For Lauren and Alex Iselin, supporting the land and people of Israel runs in the family.
The mother-son duo are both in leadership positions within Jewish National Fund-USA, keeping their love of Israel strong in their communities: Lauren serving as board president in the Capital Region of New York State as well as chair of Women for Israel, and Alex as president of the JNFuture New England Board.
When she first got involved, Lauren didn’t know much about the organization. “I remember running into Ken Segel [then Capital Region board member] at my synagogue… and telling him that Jewish National Fund-USA was the only local Jewish organization that had not asked me to be involved,” she said.
That conversation led to a meeting, and eventually, deeper involvement. Lauren joined the board and took on leadership roles, including helping to build the Women for Israel community in her region that continues to grow and thrive. In fact, the Capital Region’s fourth annual Women for Israel event is taking place on June 10, 2026, in Albany.
Lauren’s leadership role was especially significant following the death of her eldest son David in 2018. “I felt lost…I needed to engage myself in something meaningful, and I found that in Jewish National Fund-USA.”
Through the organization, Lauren was able to honor David’s memory by supporting the Green Horizons program, a Jewish National Fund-USA affiliate that provides educational outdoor hiking and camping trips for youth in Israel while promoting Zionist values and connection to the land of Israel. This resonated deeply with her because of David’s love for the outdoors and his passion for helping others. Lauren and her husband, Harold, also dedicated a garden in David’s memory at the Ayalon Institute, a bullet factory established by the Haganah in 1945, creating a lasting tribute that connects his legacy to the land and people of Israel. “We love that it has become an integral part of the Ayalon and that visitors can use it to rest, think, and learn more about it,” Lauren remarked.
After several years of leadership with Jewish National Fund-USA, Lauren learned about JNFuture, the organization’s young professionals’ community for ages 22–40, while chairing a Breakfast for Israel event. She knew it would be perfect for Alex. She got in touch with a JNFuture professional, gave him Alex’s information (with his permission), and told the professional to reach out.
“My initial involvement with Jewish National Fund-USA was limited,” said Alex. But after completing his MBA in 2022, he became committed to growing the organization’s scope in New England with JNFuture.
Three years later, he was asked to become the president of the regional board and happily accepted.
“My generation overall seems to be more hesitant to jump into philanthropy soon after college,” he said, citing student loans, the rising cost of living, and the desire to create their own families. “Even for those who are Jewish and passionate about Israel, you need to be able to explain why an organization like Jewish National Fund-USA is the one that deserves their time, energy, and dollars.”
And Alex is doing just that. Under his leadership, the JNFuture community in New England has become a place where young professionals can connect with like-minded peers, especially in the aftermath of rising antisemitism and anti-Zionism following Oct. 7, 2023. “It gave them a place where we could collectively exhale and find comfort with others who we knew shared our love for Israel.”
Lauren and Alex continually bond over their shared involvement within the organization. “When we’re catching up on the phone or in person,” Alex says, “we almost always wind up talking about a recent Jewish National Fund-USA event we attended or what our respective boards are working on, bonding over this organization that has come to play an important part in both of our lives.”
For both Lauren and Alex, their involvement in Jewish National Fund-USA is a shared commitment to strengthening the Jewish future. Together, they are helping to build community, inspire others, and ensure that the connection to Israel continues to grow across generations.
This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE