On May 7, the New Jersey Jewish community gathered at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club for an evening in support of Birthright Israel Foundation. Together, attendees raised enough to send 142 Jewish young adults to Israel — thanks in part to a generous anonymous matching gift.

At an intimate VIP reception prior to the event, Dr. Zohar Raviv, International VP of Educational Strategy, emphasized that Jewish identity must be defined not only by memory and trauma, but by moral courage, curiosity, and a forward-looking sense of purpose. Jared Stone, a Princeton senior and former Tigers for Israel president, received the Distinguished Alumni Award for his campus leadership.

Celebrating Birthright Israel’s 25th anniversary, the event honored Evan Ratner, founding chair of the New Jersey Cabinet, for his leadership and vision. It was co-chaired by cabinet members Michael Goldberg and Terri Friedman.

Elias Saratovsky, Birthright Israel Foundation President & CEO, discussed post–October 7 initiatives, including the Volunteer Program — which has already brought over 20,000 young adults to help Israeli communities.

The evening closed with a moving message from Sam Fried, alumnus, former IDF lone soldier, and trip staffer: “My fight is being a soldier. But everyone in this room has a fight. Supporting Birthright Israel is a way to fight for our future. It’s how we show up. It’s how we win.”

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