Free Republic

The Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet Leyisrael) said on Thursday that it will not take part in an upcoming gala event attended by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and will not pay him $500,000 to give a speech at this gala. Clinton’s participation in the event has not been canceled. Earlier this week it was reported that the JNF would pay Clinton this huge sum for the gala evening, to be held June 17 in honor of President Shimon Peres’ 90th birthday. It will be held at the Peres Academic Center in Rehovot, one of the few institutions in Israel...

When you are in Israel, it is very easy to see where Israeli run territory ends and territory run by the Palestinian Authority begins, just look for the end of the forest. Growing trees in Israel has been a priority since before the state of Israel was formed. It is a tradition that people living in the diaspora contribute to the JNF to plant trees in Israel, and when Jews visit Israel, they plant trees, as my family did on our visit three years ago. During our next trip we will go and visit our trees. It is precisely that...

(IsraelNN.com) In a Friday morning Haaretz article, former Minister and loquacious leftist spokesman Yossi Sarid called upon readers to cease making contributions to the Jewish National Fund. Following the Knesset's recent vote reaffirming that land owned by the JNF is for Jewish settlement only, Sarid told the big contributors : "don't give a shekel" to the JNF "until it begs" the Knesset not to ratify the law in its final readings. Sarid also wrote that there is no need for a national unity government because Israel already has one: "the Judaism of muscle and arbitrariness has a tremendous majority in...

Some 750,000 trees have burned due to fires ignited by rockets landing in open areas. JNF estimates damages stand at NIS 36 million Ynet reporters Rocket damages beyond casualties and property: The fires sparked when rockets hit open areas in the north have scorched large forested areas, and according to the Jewish National Fund, it will take 60 years for the forests to regenerate. Altogether, in the 29 days of fighting, some 750,000 trees have burned, including oak, pine, pistachio and others. Direct damage stood at no less than NIS 36 million. On Wednesday a number rockets landed in open...

The Jewish National Fund, in an attempt to fulfill one of astronaut Ilan Ramon's last requests, has begun a global effort to plant trees throughout Israel, including on Air Force Bases. Ramon had made a call from space, more than once, for Jews all over the globe to plant trees in Israel. On one occasion he asked that "13 or 14 million new trees [be] planted in Israel [by] exactly one year from now, on the anniversary of the [Columbia] launching." In addition, JNF will also be establishing a memorial in Independence Park in Jerusalem in memory of the seven...