110 years ago the Fifth Zionist Congress decided to establish Keren Kayemeneth Lelsrael, the Jewish National Fund born to the economic and social advancement of the State of israel. For the Jewish People this was a new phase of action implementing the vision cherished during 2000 long years of exile.

Since its inception, KKL-JNF has adapted itself to the ever-changing needs of the Jewish people and the land of Israel, motivated by a dynamism that ensures the organization’s relevance in a rapidly evolving reality that considers the key aspects of the environment, international cooperation, accessibility for all people, tourism and new technological developments.

The Jewish National Fund was founded in Basel at the Fifth Zionist Congress in 1901, inspired by the proposal of a German Jewish mathematician, Professor Zvi Hermann Shapira. He suggested, at the first Zionist Congress in 1897, the creation of a National Fund for the purpose of acquiring lands for the whole of Jewish people, as a non-profit organization in Ottoman palestine (later British Mandate for palestine, and subsequently Israel and the Palestinian territories). Following the presentation of statuts and objectives, father of modern political Zionism and in effect the founder of the State of Israel Theodor Herzl annonced the founding of the institution after an internal vote in Congress. 

The foundation of the KKL marked the beginning of ‘practical Zionism’. Early land purchases were completed in Judea and the Lower Galilee through public donations given by communities . In 1909, the JNF played a central role in the founding of Tel Aviv. In ten years of existence, the KKL bought lands to make arable in order to create a system that financed the establish of educational and cultural institutions.

In 1939, 10% of the Jewish population of the British Mandate of Palestine lived on JNF land. JNF holdings by the end of the British Mandate period amounted to 936 km², to which was added the free employment of other surrounding lands inhabited by migrants.

After the world war II, during the early years of history of the State of Israel, the JNF was dissolved and re-organized as an Israeli company under the name Keren Kayemet LeYisrael (JNF-KKL), experiencing a huge urban development during the leadership of Prime Minister Ben Gurion. After the Six-Day War in 1967, the JNF-KKL started work also in the newly occupied Palestinian territories as well. 

From this moment on, KKL’ s policies will focus more on the quality of soil and water, flora and fauna.

Since 2000, the activities are be based largely on Sustainable Development, around the natural regeneration ‘framed’ and adapting to the diversity of situations observed in the field. The interaction with an audience attracted to this model of development remains the key to preserving the past, present and future.

 

www.kkl.be

Claudio SANNA