On Tuesday, February 5, Austrian President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen becomes the 109th head of state to plant an olive tree in the KKL-JNF Grove of Nations in Jerusalem.
“Planting an olive tree has a profound significance, and I am proud to be the 109th head of state to do so,” declared Austrian President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen at a planting ceremony in the Grove of Nations in Jerusalem. “The olive tree is an ancient symbol of freedom and peace.”
Planting in the Grove of Nations, which is devoted exclusively to trees planted by visiting heads of state from all over the world, began in 2005 as a symbol of the desire for peace and as a sign of solidarity with the State of Israel and the Jewish People.
“The grove is intended to allow leaders who influence history to participate in the experience of planting a tree in Israel,” Judith Perl-Strasser, Director of KKL-JNF’s German-Speaking Countries Desk, informed the guests.
She went on to explain that KKL-JNF is the largest green organization in Israel and one of the oldest in the world that is involved in afforestation, land development, environmental education and water resource development. “Planting trees symbolizes the links between Israel and the rest of the world,” she emphasized.
The planting ceremony took place after the Austrian president’s visit to the World Holocaust Remembrance Center at Yad VaShem. The Grove of Nations stands directly below the museum.
KKL-JNF’s Andy Michelson, who served as Master of Ceremonies, spoke on behalf of the KKL-JNF World Executive: “There is no more appropriate response to the terrible events of the past than planting a tree as a symbol of life,” he said. “The olive tree symbolizes the State of Israel, the yearning for peace and the profound relationship between Austria, Israel and their two peoples.”
Apart from government ministers, senior officials and journalists, the Austrian president’s entourage also included leaders of the Jewish community in Austria, headed by Oskar Deutsch, who is president of the Jewish community of Vienna, and his deputy Dezoni Dawaraschwili.
“This is a very exciting encounter,” said Dezoni Dawaraschwili. “Relations between Israel and Austria are excellent, and the Austrian Jewish community attaches great importance to its involvement in Israeli affairs.”
The ambassadors of both participating countries were invited to recite the Planter’s Prayer. Israeli Ambassador to Austria Talya Lador-Fresher read the prayer in Hebrew and her counterpart Martin Weiss, who is Austria’s ambassador to Israel, recited the words in German.
With all due respect to the eloquent speeches, the warm words and the sincere prayers, the real objective of this distinguished gathering was to plant a tree – and now the time had come to put down the microphone, leave the podium behind, roll up the sleeves, and get to work in the grove. The Austrian president carried out the job with his own hands: he dug the ground, covered the newly-planted sapling with soil and gave it its first watering. “You’ve obviously done this before,” remarked Andy Michelson with a smile.
“I wish this tree, and the State of Israel, too, thousands of years of peace and tranquility,” declared President Van der Bellen in conclusion.