Providing Support for All Israelis ewish National Fund is working to help all Israelis experience the beauty of our home- land. Due to terrorism, military conflict and traffic accidents, almost 15% of Israelis have some form of disability. Throughout the coun- try, JNF is working to make all existing parks and recreation facilities inclusive and welcoming to people with and without disabilities, and to help inspire inclusive practices throughout Israel. In the Negev, JNF is helping build Aleh Negev, a state-of-the-art rehabilitative village that will provide services to the severely disabled. J Inclusive Parks JNF is working to make all of its parks not just accessible, but inclusive – providing the same experience for all who use it, so that families and friends can enjoy nature together. Donor funds will provide a variety of enhancements, includ- ing adding new playgrounds and picnic equip- ment suitable for people who use mobility devices, redesigning education centers, re-grad- ing walkways and paths, installing accessible toi- let facilities, reconstructing buildings, installing elevators and providing assistive listening devices and signage in Braille or large print type. Itzhak Perlman, the world-famous violin- ist, is the JNF spokesperson for the Inclusive Parks Project. Aleh Negev Far from the major cities of Israel, the entire Negev population suffers from a tremendous shortage of medical, therapeutic and special education services. As part of the Blueprint Negev initiative, JNF is partnering with Aleh, an organization that helps children with disabili- ties realize their full potential through high- level medical and rehabilitative care, to help build Aleh Negev. This state-of-the-art commu- nal rehabilitative village in Ofakim will make a major impact in the region by bringing much- needed services and jobs to the area. The village will meet the needs of the severely disabled throughout their lives, making them feel com- fortable and instilling a sense of belonging. Aleh Negev will be home to over 500 residen- tial adults with disabilities and serve over 12,000 children and young adults with disabilities each year on an outpatient basis. Until now, those with severe disabilities have grown up in hospitals, with no sense of home or societal framework. The village will provide vocational training, occupational therapy and medical facilities. A project of Aleh Negev's magnitude will also help build up the economy in the south by offering over 1,000 employment opportunities in a large variety of fields. The village will attract doctors, caregivers, teachers and others, stimulating the local economy and playing a vital role in lowering the high unemployment rate in the area. The Negev offers space, freedom and a sense of well being that cannot be duplicated in major cities, which is a tremendous advantage for dis- abled young adults. Through fundraising efforts, JNF will support and enhance this remarkable facility by building a central park and green spaces for the village. Hollywood, Horses, and Israel William and Elizabeth Shatner Launch Initiative with JNF to Help the Disabled -w illiam and Elizabeth Shatner are part- nering with Jewish National Fund to create the William and Elizabeth Shatner/Jewish National Fund Therapeutic Riding Consortium Endowment for Israel. The goal is to raise $10 million to support therapeutic riding programs and provide scholarships, so that no one who would benefit from a therapeutic riding cen- ter is denied that opportunity because of the cost. Shatner, best known as Star Trek's Captain Kirk, has supported therapeutic riding for nearly two decades in the U.S. Now, he is looking to advance it internationally and "by helping one child, one person at a time," to foster better rela- tions between different nations in the region. "Good will is in short supply," he said, "and we have to build it. And that requires money" The William and Elizabeth Shatner/Jewish National Fund Therapeutic Riding Consortium Endowment for Israel will fund many thera- peutic riding programs that exist throughout the country. The goal is to raise $10 million to support these unique programs and provide scholarships for anyone in the region who would benefit from a therapeutic riding pro- gram. It is an ideal way to facilitate coopera- tion between Israelis of all backgrounds, Jordanians and Palestinians. This spring, the Shatners spent a week in Israel with JNF, visiting historic sites and four riding centers across the country. They were impressed by what they saw and moved by the people they met who are benefiting from thera- peutic riding. "In addition to healing the minds and bodies of the people in the therapeutic rid- ing program, we also seek in a small, tiny way, to heal the nations of the area," he said. "We need help from every corner, from Israel and the world, especially America—that's what we're about. I learned these words here: 'Sussim osim nissim – horses do miracles.' You can find more information about this initiative online at www.jnf.org/riding or by calling your local JNF office at 248-324-3080.