Key Israel-Related Projects Supported or Initiated by JNF South Africa

The Valley of Sharon 1929

The Valley of Sharon is an area north of Tel Aviv which was abandoned, unpopulated and unproductive. South African Jewry undertook its first major project for JNF. The Zionist Conference adopted a resolution to redeem a tract of land in the Sharon within three years for a sum of 60000 pounds.

Ramat Yohanan (Kibbutz Yohanan) 1931

Situated in northern Israel, located in the Zevulun Valley just a short distance from Haifa.

Founded By: A group of Jewish pioneers comprising Sabras (native Palestinians of Jewish descent) and immigrants (many from the United States).

Name Origin: The name Ramat Yohanan (“Yohanan Heights”) honours Jan Smuts (Yohanan in Hebrew), a South African statesman and strong early supporter of Zionism who was a personal friend of Chaim Weizmann. Smuts was a  Zionist supporter and was recognized for his commitment to Jewish national aspirations in the early 20th century.

The SA Jewish community sponsored a club house for the kibbutz members which was later converted to a small theatre and there was also a small museum on the kibbutz dedicated to General Jan Smuts.

1939 projects

South African Jewry planted a Dizengoff Forest. It established numerous settlements, housing quarters, waterworks, groves and forests, in the name of the community and its leaders.

Huleh Valley Project 1950 - 1958

The draining of Lake Huleh and the surrounding swamps took place between the years of 1950 and 1958. Vast tracts of land were saved, water was conserved for irrigation of the arid south and the scourge of malaria was abolished. The settlements of Lachish and Adullam were developed and they became models for regional settlements.

When this project completed, 60000 dunams of the country’s best farmland was created. An additional 4000 dunam were created into a natural reserve.

The South African Forest 1960s

The SA Forest was established in the 1960’s.  All trees planted up to the 1980s were planted in this forest.  It is part of the Lavi Forest.  There is a board up with all the main sponsors. Also  a shelter to have functions in sponsored by the Bennun family from PE. 

The road to the summer camp in the SA Forest was paid for through a bequest from the Late Barney Nestadt. Within the forest is a recreation area for the disabled and handicapped. This was sponsored by The Women’s Zionist Organisation of South Africa (WIZO).

Situated in the lower Galilee, close to the Sea of Galilee. An area of 600 acres.

In the heart of the forest there are playgrounds, with a variety of equipment and recreation sites including water fountains, tables and benches.

Yatir Forest 1965

JNF SA undertook a very daring afforestation scheme with great success. Today the lush oasis of Yatir Forest, with some 5 million trees, is proof of this success. Besides being the most important afforestation area in the northern Negev, the Yatir Forest provides a place of recreation and vacation for the population of Beersheba, Arad and numerous other settlements in the vicinity, but first and foremost it acts as an important link in the chain of defence.

Send a child to camp (SACTOC) – 1970 – 2000s

This project has become established as a humane activity and funds raised from the sale of certificates have enabled many needy Israeli children to attend a holiday camp.

 The program raises funds to:

·       Sponsor children from disadvantaged backgrounds

·       Enable them to attend Jewish holiday camps (often during school vacations)

·       Provide access to outdoor education, leadership development, and Jewish cultural experiences

The goal is to give children who otherwise could not afford it the opportunity to attend camp and benefit socially, emotionally, and educationally.

Arava Valley 1971

Between 1971 and 1973, JNF would would reclaim 30400 dunam of land. JNF SA undertook to redeem a tract of land at Neot Hakikar, 2500 dunams in extent, at a cost of R100 per dunam.

The Galil Project 1982 after Lebanon War

A campaign to restructure hill settlements in the Galilee and the Jerusalem Corridor.

One of the most dramatic of these efforts was Shezor, just off the Acre-Safed road near the Galilee town of Carmel. JNF SA contributions helped enlarge the amount of land available for cultivation and also increased the living space for individual families.

The goal of this project was to improve the quality of life in the Southern Galilee area near Tiberius, in order to attract young settlers to a part of the country losing its Jewish identity.

The project also involved minor projects such as establishing observation points, recreation areas and soldier picnic places.

