All year long, KKL-JNF’s activities focus on developing Israel for the benefit of all its inhabitants, regardless of their religion. Distributing Christmas trees to embassy representatives from all over the world, clergymen and anyone who wants one, is a great example of this collaboration. KKL-JNF has several distribution points in its forests in the center and north of Israel where for a token fee people can get trees for Christmas.
“We planted these tree plots years ago, in order to meet the demand during Christmas time”, says Elisha Mizrachi of the KKL-JNF Public Relations Department. “It is part of our vision of shared life for Christians, Muslims and Jews in Israel”.
This year the trees were distributed in several distribution points in the north and the center of Israel: Nazareth, the Shfar’am Nursery, Bethlehem of Galilee, and the KKL-JNF Center in Givat Yeshayahu. Almost 1000 trees were distributed in these four locations.
Sasha Klayachkina from Givat Yeshayahu, who made Aliyah from Russia, came to choose a tree with her husband, Yoni, and her daughter, Daphna. “We celebrate Novy God, the Russian New Year’s Eve, and it’s nice to have a green tree at home, it adds to the atmosphere and has such a nice fragrance. The holiday reminds us of our childhood, before we came to Israel, and the tree is an important part of this celebration”.
At the distribution center in Givat Yeshayahu people are welcomed by KKL-JNF staff – Jewish, Muslim and Christian - who help the visitors choose a tree and load it into their car. Yet another reminder of the fact that we all live in this country together.
“Israel is blessed with a wonderful freedom of religion, which is based on mutual respect and the fact that every community feels confident in its own beliefs and gives other religions room”, says Judith Liber from Tel Aviv. “Every year we receive a tree from KKL-JNF, which has been so committed to helping us keep our tradition”.
Liber came to Israel from the U.S. over 50 years ago as a harpist in the philharmonic orchestra. “I came to Israel for a year, but stayed for a life time, because I fell in love with the energy, determination and optimism here”, she recounts.
The visitors who swarmed to the KKL-JNF distribution centers, walked about between the trees, checking each one carefully, making sure that was sufficiently tall, (but not taller than their ceiling), erect and upright to serve as the centerpiece of their Christmas celebrations.
Yossi Sharavani, a KKL-JNF forester in charge of the Christmas tree distribution project, explained that fir trees don’t grow in Israel. The substitute chosen to replace it is the Arizona Cypress, sturdy tree that grows quickly in the local climate, and its cut branches don’t dry up too fast.
Gideon Bar-Sela from Givataim told us that his wife grew up in Argentina, in a mixed family, and that they celebrate all the holidays in a wonderful multicultural atmosphere. “At home, we have a box with Christmas tree decorations, and next to it, a box with Sukkah decorations”, he says with a smile.
Shaun Deakin, who is in charge of gardening and landscaping in Kibbutz Dorot in the Negev, made Aliyah form England over 30 years ago, and every year he throws a big party at his home with guests from various countries and religions.
“We celebrate our shared love for nature, and there’s nothing like a tree to put us in the right mood”.
The trees collected from KKL-JNF’s distribution points were taken to churches, monasteries, embassies and people’s homes, to add a touch of green and some holiday spirit. In the morning, when the children will get out of their beds and rush to look for the presents waiting for them under the decorated tree, they will get to take in a piece of the KKL-JNF forest that came to their home for the holiday.