Jason Pressberg describes himself as a “tremendous fan” of Israel’s founder and first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.
“Most leaders, if given the information he had at the time, would not have declared the state. They would’ve thought this is suicide to declare,” Pressberg said. “But Ben-Gurion said war is at our doorstep whether we like it or not, and we’re going to declare the state.”
So it’s apropos that Pressburg recently assumed a new position as director of development at Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) for the Baltimore and Greater Washington, D.C., communities.
Pressberg, 39, previously worked at Hillel chapters on three university campuses, at the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and The Algemeiner news source.
A4BGU is rooted in the pioneering spirit of Israel’s founder, who envisioned that the future of the Jewish state would emerge from the Negev. Today, that vision is manifested in the cutting-edge research carried out at Beersheva’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, resulting in scalable solutions in water conservation, environmental science, medical research, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and more.
“It has been very fulfilling to learn how the organization not only has the mission to raise funds to support the growth of the university and the Negev — the largest entity in the Negev, as the largest employer, school and research center — but then also to raise awareness around who Ben-Gurion was and his teachings, accomplishments and leadership,” Pressberg said. “It’s very exciting to now be tasked with being the person to reach out to the Baltimore and Greater Washington Jewish communities and beyond, to educate them on the impact they can have on Israel.”
A native of Yorktown Heights, New York, Pressberg and his wife Casey are members of Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase. The Pressbergs, who live in Silver Spring, send their children to the Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School in Washington.
In addition to partnering with synagogues and other local Jewish organizations, A4BGU forges connections in the Baltimore and Greater Washington communities through its Zin Fellows Leadership Program, an in-depth immersion into the issues involved in the continuing development of the Negev. Through the program, current and future community leaders in their 40s to 50s participate in two gatherings in the United States, as well as a weeklong seminar in Israel.
Members of BGU’s faculty and other lecturers take the Zin Fellows on a journey into the Negev’s history, topography, geography, demography and sustainability, helping them understand and appreciate the unique role the Negev plays in the unfolding development of the State of Israel. Subsequently, these leaders return to their communities equipped with the tools and passion to share about Israel and the Negev, and to inspire continued engagement with the university.
The Zin Fellows program mirrors Pressberg’s own discovery of the Negev and David Ben-Gurion’s legacy. He has had a deep love for the Negev ever since first visiting Israel on a Birthright trip 20 years ago.
In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks, the mission of A4BGU is more relevant than ever. Negev Prevails is A4BGU’s emergency response to the current crisis, providing funding to support the wellbeing of BGU’s students, faculty, staff and the broader Negev region.
“Partnering with others who understand how important it is for American Jews to stand up for our community and for Israel — especially Ben-Gurion University, which has been so unbelievably affected by the war — it’s very inspiring to be a part of the team and to play a small role in a much larger movement,” said Pressberg, who earned his master’s degree in Jewish professional leadership at Brandeis University.
Keren M. Waranch, chief development officer for A4BGU and a resident of the Montgomery County town of Kensington, said Pressberg is joining the organization at a crucial juncture.
“The A4BGU communities in both Baltimore and Greater Washington are deeply committed to Ben-Gurion University as the anchor institution in the Negev, a region that has been disproportionately impacted by the attacks on October 7th,” she said. “Jason is joining us at a critical time for Israel and the Negev, helping us expand our communities of support through our Baltimore and Greater Washington chapters.”
For information, email jason@a4bgu.org.
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