Author: idoz

The volunteers, activists and leaders around the world constitute the living heart of Keren Hayesod. Thanks to their far-reaching work and leadership, Keren Hayesod has flourished and grown and reached outstanding achievements throughout its 100 years. Keren Hayesod’s leaders are people of endless dedication who invest significant time – sometimes entire lifetimes – to Keren Hayesod. They act on behalf of the State of Israel and the people of Israel out of a true sense of mission. At the expense of their free time, these people work day and night for Keren Hayesod – as volunteers. Their work begins with joining the fundraising effort. This might involve bringing people to fundraising events or leading a women’s division or professional division, and later becoming president, chairperson or member of the executive in the local campaign. Eventually it might lead to becoming part of Keren Hayesod’s international leadership, which meets several times a year in Jerusalem. They are all partners in action; they are all key to Keren Hayesod’s success and its ability to remain relevant. Without them, nothing would happen. In his final words at the Zionist Congress in July of 1920, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, later the first president of the State of Israel, said: “The key to the Land of Israel now lies in our hands”, and that is the slogan of Keren Hayesod’s leadership.

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Photo: The key presented to Keren Hayesod’s outgoing campaign chairmen and presidents in recognition of their longstanding devotion to Keren Hayesod and the people of Israel.

 

1999. Chechnya is burning. Tens of thousands of refugees run away from the areas of fighting without knowing what their fate will be. Reports of fleeing orphans reach the international press; among them is one Jewish girl. In a complex, life[1]threatening operation, Jewish Agency emissaries locate the girl and bring her and some of her friends out of the danger zone. The girl is Natasha, who grew up in an orphanage in Grozny and was forced to flee the city during the battles, together with her friends. Natasha was brought to Israel and sent to an absorption center. She joined the army as a volunteer, wanting to give back to the country that saved her. She later registered for a preparatory program at Tel Aviv University, where she met her husband, and today the couple is raising a son.

Thanks to the generosity of Keren Hayesod donors, Natasha’s life was saved. She created a new life in Israel. Natasha’s story is not the only moving story. For many years, the Jewish Agency for Israel, with the help of Keren Hayesod donors, has led complex and dangerous clandestine operations to bring Jews to Israel from countries where they are in danger. The principle is clear: no Jew will be left behind. A monumental effort is made to reach places where Jews are in economic or social distress or where their freedom of religion and/or personal safety are endangered. In 2018, 760 Jews in distress were brought to Israel. Another estimated 50,000 Jews around the world are in distress and in need of help. Rescue operations are not always made public, because they are sometimes carried out clandestinely, below the radar of the local governments.

Watch the full movie

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Photo: Natasha, 2017

“A campaign event gives me the opportunity to create a fruitful dialogue and collaboration between world Jewry and the State of Israel”, says Tzachi Halevy, a successful Israeli actor and singer, about the Keren Hayesod campaign events in which he has participated. Tzachi Halevy has represented Israel and Israeli society at dozens of campaign events, in Australia, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Germany and Switzerland, and considers it a great privilege to do so. In addition to performing his songs live, Halevy talks about his personal experiences as the son of an official representative of the State of Israel and his experiences as a lone soldier. He also talks about life in Israel and Israeli society. “I find events of this kind very moving”, he says. “They enable direct contact with Jewish communities around the world.

I meet amazing people who contribute a great deal to the State of Israel, and I have the privilege of telling them about my life and my work as an artist”. Among those who bring Israel and the Keren Hayesod message to campaign events are speakers, artists, political leaders, lecturers, academics, military people, writers, singers and in particular, the beneficiaries of the projects themselves – who give a moving, up-to-date and meaningful message to the donors. Every year, dozens of Keren Hayesod campaign launches are held around the world. These events constitute a significant part of Keren Hayesod’s activities in local communities, and almost everyone remembers a meaningful and moving experience they had there. What was your most memorable experience?

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Photo: KH campaign opening with Tzachi Halevy, Argentina, 2018

Keren Hayesod believes that showing appreciation to its dedicated leaders, donors and volunteers for their work and wide-ranging activities is essential. Therefore, the organization confers various prizes and awards to recognize them. Among these is the Israel Goldstein Prize, named for the past chairman of Keren Hayesod (1961-1971). Starting in 1980, the prize has been bestowed in an impressive ceremony on leaders from around the world who have acted on behalf of Keren Hayesod. Another coveted prize is the Yakir Keren Hayesod Award, given for the first time on Israel’s 50th year (1998) to 50 leaders and donors who made an exceptional contribution and impact. Since then, the Yakir Keren Hayesod Award has been given every year to prominent leaders and donors. Other major honors include the Nadiv Prize, bestowed upon donors who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary generosity, which has been given to date only five times. The Isaiah Award has been given to heads of state, among others, while the Women’s Division Award of Excellence is presented to a woman whose longtime leadership has been distinguished by exceptional dedication and initiative. Other recognition includes the Avi-hai Award for Exemplary Young Leadership and the S. J. Kreutner Award for Professional Excellence. These accolades, which are often awarded in the presence of leaders of the State of Israel or other dignitaries, are a small gesture of thanks to the people who help turn Keren Hayesod’s vision into reality and enable the organization to continue working on behalf of the State of Israel.

