Gazelle Valley Urban Wildlife Park

The Gazelle Valley Urban Wildlife Park is a 62-acre wildlife-inhabited valley in the center of Jerusalem. The park is home to over 250 species of birds, a plant nursery, outdoor classrooms, and a growing herd of over 90 gazelle – Israel’s national animal. In 2024, the Mandel Foundation approved a grant of $15 million for a large-scale expansion of the Gazelle Valley in partnership with the Jerusalem Foundation and the Jerusalem Municipality. Funding will transform the park into a sprawling public space to bring people from all communities together to experience nature and participate in educational and recreational activities. Funding from the Foundation will support building an urban wildlife bicycle path and enhancing the northern entrance with a rooftop garden over a major highway. Expansions will also include an Education and Conservation Center, a café, play facilities, fountains, and walking a path. The grant will also support future park maintenance and educational programming over ten years. In recognition of this generous gift, the park is being renamed the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Valley in honor of the Mandel brothers’ longtime commitment to urban engagement and revitalization.