FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jodi Bodner
JNF Director of Communications
212-879-9305 ext. 221
jbodner@jnf.org

Israel: The Next 10 Years
JNF's Bold Vision and Commitment to the North and the South

October 25, 2006 -- New York, NY -- What does a large organization do, when in the midst of the biggest campaign (financially) of its 106-year-history, its focus is diverted elsewhere by the contingencies of war? If you're Jewish National Fund (JNF), you step up your efforts by more than half.

"Givers give," said Russell F. Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of JNF of America. "People give to bold vision and that's who we are, that's what we do. Between Blueprint Negev, our $600 million worldwide campaign to develop the Negev Desert and move an additional 500,000 people there over the next 10 years, and Operation Northern Renewal, our 10-year, $400 million worldwide campaign to build the Galilee and make it home again, we have set a goal of raising $1 billion over the next 10 years. A big number? Yes, but it's a vision for the future of Israel, for the north and the south, for the land and the people. We connect the Diaspora to Israel like no one else can, because it's who we are, it's what we do, and this number, this campaign, says to the world that we are strong and united, that Israel is the choice of the Jewish people, today and forever."

Blueprint Negev
Launched almost two years ago, Blueprint Negev was borne out of necessity but gives life to David Ben Gurion's dream of making the desert bloom. Concerned that worldwide attention is focused solely on the north since the war, Robinson is careful to stress the importance of forging ahead with the plan.

"Development of the Negev is vital to all of Israel but most importantly to Negev residents," said Robinson. "Blueprint Negev will drive dramatic change in the region and will narrow the social and economic gaps that exist now."

The Negev represents 60% of Israel's land mass, but only 8% of the population lives there. Central Israel, on the other hand, is overcrowded and expensive, forcing young Israelis to look for alternatives. "Israel is a country of choice," said Robinson. "People can choose to live there or not. We have to make it attractive so it stays their home of choice."

The comprehensive plan that includes partnering with the government of Israel, The Or Movement, and private businesses has Be'er Sheva as the linchpin to the entire project. "We need to double Be'er Sheva's population so it becomes the capital of the Negev," Robinson says, "and we are going to do that with water."

With San Antonio, Texas as the model for revitalizing an economy accomplished by building up the River Walk, the blueprint calls for taking Nahal Be'er Sheva, a majestic dry riverbed that wends through the city, filling it with water harvested from flash floods and reservoirs, and building promenades, an amphitheater, and outdoor recreation areas. Private developers have already begun to erect new apartment buildings; one park and several short swaths of promenade have been built; and the future looks bright.

Attention will also be paid to investing in development towns that have not grown since their creation, bringing them opportunity. Kibbutzim and moshavim will be strengthened and 25 new communities built. Already seven have been established, 600 families have moved, and green has begun to grow where once there was only brown.

Other areas of focus are employment opportunities, education, water, transportation, environmental protection, tourism, and housing loans.

"Blueprint Negev will lead to a 70% growth in the Negev's population," said Robinson, "and a huge reduction in the unemployment rate. It will also lead to a reduction in the gap of average wages, a closing of the gap of higher education participation, a better life for the Bedouin, and a stronger Israel."

Operation Northern Renewal
At the opposite end of the country, the summer's war left not only scars, but a realization: northern Israel must be rebuilt, but it needs to be built better and stronger than before. Operation Northern Renewal, a campaign of partnership, will focus on the following areas:

Parks -- Long recognized for their positive physical and aesthetic influences on urban neighborhoods, parks are also considered key contributors to larger urban policy objectives such as job creation, youth development, public health and community building. There are over 400 parks built by JNF in northern Israel; Operation Northern Renewal will upgrade these parks and make them inclusive for people with disabilities under the JNF Inclusive Parks Initiative.

Agriculture -- Agriculture plays an important role in Israel's economy, today representing some 2% of the Gross Domestic Product and about 3.5 % of exports. Agricultural products in Israel are valued today at over $2 billion; 70% are exported. Approximately 73,500 people are involved in farming, constituting about 3% percent of the country's workforce.

The agricultural sector today is based almost entirely on science-linked technology, through partnerships with JNF, government agencies, academic institutions, industry, and cooperative bodies working together to seek solutions to problems and meet new challenges.

This past summer, many farmers lost all of their crops from fires or from a month-long of neglect. JNF is re-preparing the land, providing research and development for the new plantations, and preparing workers with the objective of getting the land ready for this coming spring.