Over the years, all the presidents and prime ministers of Israel have recognized the importance of Keren Hayesod and its donors. They have taken part in Keren Hayesod conferences, and continue to do so, award prizes, meet with donors, and extend congratulations and acknowledgements:

“For a hundred years Keren Hayesod has supported the building and strengthening of Eretz Israel, the homeland and birthplace of the Jewish people, which was re-established after thousands of years of exile. . . .I believe it may be said that without Keren Hayesod, the State of Israel would not have been established. As simple as that.”

President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin

“I am not speaking to you in the name of the suffering of the state of Israel and the Jewish people. I am speaking to you in the name of the strength and might of the State of Israel, and with your help we can do much more. This is the challenge, this is the mission that I want to pass on through you to communities around the world. . . . I want to thank you for everything you have done so far, and I want to thank you even more for what you will do in the future.”

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin

“Keren Hayesod serves as a living bridge between millions of Jews in the Diaspora and the State of Israel.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

“The merits and achievements of Keren Hayesod are engraved in the soil of the homeland and treasured in the soul of the nation. . . .The works carried out by Keren Hayesod have changed the face of the land and the face of the people, and laid the foundation for our independence.”

Prime Minister David Ben Gurion

“Keren Hayesod and all those who supported it and took part in its activities have played a major role in the modern saga of the Jewish people, from its beginning and until today. You have an important part in our existence . . . and in our pride.”

Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir

“We attribute immeasurable importance to Keren Hayesod’s contribution to the establishment of the State of Israel and its development throughout its history.”

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

“It is doubtful whether any similar organization that emerged from other peoples in the world was as creative and involved in such a unique mission of national revival. This is because Keren Hayesod played a central role in the ingathering of the people, and a vital part in mobilizing the resources to create something from nothing”

President Shimon Peres

“I heard with pleasure about the work of Keren Hayesod these days, its growth and its development. Keren Hayesod has been precious to me since the day it was founded, and I have taken part in its work from the beginning. My heart rejoices within me when I see that Keren Hayesod encompasses the entire Jewish world. May the hands of those that do the work be blessed.”

Keren Hayesod activity is based on transparency, as a supreme value that protects the donor’s money. Keren Hayesod enables donors to become closely acquainted with its different activities and to contribute specifically to those that are important to them. Donors contribute according to their ability and in the way they wish, and the organization has the duty of trust to show where the money goes, in complete transparency. Keren Hayesod has three fundamental principles that ensure that the duty of trust and the value of transparency are complied with – involvement and leadership, as reflected in the Board of Governors; management of finances and projects in accordance with strict criteria, regulations and guidelines; and reports to donors that include an annual review of Keren Hayesod activities along with missions to Israel to visit a different projects. Transparency has been one of Keren Hayesod’s core values since its inception, but it became even more important with the reform advanced by world chairman Avraham Avi-hai in the 1970s. Avi-hai sought to create full partnership with Jewish communities around the world and greater involvement in Keren Hayesod’s activities. The leading donors who participated in this process were businesspeople who loved Israel and supported transparency and proper management of resources. At the same time, there was greater desire on the part of the donors to know and decide how their money was invested. Avi-hai understood that it was necessary to make the conditions in the Jerusalem office more flexible. In 1978, he established the Board of Governors, with 20 members representing the 20 largest Jewish communities around the world. This changed the structure of Keren Hayesod and gave the communities greater control over how their donations were used.

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Photo: Summary income report 1921-1945

From its inception, when the world of cinema was still in its infancy, Keren Hayesod understood the power of film to convey its message. In 1924, Keren Hayesod produced its first silent movie, Banim Bonim, documenting the building of Eretz Israel, and in 1935 it produced its first real film about the life of the pioneers – L’Hayim Hadashim. In English both of them were called Land of Promise. Keren Hayesod has continued this long-standing tradition, and every year produces dozens of films about its work for the various campaigns around the world. You can see these films on the KH website, its Facebook pages and YouTube. The films are part of a large array of marketing tools used by Keren Hayesod to carry its message around the world in nine languages! It has done this from the very beginning, when Ze’ev Jabotinsky ran what was called the “Propaganda Department”, and until today, in the digital age, when Keren Hayesod distributes its materials through WhatsApp groups throughout the world. Project cards, calendars, reports to donors, brochures with information on activities, photographs – tens and hundreds of items every year – are written, translated, printed and distributed in Israel and to the campaigns around the world.

