[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 25, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 24, 2002

  Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Jewish 
National Fund which is celebrating its 100th anniversary on October 6, 
2002. The Jewish National Fund (JNF) was established with the express 
purpose of bringing Jews from around the world together and make the 
Zionist dream of a Jewish state a reality.
  JNF was formed at the Fifth Zionist Congress in order to motivate 
people from around the world to collect spare change in tin ``Blue 
Boxes,'' to be used to purchase the land that would one day become the 
state of Israel. These Blue Boxes became a symbol of Zionism and they 
were distributed in Jewish communities everywhere, creating a bond that 
was felt by the Jewish community as a whole. Through this unity, the 
Zionist movement built the nation of Israel that continues to flourish 
and thrive.
  In the spring of 1903, JNF acquired its first parcel of land of 800 
acres in Hadera, Israel. Immediately, JNF focused on greening the land 
through the planting of trees. To date, JNF has planted over 210 
million trees on 250,000 acres across Israel. JNF has grown with the 
country's changing needs by building infrastructure for essential new 
communities which accommodate Israel's growing population. The JNF is 
responsible for building access roads, providing employment for waves 
of new immigrants, and improving the quality of life for Israelis 
across the country.
  Today JNF continues to be a major force in the development of Israel 
through water resource development, education, research and 
development, community development and tourism and recreation. These 
successes across such a wide range of activities have benefited the 
lives of countless Israeli citizens. The reach of JNF extends beyond 
Israel's boarders providing a link between Jews around the world with 
the Jewish state.
  I congratulate the Jewish National Fund on its 100 years of service 
to the Zionist movement and the state of Israel and wish them many more 
years of continued success.

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