JNF SA along with WIZO established a recreation and Sporting Centre for both students and visitors at the Kadoorie Agricultural School.

The Turan Region 1982 - 1983

An area between Nazareth and Tiberius, comprising 100 000 dunams of barren hilly country.

Galil SA established 3 outpost settlements namely Mitzpe Netofa, Beth Rimon A and Beth Rimon B.

Mitzpe Netofa is a community of 60 families belonging to Garin Amana.

Kibbutz Beth Rimon A is affiliated to Kibbutz Hadati Movement. Employment sources are encouraging and include factory work, fruit picking, carpentry and land cultivation in the Netofa Valley.

Kibbutz Beth Rimon B has less agricultural land so the source of employment was for local services and light industry.

Besor Reservoir completed 1984

The Besor Reservoir in the Negev, is one of Israel’s major water-harvesting and storage reservoirs in the western Negev. The reservoir is part of Israel’s broader effort to combat desertification and ensure water security in arid regions.

South African Memorial Forest (1986 – present)

A forest and memorial site in Israel dedicated to the friendship between South Africa and Israel.

Contains a commemorative stone monument and memorial wall listing South African volunteers and soldiers who served in Israel’s wars and those who have fallen in defense of Israel and through terror attacks.

Symbolises the historical bond and South African contribution to Israel’s defense and development.

Within the Israel-South African Park there are many several projects dedicated to the South African community including:

·      The Memorial Garden – dedicated to Israeli/ South African soldiers who fell in Israeli wars since 1930

·      Central recognition site – dedicated to the KKL friends of SA who have donated towards developing the Galilee

·      The South African Embassy Park – A plaque in honour of former President Frederick de Klerk

·      The Dov Casper Memorial in Golani Forest – memorial for Rabbi Dov Casper, SA Chief Rabbi

·      Plant a Tree Centre

·      The Nelson Mandela Forest – within the Lavi Forest honouring the President of SA

Drop of life campaign 1990s – 2000s

The Drop of Life campaign was one of JNF’s early publicity and fundraising efforts encouraging Jews in the diaspora to support water-related development in Israel. The campaign slogan invited people to “give Israel a drop of life – water,” reflecting the critical need to collect, store and manage water resources for agriculture, settlement and community survival in the early years of the state and before. JNF used funds raised through this and similar campaigns to build water harvesting and storage facilities — helping make farming and settlement possible in arid and semi-arid regions.

At a time when water infrastructure was one of the biggest practical needs for emerging Jewish communities in pre-state and early-state Israel, Drop of Life:

·       raised awareness about the importance of water to life and settlement in the land;

·       mobilised donors internationally to contribute to water projects;

·       helped fund reservoirs, cisterns, dams and water-collection systems that supported agriculture and habitation in dry areas; and

·       became part of JNF’s broader mission to strengthen rural areas and communities by ensuring essential infrastructure was in place.

Gesher Reservoir built during the 1990s

The Gesher Reservoir is part of the extensive network of reservoirs built by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund in the Beit She’an Valley, which were mainly constructed during the 1990s as part of the broad water-harvesting push in that region. During that decade, KKL-JNF built many reservoirs in the Valley to capture runoff and support irrigation and water security.

This project was in collaboration with JNF-UK.

Nazareth Ilit Har Yonah Olim Housing 1992

Har Yonah is a neighborhood of Nof HaGalil in northern Israel, located in the Lower Galilee region. It is mainly a modern residential area that has been developed to accommodate primarily Orthodox Jewish families. It includes apartments, community infrastructure, and ongoing housing projects.

Golda Meir Park (2000s)

Golda Meir Park, often referred to simply as Golda Park, is a recreational and ecological park in the Negev Desert of southern Israel, developed by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund. It was created to rehabilitate an abandoned gravel quarry and turn it into a scenic public space with lawns, picnic areas, water features, and walking paths.

Named  after Golda Meir, Israel’s fourth prime minister — reflecting her personal connection to the region, as she occasionally resided with family in nearby Kibbutz Revivim.