Tourism -- Tourism slumped by 25 % in July 2006, compared with the same month in 2005. The damage to tourism, worth $3 billion each year to the Israeli economy, was acute. Officials were expecting a record-breaking 2.5 million passenger arrivals in 2006. Cancellations are already being received for 2007.

Tourism is the lifeblood of the north. Many of the tourist sites were hurt financially because of this crisis. Among the most popular sites are the Mount Meron Nature Reserve, Jordan River Park, where many people camp out in tents along the riverbank, and recreation sites in the Carmel Forests. Others include Atlit, Shuni, and the Hula Bird Center.

A kiosk will be set up at the arrivals building in Ben Gurion International Airport to inform people of all the tourist sites in the north. Gas stations will have maps for distribution and JNF is developing a promotional campaign in partnership with the Israel Ministry of Tourism to enhance the tourism industry.

Forests -- During the recent war, about 400 wild fires were caused by rockets and more than 12,000 dunams (3,000 acres) of planted forests went up in flames. Of this total, about 7,000 dunams were on the Naftali Mountain Ridge (about 70% of the forest) and 2,000 dunams were in the Birya Forest. The direct firefighting costs exceeded $5 million (for the use of firefighting aircraft and fire retardant materials).

A total of about 50 fires, covering about 40,000 dunams or 10,000 acres of nature reserves and national parks, were caused by the war. Of these, about 5,500 dunams were in the Golan Heights, about 9,000 dunams in Northern Galilee (in the Mount Meron fire about 1,200 dunams were burned, representing about 15% of the area) and 500 dunams in Lower Galilee. The damage was mainly to Mediterranean groves and undergrowth. Numerous remains were found of animals -- mainly reptiles, birds, and young mammals.

During the first year, work will focus on removing burnt material from the site and on protecting the soil. During the second and third years, the main emphasis will shift to controlling the density of the forest as it begins its natural rejuvenation. In natural forests, there is no need for replanting. The forest can be rejuvenated through careful attention to living elements in the field. In the case of planted forests, an effort is made to encourage natural rejuvenation by supplementary replanting. It is prudent to plant certain species that are more resilient to fire, such as cypress and eucalyptus.

Firebreaks -- geographical gaps within forests that block the progress of fires, --generally situated along lines that offer enhanced control by firefighters, either because of their specific location or because of the type and density of vegetation will also be built.

Preparedness -- The need to be more prepared became very evident during the war. Water pipes from Mikorot, the national water carrier, run throughout many of the forests. Forty to 50 hydrants need to beinstalled for water availability to the foresters during times of fire and crisis.

Additionally, JNF-KKL fire trucks are over 20 years old and many failed during heavy use. Ten new large fire trucks are needed in the northern forest area and the Israeli Fire Department needs 25 emergency response vehicles (compact fire trucks) as well. Storage facilities for equipment need to be built and supplied with red slush (fire retardant) and other items for fighting forest fires.

Firefighting airplane -- The airplanes used to help douse the fires with fire retardant were agricultural planes; there are no firefighting airplanes in the entire region. These small planes flew under Israeli artillery on one side and Katyushas flying towards them on the other. The bill for renting the airplanes, not including the chemicals used to extinguish the fires, came to 14.5 million shekels. A firefighting airplane that could be utilized in the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt, must be purchased.

Youth -- Attention will also be paid to the youth -- both in Israel and out. Three top-of-the-line camps in the northern Galilee will be built and utilized on a year-round basis. Hugei Sayarut, Israel's elite youth movement, is expanding its reach and activities, and JNF will send 250 college students to volunteer in northern Israel during their spring break of March 2007. Their efforts will help make the north home again and will imprint the participants with a lasting connection to the Jewish State. Go to www.jnf.org/springbreak for details.

A housing loan program and a Galilee Information Center are also in the plans.

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Jewish National Fund is a non-profit organization founded in 1901 to serve as caretaker of the land of Israel, on behalf of its owners-Jewish people everywhere. Over the past century, JNF has planted over 240 million trees, built over 180 reservoirs and dams, developed over 250,000 acres of land, created more than 1,000 parks, provided the infrastructure for 1,000 communities and educated students around the world about Israel and the environment. Today, JNF is restoring northern Israel, making it home again to its residents, and is putting its century of experience to work with Blueprint Negev, supporting Israel's newest generation of pioneers in developing the Negev Desert, Israel's last frontier. For more information on JNF or to plant trees in Israel, call 800-542-TREE (8733) or visit www.jnf.org/trees. To contact your local office, please call 888-JNF-0099 or visit www.jnf.org.