JNF Forestry and Green Innovations

Beautiful, isn’t it? Since our founding in 1901, JNF-USA has planted an incredible 250 million trees in Israel. And the results have been transformative and breathtaking. Once a desert-nation, today Israel has blossomed into a garden oasis.

Covering over 250,000 acres, Jewish National Fund forests provide an invaluable green canopy for both the people of Israel and the roughly 2,241 different species of animals and birds who call it home. From the mighty oak and the almond, to the cypress and the exotic Atlantic cedar, every tree makes a difference, every tree connects to the future, and every tree calls out, "Am Yisrael Chai".

Today, we must grapple with the challenge of balancing the phenomenal growth and development Israel has experienced in the last decade with the maintenance of an ecologically sound environment. That’s why our role as guardian of the land has become ever more critical and includes firefighting and fire prevention, soil conservation, combating desertification, and developing agricultural infrastructure.

Because of generations of donors like you, Israel is a greener, more beautiful, and more livable place. Your gift to Jewish National Fund today will help us continue greening the desert to create that oasis for all that call Israel home.

Amazingly, Israel is only one of a few countries in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees. But Israel was not blessed with natural forests; its forests are all hand-planted. Jewish National Fund has planted more than 260 million trees all over Israel, providing luscious belts of green covering more than 250,000 acres. JNF's national forest development work creates “green lungs” around congested towns and cities, and provides recreation and respite for all Israelis. JNF foresters work hard at ensuring their environmental soundness, and in addition to focusing on diversification, are at it every day, cleaning, pruning, and allowing for the natural regenerative process healthy forests practice.

Israel's Fire & Rescue Services is faced with over 100,000 emergency calls annually, and provides vital services, saving and protecting lives and property in the face of ever-increasing challenges. From terrorist attacks and hazardous materials incidents to fires and accidents, first responders help save lives and support the resilience of the civil population in Israel.

Jewish National Fund meets the challenge of outfitting Israel’s firefighters with the state-of-the-art equipment, vehicles, and facilities they need to continue performing their job of protecting Israel’s citizens. In partnership with the Israeli Fire Commissioners Office, JNF has supplied underfunded fire departments across Israel with urgently needed equipment and fire trucks. This support proves vital during times of calm and in times of conflict, when firefighters are called upon to respond to routine emergencies as well as rocket and terror attacks. Over the years, JNF donors continue to purchase fire trucks (over 150 to date), build fire stations, and fund the purchase of life-saving equipment and protective gear.

The standard fire truck of the Israeli Fire & Rescue Services is equipped for all types of emergencies—from fires in urban and industrial areas to car accidents and building collapses. It is outfitted with a rooftop water cannon and specialized rescue equipment. One-third of the cost of each fire truck is dedicated through JNF; the remaining cost is funded by the Israeli government. Israel needs an additional 550 new fire trucks to get its entire fleet up-to-date and meet the demands of its growing population.

Also essential to the protection and safety of Israel's firefighters and the citizens they protect are well-equipped fire stations. Fire stations provide centralized locations to receive emergency calls, dispatch firefighters, and house fire and rescue equipment, allowing for quicker response time to emergency events. One hundred new fire stations, each at a cost of $500,000, are needed to provide proper coverage to all regions in Israel. Every fire station makes a difference and saves lives every day.

Traveling to Israel? Get your hands dirty and plant some roots of your own. Schedule a trip to our Tree Planting Center, conveniently located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—and help keep Israel green for generations to come.

Get back to your roots at Neot Kedumim, the world's only biblical landscape reserve, located just ten minutes from Ben Gurion Airport and 20 minutes from Jerusalem at the Harvey Hertz Ceremonial Tree Planting Center. The tree planting center is open Sunday through Thursday, and offers a picturesque biblical landscape with plants and tree, water and agricultural installations as they were over 2,000 years ago. Each planter receives a special tree planter's prayer and a commemorative certificate mailed directly to their home.

To participate in this time-honored tradition, click below or call 877.563.8687.

FORESTRY & GREEN INNOVATIONS

Turning the desert into a vibrant, green oasis.

FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT: PLANTING, AND MAINTENANCE

PROTECTING OUR HOMELAND: FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES