Friendship grows on trees
The South Australian twin of the South Australia/Israel Twin Friendship Forests has been dedicated by the Premier of South Australia, Jay Weatherill and JNF Australia National President, Michael Naphtali.
SA Premier Jay Weatherill plants a tree with Michael Naphtali watched by JNF CEO Rob Schneider ad Paul Caica
The Israel project
Also attending were Paul Caica, South Australia’s Minister for Environment, Conservation, Water and River Murray, Yuval Rotem, Israel’s Ambassador to Australia and Dr Danny Lamm, President of the ECAJ who extended greetings respectively on behalf of the State of Israel and the Jewish community of Australia.
The Premier expressed his appreciation to the people involved in establishing this project and referred to the warm welcome he had received in Israel in 2009 when he had officiated at the dedication of the Israeli twin of the joint friendship forests in the Yatir Forest of the Northern Negev. Recalling his visit, the Premier said he had been “most impressed with the JNF projects I saw and feel that Israel and Australia have much that we can share and learn from each other.”
He then invited JNF National President Michael Naphtali to unveil a plaque with him. This was followed by a vote of thanks from Norman Schueler, President of the Jewish Community Council of South Australia and the recitation of a prayer for the planting of a tree by JNF CEO Rob Schneider.
The Premier and Michael Naphtali then planted a tree together watched closely by Minister Caica and Rob Schneider.
Naphtali said that the event was “testimony to the strong friendship that exists between the People of Australia, the State of Israel and the Jewish community” and expressed “thanks to the Premier and all those involved whose hard work had secured the establishment of the project and the twin forests.”