Shir Ha’Emek (Song of the Valley) was written in 1934 for the film Land of Promise (L’Hayim Hadashim) portraying the lives of the pioneers in Eretz Israel, which was produced and financed by Keren Hayesod in 1935. The lyrics were written by Nathan Alterman and the music was composed by Daniel Samburski. The song describes the pioneer settlements, the lives of the pioneers and the work on the land in the Jezreel Valley in the 1920s and 30s. Keren Hayesod supported the establishment of the Jezreel Valley settlements and worked to develop agricultural settlement in the Land of Israel in general. Land of Promise was screened in movie houses throughout the world. Only the first two stanzas of the song, glorifying the Jezreel Valley, appear in the film. An unforgettable part of the film shows the composer teaching the song to the pioneers, who break out in thunderous applause. The third stanza is different in character, and there is some dispute as to the time and circumstances in which it was written.

Shir Ha’Emek
Words: Nathan Alterman
Music: Daniel Samburski

Sunset, and our labours ending,
Rest, to close the day’s ordeal –
Nightfall on swift wings descending
To the Valley of Jezreel!
Dew below and moonlight over all,
From Beth Alpha to Nahalal!

Hark, hark! Shadows conceal –
Dark, dark, silent Jezreel!
Lovely Valley, tranquilly sleeping,
We are your night-watch keeping!

Cornfields wave their golden flowers,
Bells of distant cattle peal –
All this wide, fair land is ours,
In the Valley of Jezreel!
Peace upon you, may all blessings fall
From Beth Alpha to Nahalal!

Hark, hark! Shadows conceal . . .

Darkenss on Gilboa paling
Horse and rider pass reveal!
Sudden cries and voices wailing
Pierce the Valley of Jezreel!
Who has fired? Who did victim fall?
‘Tween Beth Alpha and Nahalal?

Hark, hark! Shadows conceal . . .

Translated by Sylvia Satten

Movie: Singing Shir Ha’Emek, Kibbutz Givat Brenner, from the film To a New Life, produced by Keren Hayesod in 1935, Kibbutz Givat Brenner

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Since Masa was established in 2004, 150,000 young people from 60 countries around the world have enjoyed a meaningful experience in Israel. The program brings together the three spheres of Keren Hayesod activity: enhancing the bond between young Jews and Israel, aliyah and strengthening the periphery. The program offers dozens of unique tracks, ranging from studies, through volunteering programs, to internships, all involving a stay of between four and twelve months in Israel. Some 12,000 young people experience life in Israel first-hand every year, getting to know the people, the places, the culture, the lively way of life and everyday living. The diversity of Masa programs means that the program can be tailored to the personal interest of each participant: studying (at universities or yeshivas), volunteering (teaching English in the periphery) or internships (in medicine and high-tech). All the programs include trips throughout Israel, enabling participants to get to know the country, its history and Jewish life. The results are impressive: a high percentage of program participants (mainly from Russia and France) make aliyah, and commitment to Jewish leadership and action on behalf of Israel in participants’ home communities increases many times over. Keren Hayesod also helps fund the Birthright program, which seeks to connect young Jews to Israel through a 10-day, hands-on, fully funded tour of Israel. Every year Birthright enables 28,000 young people from around the world to experience Israel first-hand – perhaps for the first time in their lives. Hundreds of thousands have already taken part in the program.

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Photo: Participants in Masa, 2012

As you walk through the streets of Israel, please consider that wherever you are, there are no doubt buildings whose construction was financed by Keren Hayesod. It began in Keren Hayesod’s earliest days, when the organization was primarily involved in giving loans to build neighborhoods and to pave roads. In the mid-1920s, for example, Keren Hayesod lent £3,730 to the Beit Hakerem neighborhood committee in Jerusalem, which was used to plan the neighborhood and pave its roads. A large loan was also given to the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Kiryat Moshe and Rehavia. In Tel Aviv, £1,500 was invested in the new Tel Nordau neighborhood between 1924 and 1926, and additional funds were invested in neighborhoods in Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Haifa and elsewhere. Since the 1920s to date, thousands of projects supported by Keren Hayesod are initiated every year. What began with the building of neighborhoods evolved over the years into the construction of buildings that contribute greatly to the community. In the last 50 years alone, since 1970, Keren Hayesod has constructed thousands of buildings: kindergartens, educational institutions and classrooms, absorption centers, hospitals and clinics, youth villages, sheltered housing facilities, Project Renewal buildings and more. Behind each and every building lies a story, and people of vision who want to continue building this wonderful country. And the work continues.

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Photo: Keren Hayesod poster, “And nevertheless – the builders build”, 1947