On the last day of the KKL-JNF European Leadership Conference, a morning session took place on the topic of informal education in Israel and the Diaspora, and concluded with additional reports on the activities of KKL-JNF’s European offices. At the third and final conference session, a discussion took place on the influence of BDS on creating a false reality on Israel in the international arena. At the conclusion of the session, participants summed up the successful conference.
Shlomo Deri, KKL-JNF Vice Chairman and Chairman of the KKL-JNF Directorate Committee on Education, opened the morning session on the topic of education in the Diaspora, noting that as part of its new policy, KKL-JNF has decided to promote education over the next five years. Most of the efforts will be in the field of informal education, with an emphasis on youth movements and pre-military academies.
Cooperation with the pre-military academies will encourage the use of KKL-JNF’s five Field and Forest Centers in Nes Harim, Tzippori, Lavie, Shuni, and the center that will be reopened in Yatir, after it was closed during the Second Intifada. “Young people are our most qualitative core group, and we want to keep in contact with them even after military duty, and to integrate them into our programs in Israel’s social and geographical periphery.”
According to Deri, future plans also include strengthening ties with peripheral regions through the establishment of KKL-JNF centers throughout Israel, “in order to connect with the young people, so that they can have an address where they can get help.”
Deri noted that KKL-JNF’s educational challenge is to create practical leadership that will positively affect reality, transmit values and also help wherever necessary.
As for education in the Diaspora, Deri noted that as a result of a meeting with the leaders of the French Jewish community, it was clear that the most important subject is strengthening Jewish, not necessarily religious, identity. In this case also, Deri mentioned the field and forest centers as a basis for activities, together with diverse educational programs such as Maof.
Deri added that most of the current Diaspora educational activities are focused on France, “and there is no reason for that. We want to expand activities to all of Europe, to teach love of Israel and nature in an enriching, experiential way.”
At this point, Deri turned to the participants and asked to hear what they want and need in the field of education.
Shaul Horev, KKL-JNF Emissary to Germany, spoke about the KKL-JNF scout groups, and Deri noted that they are indeed a huge success and that there are groups throughout Israel. The problem is that they are very expensive.
Shariel Gun, KKL-JNF Emissary to Italy, said that there is a lot of educational activity in Italy, and that they are now doing everything on their own, and that they would be very happy to cooperate and receive educational materials from Israel. Deri promised that such materials would be translated into Italian and any other language necessary.
Shai Bazak, JNF UK* Envoy and Head of Mission, suggested also having field and forest activities abroad, for example for youth movements and orthodox schools. The Danish and Dutch representatives asked for online educational materials.
KKL-JNF World Chairman Danny Atar concluded the discussion on education and noted that the Education Division made a 90 degree turn in terms of its activities, because until recently, ninety percent of its activities took place in schools. “Pre-military academies provide equal opportunities for everyone. We will give an opportunity to anyone with a strong sense of values to make progress at an academy.”
Atar added that it is important to understand that the shift to informal education is a challenge that demands professionalism, and it is important that everyone be part of it and dedicate themselves to the job.
After the discussion on education, the reports on the activities of KKL-JNF offices of Europe over the past two years continued from previous sessions. This time, Arthur Plotke, the President of KKL Switzerland, presented the activities of Switzerland and Austria; Skov Carsten, President of KKL Denmark, presented the activities of his organization; Fino Edery, KKL-JNF Emissary to France, presented the activities of KKL France; and KKL Belgium President Jacky Benzennou and KKL-JNF Emissary to Belgium Danny Ben Lulu presented the activities of KKL Belgium.
Shmulik Dahan, head of the KKL-JNF International Public Relations network, opened the third and final session of the conference with a lecture on BDS activities in the world and how it affects KKL-JNF. He provided details on an extensive research study that was conducted on the subject, including what the study discovered and its conclusions.
“It is important to remember – KKL-JNF has never expelled anyone from their land or from their homes. KKL-JNF never planted even one tree on land that wasn’t either theirs or state land,” Dahan emphasized, responding to BDS accusations.
The KKL-JNF public relations network makes certain that KKL-JNF offices in Europe have the tools and methods to fight against BDS when it targets KKL-JNF.
At the conclusion of Dahan’s lecture, the representatives of KKL-JNF in Europe shared ideas and requests related to contending with BDS.
In answer to a question from JNF UK's Shai Bazak as to whether the covenant between KKL-JNF and the state of Israel has been changed, Danny Atar responded that the covenant has never been changed. “About ninety percent of KKL-JNF’s work is carried out in open spaces – parks, bicycle paths, forests – everything for the benefit of all of Israel’s citizens.”
At the end of the discussion, all the participants were given an opportunity to sum up the conference, and everyone said that the conference had been very successful and useful, both in terms of its organization and also in terms of content, which provided answers to many questions.
Acting Executive Director of the KKL-JNF Resources Development and Public Relations Division Moshe Pearl thanked the participants and noted that the conference had emphasized the spirit of change at KKL-JNF, and added that his staff would be returning to Israel with new insights regarding the needs of the European offices. “We are going home with the knowledge that we need to strengthen the connection with the offices dramatically, with much more promotional material, general and specific reports about projects and the use of different languages.”
In his parting remarks, KKL-JNF World Chairman Danny Atar said that the conference had begun a long process of collaboration that will march KKL-JNF forward in terms of its organizational and functional capabilities.
* JNF Charitable Trust (JNF UK) is a wholly independent legal entity registered in England and Wales and with the UK Charity Commission. It operates completely separate with its own Board of Directors and Management.