On Feb. 7, the JNF held a ceremony in memory of the Carmel fire victims. Joining Omri Bonew, director of the JNF Northern Region (right), were Tom Tidwell, chief of the U.S. Forest Service (middle), and U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro. Photo Credit: Michael Huri

Over the past 109 years, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) has evolved into a global environmental leader: It has planted 250 million trees, built more than 210 reservoirs and dams, developed over 250,000 acres of land, created more than 1,000 parks, provided the infrastructure for over 1,000 communities, brought life to Israel’s Negev Desert and educated students around the world about Israel and the environment.
Never mind all that. A group called the “Stop JNF Campaign” – an initiative of the worldwide BDS campaign – is urging a boycott of JNF, whom it says, “was instrumental in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in the 1948 Nakba, and continues to play a central role in maintaining Israel’s regime of apartheid.” The campaign posted an action alert on its website last week asking visitors not to support JNF’s “Green Sunday” on Feb. 5. “Don’t be taken in,” the alert reads. “The JNF’s tree planting is a cover for ethnic cleansing.”
Sound ridiculous?  Not to everyone. The “Stop the JNF Campaign,” which was launched in March 2011, has garnered support from organizations across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and numerous other countries.
To find out how you can support JNF and its important work visit www.jnf.org.