When is a tree more than just a tree?  When it is planted along the communities of Halutza, Israel to protect Israeli citizens from Gaza rocket fire.

On Sunday, February 8, Jewish National Fund (JNF) volunteers will be calling between 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm as part of our annual Tu Bi’Shevat Telethon. This year JNF is raising money for security tree plantings in Israeli communities located along the Gaza border. Volunteers will encourage you to purchase trees, starting at $18, to be planted to help secure Israel.

The communities are under constant threat of rocket fire and are exposed targets due to lack of tree cover.  As the trees grow around communities and along roads, they will act as a physical and visual barrier protecting citizens.

Tu Bi’Shevat, the new year for the trees, falls on February 4 this year. JNF is well known for planting trees (having planted over 240 million trees in Israel over the past 114 years), and has adopted this holiday as its own. And while the scope of JNF’s work is vast, Tu Bi’Shevat is the time of year that JNF returns to its roots and focuses on planting trees in Israel.

Sometimes trees can be more than just trees. Sometimes trees can save lives.

The Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF) is a registered charitable organization established in 1901 with the goal of purchasing land in Israel, and has been the sole agency responsible for the development and infrastructure of land and settlements there.  Today, JNF’s work focuses on five areas: water conservation and recycling, forestry, environmental education, community development and environmental research and development.