Blueprint Negev Project 2006

The JNF Negev or Blueprint Negev project is a comprehensive program to enhance infrastructure, attract new residents, boost economic development, and improve living conditions in Israel’s southern desert, fulfilling both practical development aims and part of JNF’s broader vision for the land. Large donations were made towards this project by JNF SA.

Carmel Fires emergency campaign 2010

Broke out: 2 December 2010

Duration: About 4 days

Damage: ~25,000 dunams (about 6,000+ acres) of forest burned

One of the worst natural disasters in Israel’s history

JNF SA launched emergency campaigns to:

·       Support rebuilding efforts

·       Fund new firefighting equipment

·       Restore forests and recreational areas

Ochberg Memorial Park 2011

The Isaac Ochberg Memorial Park is located in the Ramot Menashe area in northern Israel, overlooking the tract of land acquired through Ochberg’s donation.

It was officially established and dedicated in 2011 by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund (KKL‑JNF) to honour his legacy and contributions.

The park includes:

A stone monument and commemorative site recognising Ochberg’s impact.

A “Hill of Names” with ceramic plaques representing each of the hundreds of Ochberg orphans he helped save.

Trees planted at the time of the dedication to symbolise growth, continuity and remembrance.

Isaac Ochberg was a South African Jewish philanthropist who in the early 20th century:

Rescued nearly 200 Jewish orphans from Ukraine after World War I and brought them to safety in South Africa, where they were cared for and adopted.

Left a significant bequest to the Jewish National Fund (JNF) upon his death in 1937 — at the time described as one of the largest individual sums ever donated to the organisation.

His funds were used by JNF to purchase land that helped establish Kibbutzim Dalia, Gal’ed and Ramot Menashe in Israel.

Beer Sheva Bomb Shelter with West Street Shul 2016

A bomb shelter in the Beer Sheva region was erected thanks to the contribution from The West Street Shul and JJNF SA.

The Bricha (Escape) Trail 2018

·       A project developed by JNF-SA in partnership with KKL-JNF located in the Carmel Forest in northern Israel.

·       A 3 km commemorative trail telling the story of the heroic Bricha movement, which helped 300 000 Holocaust survivors migrate to Israel after World War II.

·       The trail includes a walking trail, recreational areas, trees, informational boards and educational signs.

Zikim Playground Bomb Shelter 2018

This project included a nursery school with a covered play area designed to be a bomb shelter / protected space on Kibbutz Zikim, 1 kilometer from Gaza City.

Gan Siyabonga (“We Thank You” Garden) – Tel Mond 2023

A memorial garden established in a public park in Tel Mond, Israel, to honour South African Jews who stood against apartheid and strengthened the State of Israel.

Includes trees, plaques for activists, and artworks symbolising South African Jewish sacrifices and contributions.

Collaboration between JNF-SA, the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF), and KKL-JNF.

Fire fighting Equipment 2025

In 2025, JNF‑SA ran an emergency fundraising appeal to support Israel’s Home Front Command and first‑response efforts, which included support for firefighting and emergency preparedness. Mobile fire fighting units and protective equipment for fire fighters was purchased and distributed.

Emergency & Civil Defence Contributions

Mobile Bomb shelters were purchased by the SA Jewish community in the Gaza perimeter area and in the north of Israel to provide protection from incoming hostile rockets and missiles.

Fundraising for upgrading and refurbishing public bomb shelters across Israeli communities, particularly in response to regional security threats in 2024–2025.

Land Reclamation & Environmental Projects via KKL-JNF

Although not directly South African projects, JNF-SA’s fundraising has contributed to wider nationwide KKL-JNF initiatives in Israel, such as:

Afforestation and forestry projects across Israel, including major forests like Yatir Forest and others planted by KKL-JNF.

Forestry, water-resource and land development that helped “make the desert bloom,” including parks, reservoirs, and settlement support infrastructure.

Historical Fundraising Initiatives

Many of the most transformative Israel projects were supported through global KKL-JNF fundraising — including by the South African branch — via the iconic JNF “Blue Box” campaign (raising money worldwide to redeem land, plant forests, and develop infrastructure in Israel), beginning in the early 1900s.