The Jewish National Fund

Keren Kayemet — The Jewish National Fund (JNF) — was founded (1901) to purchase land for Jewish agricultural settlements, as well as to carry out development, reclamation and afforestation projects in the Land of Israel. By the time Israel became independent (1948), the JNF, with funds collected from Jews all over the world, had bought some 240,000 acres (96,000 hectares), most of which had to be redeemed from centuries of neglect, and had planted about 4.5 million trees on the country's rocky hillsides. Today, more than 200 million trees in forests and woodlands covering some 300,000 acres (120,000 hectares) provide Israelis with a wide range of opportunities for outdoor recreation and appreciation of nature. While continuing its activities of afforestation and forest maintenance, the JNF also develops parks and recreation sites, prepares infrastructure for new settlements, carries out various water-harvesting projects and is an active partner in environmental conservation efforts throughout the country.