Nurit
Greenger
The
pushke-the Yiddish word, from the Polish word
puszka, means a tin can. A box placed in a home, synagogue, or other public
place, used to collect donations' money for the Jewish National Fund-JNF; Hebrew: קרן קימת לישראל,
Keren Kayemet LeYisrael-KKL.
The JNF was founded in 1901 at the Fifth Zionist Congress
in Basel, with Theodor Herzl's support, based on the proposal of a German
Jewish mathematician, Zvi Hermann Schapira. JNF set itself to purchase and
develop land in Ottoman Palestine, subsequently the state of Israel, to settle Jews
and build Jewish settlement there. Early land purchases were completed in Judea
and the Lower Galilee. In 1909, the JNF played a central role in the founding
of Tel-Aviv. The establishment of the “Olive Tree Fund” marked the beginning of
Diaspora support of afforestation efforts. The blue box-pushke has been part of
the JNF since its inception, symbolizing the partnership between Israel and the
Diaspora. In the period between the two world wars, about one million of these
blue and white tin collection boxes could be found in Jewish homes throughout
the world.
JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organization. Since
its inception, JNF has planted over 250 million trees in Israel and by 2007, it
owned 13% of the total land in Israel. It has built 227 dams and reservoirs,
developed 250,000 acres (1,000 km2) of land and established more
than 1,000 parks. In 2002, the JNF was awarded the Israel Prize for lifetime
achievement and special contribution to society and the State of Israel.
Most
Jews recognize that tin can, which for 111 years has been acting as the silent
collector of donations for the JNF. When there was not enough food to put on
the table, Jews around the world still found some money to drop in the JNF tin
for the purpose of future and hope of the Jewish nation. Jews knew that the
future of the Jewish nation depended on them; every coin dropped in the pushke would
make the difference. They knew that the
nation of Israel owned the deed to the land of Israel, which was stolen from
them and the only way to get it back was to repurchase what they owned anyhow,
that land of Eretz Yisrael.
The
USA West Coast Jewish National Fund-JNF 2012 Gala, dedicated to salute Israel,
its theme was about Jewish victory and survival, took place at the Beverly
Hills Hotel, in Beverly Hills, California on September 6th, 2012. (Website: www.jnf.org;
Los Angeles office number : 323-964-1400)
I
was told that 500 people showed up for a Gala, its theme this year was to honor
Holocaust survivors and their offspring. Certainly the full to capacity hall
attested that the survival of the nation state of the Jewish people, Israel,
lies deeply with and has relied, for over a century, on those who survived the Pogroms
and later the Holocaust, many of them attended the event.
Prime
Minister Netanyahu addressed the evening via a recorded video message.
Major
General (Res.) Doron Almog, Chairman of Aleh Negev-Nahalat Eran (http://www.jnf.org/work-we-do/blueprint-negev/aleh-negev.html
/
http://www.aleh.org/eng/board.asp?SID=1) took to the podium to introduce
this project, backed by JNF. Aleh Negev is an organization that provides
children with severe cognitive and physical disabilities throughout Israel with
high-level medical and rehabilitative care to help them realize their full
potential; a state-of-the-art communal Rehabilitative Village situated in
Ofakim that is providing much-needed services and jobs to the area.
JNF
reminds each Jew that we have the rekindled privilege to have a homeland, and
it is our time to set the boundaries of our land. Through Aleh Negev we define
our boundaries that are not only physical but also to support the weakest of
our society.
The
host of the Gala was actor and comedian Paul Reiser. Among the speakers were David
Frank, JNF Chairman of the Board and the President
of the Board, Bud Levin; there was also a presentation of video messages
by Holocaust survivors' offspring dedicated to the Guardian of Israel award recipients: Roman Russ z”l, Cantor Hershel
Walfish z”l, Joseph Nissenbaum z”l, Andrew and Yvette Gardner, and Ida
Waksberg.
Former
super model, turned business mogul, Kathy Ireland, a staunch supporter of
Israel, was the recipient of the Messenger of Peace Award and Andrew Stevens,
the author of the book Rebel With a Cause (http://www.amazon.com/REBEL-WITH-A-CAUSE-ebook/dp/B004FGMSX2),
who worked hand in hand with Raoul Wallenberg, in Budapest, Hungary, to save umpteen
number of Jews from the claws of the Nazis, received the Tree of Life award. Kathy Ireland, a non-Jew, gave a passionate
speech in support of the state of Israel. All in all, a night to honor heroes
and a message of hope.
The
Rat Pack Encore band was there to entertain the audience with
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis nostalgia music.
Through
perils and atrocities the Jewish nation survived. Jews now have a homeland and
with it their dignity has been restored. A strong and united Jewish society will certainly
prevail.
The
real revenge against the Nazis is the state of Israel. In many aspects, JNF
represents the Jewish Tree of Life.
In
Israel of the 1950s money was in short supply. Growing up in Israel, I remember
that each Friday I made sure to have in my pocket 25 Grush, later Shekel, to drop
in the JNF pushke that was passed around our classroom; not having any coin to
donate was simply embarrassing. Nothing has change; Israel still needs help. Pick
up a pushke and never forget to put few coins in it each Friday; and ask those
who visit your home to do the very same.
Your
pen that writes the check to JNF still makes the difference in Israel.
Remember, we have come to Israel to build and be built.
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