Jewish National Fund Tree Of Life Award Dinner will Honor US Representative Steve Israel

Jewish National Fund
Monday, 13 August 2001

August 13, 2001 – New York, NY – Jewish National Fund (JNF) will be hosting a Tree of Life™ Award Dinner in honor of United States Representative Steve Israel. This special dinner will take place on September 23, 2001 at the Garden City Hotel in Garden City, New York.

JNF has used its Tree of Life Award as a way to recognize members of the community who show outstanding dedication to community service, community involvement, and devotion to peace and the security of human life. The Tree of Life Award recognizes leaders for their accomplishments and achievements in industry, government, and education.

Past recipients of the Tree of Life Award include former Governor Christine Todd-Whitman, Ted Turner, and Donald Trump. On Long Island, past honorees include Thomas S. Gulotta, Alfonse D'Amato, and Rev. John R. Mc Gann.

Congressman Steve Israel was raised on the south shore of Long Island and represents New York's 2nd Congressional District, which includes Islip, Babylon, Huntington and Smithtown in Western Suffolk County of Long Island. Before being sworn into Congress, Israel served as Majority Leader on the Huntington Town Board. There he forged his reputation as a bipartisan leader who led with fiscal discipline based principally on debt reduction. Israel reduced and stabilized taxes for seven consecutive years, brought Huntington's municipal bond rating from worst to first in the entire region, and passed an historic $15 million environmental protection program. Mr. Israel lives in Huntington, and has two young daughters.

"JNF is proud to honor this extraordinary individual, who has been a lifelong leader and role model in his community," says Rita H. Salfeld, president, JNF Greater New York Zone.

"In addition to coming together to honor Steve Israel, we hope the Tree of Life Award Dinner will raise much needed funds to assist with the water crisis in Israel. JNF, with the help of its loyal supporters, has been able to increase Israel's water supply by 6 percent, but so much more remains to be done," says JNF President Ronald S. Lauder.

Israel is currently suffering from its worst drought in recorded history. JNF has been actively involved in combating the crisis by building dams and reservoirs, rehabilitating Israel's polluted waterways, implementing new water recycling techniques and funding crucial research that will enable Israel to make the most of its limited water supply until permanent solutions can be reached. Water is crucial for Israel-not only to maintain its economic stability by preserving agriculture, but also as a vital part of the peace process itself. Through functions such as the Tree of Life Dinner, JNF is able to spread the word about the on-going water crisis.

Proceeds from the Tree of Life Award Dinner will benefit JNF's ongoing efforts and dedication to environmental improvements in the land of Israel, particularly JNF's large-scale commitment to resolving Israel's growing water crisis. Ticket prices range from $500 per individual to a $15,000 host table. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Nora Figueroa in JNF's Greater New York Zone office at (212) 879-9300 x505.

For more information, or to contact Jewish National Fund, see their website at: www.jnf.org