On Thursday evening, Blake and Emma were in attendance to photograph an exclusive dinner for JNF UK, dubbed ‘Dinner in the Desert’. Held at The Park Lane Hotel, a venue we love being at and one of the most elegant spots in London, wonderful food was provided by Arieh Wagner – including a custom desert-themed dessert which the guests very much enjoyed.

Alongside Israeli Ambassador Daniel Taub, guest of honour was Moshe Arens, who was a member of the Knesset between 1973 and 1992 and again from 1999 until 2003, he served as Minister of Defense three times and once as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Arens has also served as the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and was professor at the Technion in Haifa.

JNF are very much a staple of the Anglo-Jewish and Israeli communities. Nowadays their focus is on Negev desert, in southern Israel, which comprises 60% of the country’s landmass but contains only 8% of its total population. Today, JNF UK is building new communities, developing existing ones and nurturing and sustaining the vulnerable front-line towns of southern Israel.

They are building schools, parks, roads and community and medical centres, whilst also repairing reservoirs, planting forests and supporting the astonishing local agriculture helping make the desert more fertile. As spoken about at this wonderful event, JNF UK are working with the new generation of pioneers, young Israelis who are leaving behind comfortable lives elsewhere in the country to volunteer to help develop the Negev.

It was our pleasure to work with JNF UK and we look forward to doing so again. Here are a few of our favourite shots…