Friends of the Jewish National Funds,

‎Jewish National Fund, ‎ September‎ ‎19, 2004

Jerusalem

Uprooting thousands trees planted in Haifa by the Jewish National Fund

Dear Jewish National Fund,

I am a long term friend of the Jewish National Fund, and my family and I both in Israel and in many countries abroad have been donating to the JNF for the purpose of planting trees in the land of Israel.

I live on Chaviva Reik Street in Haifa, and plan חפ\2187 initiated by the Haifa municipality involves building hundreds of additional apartments and parking lots on Chaviva Reik Street. This would necessitate the uprooting of most of the 3000 fully grown trees in Chaviva Street planted by the Jewish National Fund about fifty years ago with money donated by the public in Israel and abroad. The municipality claims (wrongly) that there are only hundreds of trees on Chaviva Reik Street and they promise to plant new trees to replace the ones uprooted. However seedings do not provide as much oxygen and filtration to purify the air as tall trees.

The Jewish National Fund owns the land, and Mr. Arieh Eshet, the director of the Western Galil-Carmel branch of JNF, stated in his letter that the JNF would oppose the uprooting of trees. However, the representative of the JNF in the District Committee for Building and Planning of the Interior Ministry (Mrs. …..), voted in favor of the building plan חפ\2187 and did not give her opposition to the uprooting of the trees, and will continue to vote for uprooting the trees in the future.

How can the Jewish National Fund, an organization that plants trees financed by donations possibly agree to the uprooting of trees?

Could it be because the JNF expects to get payments from land taxes? Even if the JNF does not have the authority to prevent uprooting of the trees it can still vote against their destruction, and still receive payments from land taxes.

I am extremely disappointed by the position taken by the JNF, to which my family, friends and I both in Israel and abroad, are long term donators. I do not think it is fair to solicit money from donators for planting trees and then agree to uproot them.

I have lived in Chaviva Reik Street since 1972 and enjoy the benefits of the many trees – oxygen, filtration and scenic beauty. I suffer from asthma and can breathe freely here and therefore would like to remain here for the rest of my life. However if plan חפ\2187 goes into effect, it would affect my health badly. I would be forced to move and do not know another neighborhood in Haifa that I could afford to live in where there are so many trees that gives fresh air.

I would definitely reconsider whether or not to continue donating and encouraging my family and friends both in Israel and abroad to donate to the JNF. I would have to tell them the truth about what is happening with their hard earned money.

If the JNF decides to reconsider its position regarding the uprooting of trees in plan חפ\2187 (and others), it can write as soon as possible to the following addresses stating its opposition clearly:

הועדה המחוזית לתיכנון ובניה, משרד הפנים חיפה

שד' פל-ים 15 בנין ב' קומה 4

חיפה 33095

הועדה המקומית לתיכנון ובניה חיפה

רח' ביאליק 3

חיפה 33112

גב' אורית סגיב

אדריכלית מחלקת תיכנון

מינהל מקרקעי ישראל מחוז חיפה

שד' פל-ים 15

חיפה 33095

and also order JNF’s representative in the District Committee Mrs. Ilana to vote against uprooting the trees.

If the Jewish National Fund decides to oppose the building planחפ\2187 and/or the uprooting of the thousands trees please send me photocopies of letters written and opposition forms signed, and the confirmations of them being sent and received.

For your convenience, attached please find blank forms.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

Yours truly,

...

.. Chaviva Reik St.

Haifa 32542

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