NEW YORK, NY – September 23, 2026 – Jewish National Fund-USA presented Shimon Shkury, President and Founder of Ariel Property Advisors, with its Tree of Life® award at the JNF-USA Leonard Litwin Tree of Life® Award Gala on September 15.
Event chairs and honorees at the JNF-USA Leonard Litwin Tree of Life® Award Gala on September 15. L to R: Laurent Morali, Kushner; Glen Weiss, Vornado Realty Trust; Michelle Kleger, Managing Director, Business Development, Kensington Vanguard National Land Services and recipient of the Gregory A. Davis Leadership Award; Shimon Shkury, President and Founder of Ariel Property Advisors and recipient of the Tree of Life® award; and Ofer Yardeni, Stonehenge NYC.
Michelle Kleger, Managing Director, Business Development, Kensington Vanguard National Land Services, was presented with the Gregory A. Davis Leadership Award at the event.
In his acceptance remarks, Shkury spoke candidly about family, heritage and the responsibility of passing strong values down to the next generation. He underscored the critical role JNF-USA plays in securing a vibrant future for Israel through strategic investment in housing, education and economic development.
"For me, Israel comes down to where I come from, the life my wife Ruby and I built, and what we pass on to our kids—with one word underlying all of it: permanency,” Shkury said. “Seeing JNF's strategy in action showed me how vital it is to build practical foundations where they are needed most. Tonight is a call to action to show up and actively shape the future we want the next generation to inherit."
Talia Tzour Avner, Chief Israel Officer, Jewish National Fund-USA, was the guest speaker for the gala. Event chairs were Laurent Morali, Kushner, Glen Weiss, Vornado Realty Trust, and Ofer Yardeni, Stonehenge NYC.
