Green Sunday – Take the call
The Jewish National Fund Australia will host its annual Green Sunday, during which young JNF volunteers from across Australia will make thousands of phone calls to raise money for KKL-JNF projects in Israel.
Australians planting in the Ramot Forest Photo: Tania Susskind
This year, Green Sunday will focus on raising money for desert afforestation. To this end, volunteers aim to raise $500,000 dollars to plant trees in Ramot Forest, a brand new forest that will form part of Beersheva’s green belt.
As the volunteers make their calls, 7,600 miles away young Australians in Israel will plant trees in the Ramot Forest near Beersheva as part of a special launching ceremony.
JNF Australia’s dedicated volunteers will be treated to a live broadcast of the ceremony from Israel before they begin their evening’s work.
Participants working for Ramot Forest on both sides of the globe will be able to communicate with each other, and share their experiences on Skype.
You pose some tough questions there Michael.
I have one for you.
What attracts the ‘Loony Left’ to Melbourne?
The latest being something like “Australian Jews for Palestinian Right of Return” whose statement backs a single state and refugees’ right to go home
I wonder if that includes Jews expelled from Muslim lands?
But no…… Muslim/Arab States don’t want them, so why should Israel accept the fictitious race of Palestinians, who the international group “Jews for Palestinian Right of Return” claim are the indigenous people
I guess the geniuses at JCCV may next endorse Loewenstein’s dissident Jewish group IAJV and Australians for Palestine as affiliates of JCCV and Jewish community funds may also go to them ?
I wonder how many Pro- Israeli Activist groups are affiliated with the Muslim communities equivalent of JCCV the ICV?
Is it any wonder the Palestinians are winning the PR war in Australia ……
Burdy
Here we are ‘Greening Israel’ whilst our so-called brothers, enough said, put out this.
From The Executive of Australian Jewish Democratic Society
*****With the Jewish National Fund (JNF) “Green Sunday” coming up, this year raising money for projects in the Beersheva region, there are some important reasons why we need to think carefully about the role that the JNF plays in Israel. For instance,
* Despite some tinkering due to recent court cases in Israel, the JNF charter prohibits the sale or renting of land to non-Jews. Yet Israel is supposed to be a state for all its citizens. Would we support such a form of discrimination against defined groups of citizens in Australia?
* The JNF receives land from the forced removal of Bedouin villages in the Negev. While the JNF claims that such Bedouin settlements are unlawful, the deliberate resettlement of indigenous populations such as the Bedouin (and they are classified as such) clearly breaches international protocols. One village, Al Araqib, has been demolished 45 times, and its demolition orders are currently facing Supreme Court appeal.
* For decades now, the JNF’s forests have been used to cover up destroyed Palestinian villages. The villagers, many of whom fled and were not involved in hostilities, have no right to return or to claim compensation.
* The JNF continues to plant pine trees even though it is very clear that this is environmentally irresponsible and contributes to devastating forest fires. They are the wrong trees for the local environment.
* The JNF is active in the Occupied Territories, through its involvement with evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Supporting the Occupation in this way politicises the JNF in a very divisive way.
There are more ethical, non-discriminatory and environmentally-friendly organisations in Israel which deserve the support of the Australian Jewish community. These include the Green Environment Fund and Friends of the Earth Middle East, as well as Israeli hospitals which offer treatment without fear or favour, and of course, social development organisations supported by the New Israel Fund and other organisations. With the establishment of Israel over 65 years ago, it’s past time for us to think seriously about our support for the JNF.*****
These people who the JCCV accepts as an affiliate and in turn the JCCV is an affiliate of the ECAJ. This is a disgrace .