The Israel ParaSport Center Welcomes Becca Near as Midwest & New Initiatives Director
Near brings a passion for Jewish philanthropy and nearly a decade of development experience to the organization.
The Israel ParaSport Center (The Center; formerly the American Friends of Israel Sport Center for the Disabled) is pleased to announce the addition of Becca Near as the organization’s Midwest & New Initiatives Director. In this newly developed role, Becca is responsible for elevating The Center’s profile, enhancing relationships, increasing financial support for The Israel ParaSport Center in the Midwest, as well as developing the organization’s NextGen initiatives nationwide.
“We are so excited for Becca to join the Israel ParaSport Center in this new role,” said Jennifer Flink, National Executive Director. “Her passion for fostering relationships within the Jewish community and beyond will make her an asset to our growing team.”
Becca began her fundraising career in 2015 at the Young Professionals Division (YPD) of The Jewish Federation of St. Louis, where she was tasked with planning events, and working with committees and the board. After successfully rebranding YPD to be more development-focused, Becca was promoted to Major Gifts. During her time at the Jewish Federation, she was accepted to the JFNA NextGen Fellowship — a two-year program designed to grow leadership skills and cultivate innovators and leaders in the Jewish NextGen Space. In 2019, she was featured in the 36 under 30 edition of the Jewish Light newspaper and at the start of 2022, continued her growth as a Manager of Philanthropy and Major Gifts at the Saint Louis Zoo.
Becca was drawn to the Israel ParaSport Center because of the transformational impact The Center has on children and youth.
“Israel and Judaism are essential to my core and, after researching the Israel ParaSport Center, I immediately knew this organization and team aligned perfectly with my values,” she said. “The Center’s mission to help Israeli children and adults with disabilities lead productive and fulfilling lives through the rehabilitative power of sport is nothing short of life-changing. It is an incredible honor to be The Midwest & New Initiatives Director.”
Becca lives in St. Louis, Mo. with her husband, Seth, and their two sons. In her free time, she serves on the board of her alma mater, Epstein Hebrew Academy, where her eldest son also attends school. She is a proud member of her local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
###
The Israel ParaSport Center (formerly American Friends of Israel Sport Center for the Disabled) is committed to providing ongoing financial support to The Center in Israel, empowering children and adults with disabilities from all backgrounds to participate in physical and psychological rehabilitation through sports to attain the goal of leading productive and successful lives in Israeli society.
