her humor, passion for Israel, and unique gift for storytelling to discuss her experiences as a Jewish woman, her pride in both of those identities and embracing the rich diversity of our unique Jewish stories.

“We are ‘people of the book,’ so naturally, our stories are what keep us not only tethered to our rich history but also to one another,” said Lebovitz. “And while the traditional Jewish story, especially since October 7, is one of both struggle and survival, persecution and perseverance, sorrow and simcha, it is only when we weave together our individual stories that we manage to create this beautiful collective tapestry and find blessings in our lives.” 

Jewish National Fund-USA recognizes May as Women’s Month, and the power of female philanthropy was a recurring theme. “There is so much power to be found amongst women when we stand up, unite, act and make an impact as a collective,” said Event Co-chairs Carli Price and Patti Sokol. “Just as Jewish women have always persisted, so has Jewish National Fund-USA.” 

Local leaders also discussed Jewish National Fund-USA’s Israel Resilience Campaign, which has raised $60 million since October 7, 2023, supporting the evacuation and relocation of tens of thousands of residents in Israel’s south while providing thousands more with housing, food, clothing and other supplies. The campaign includes the organization’s Build Together plan, a bold, strategic initiative to rebuild the Israel Envelope communities – cleaning up the region, designing and constructing new homes, and helping small businesses reopen, all while supporting the immediate and long-term security needs, physical and mental health requirements, and resilience efforts to create a welcoming environment for evacuees to return home.

“Jewish National Fund-USA has been doing this work long before October 7, and our organization will rebuild and renew these broken communities for the future,” added Price and Sokol. “This is an organization that has been enmeshed within the Israel Envelope for decades, and we have the framework, relationships, and experience to have a critical impact on these communities in their greatest hour of need.”

In addition, attendees were invited to attend Jewish National Fund-USA’s Global Conference for Israel in Dallas this fall, taking place from Thursday, November 14 to Sunday, November 17.