Jewish National Fund of South Africa
South African office of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund, raising funds for forestry, land and community projects in "Israel"
| Jewish National Fund of South Africa
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|---|---|
| Logo | 
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| Type | Non-profit organisation; national office of KKL-JNF |
| Location | Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban |
| Area served | South Africa |
| Services | Fundraising for KKL-JNF projects in "Israel"; environmental education in South Africa |
| Key people | Isla Feldman (president); Michael Kransdorff (national chairman); Bev Schneider (national director) |
| Website | jnfsa.co.za |
The Jewish National Fund of South Africa (JNF SA), which calls itself the "KKL-JNF South African Office", is the South African branch of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael - Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF).[1] It describes itself as "one of the oldest Jewish organizations in South Africa", "over 120 years old", and says that with the support of South African Jews it has been able to "build forests, roads, dams, and lead to the development of the state of Israel into a modern dynamic society".[2] In May 2026 its president, Isla Feldman, said the organisation had been involved in forestry for 125 years and had helped plant 250 million trees in "Israel".[3]
It is an affiliate of the South African Zionist Federation.[4] JNF SA says it aims to create "the next generation of climate change activists and Israel supporters".[2]
Projects in "Israel"
JNF SA lists among its current flagship projects in "Israel" the Brica Trail, an educational walking trail through the Carmel Forest; the South African Memorial Forest, "which commemorates South African soldiers that fell defending Israel"; and "our bomb shelter projects, which have saved lives".[2]
Its account of the historic projects of South African Jewry with the JNF includes:[5]
- the Valley of Sharon (1929), which it describes as an area north of Tel Aviv that "was abandoned, unpopulated and unproductive", when "the Zionist Conference adopted a resolution to redeem a tract of land in the Sharon within three years for a sum of 60000 pounds";
- Ramat Yohanan (1931), a kibbutz in the Zevulun Valley named after Jan Smuts;
- a Dizengoff Forest and "numerous settlements, housing quarters, waterworks, groves and forests" (1939);
- the draining of Lake Huleh and the surrounding swamps (1950–1958);
- the South African Forest, part of the Lavi Forest in the lower Galilee (1960s);
- the Yatir Forest (1965), which it says "acts as an important link in the chain of defence" in the northern Negev.
Projects in South Africa
JNF SA says it is "bringing Israeli water and agricultural technology to South Africa", and that its flagship local projects are the Walter Sisulu Environmental Centre and a second environmental centre in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal. It says that through these centres "perceptions of Israel are being changed".[2] The JNF-Walter Sisulu Environmental Centre is in Mamelodi, east of Tshwane.[1][3]
In May 2026 JNF SA joined the One Billion Trees Programme, launched by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens on 11 May. According to the SA Jewish Report, more than 35,000 trees had been planted through the Mamelodi centre "using techniques and methodologies developed in Israel", and more than 150,000 pupils had received environmental education there. JNF SA's Benji Shulman spoke at the launch.[3]
People
| Name | Position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Isla Feldman | President | [2] |
| Michael Kransdorff | National Chairman | [2] |
| Bev Schneider | National Director | [2] |
| Jules Urdang | Treasurer | [2] |
| Benji Shulman | Executive committee member | [2] |
| Orna Toge | Head of the South Africa desk at KKL-JNF | [2] |
Offices
JNF SA gives the following telephone numbers: national office, Johannesburg, (011) 645-2580; Cape Town, (021) 464-6716; Durban, (031) 335-4454. Its email address is admin@jnfsa.co.za.[2]
See also
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to South Africa
- Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael - Jewish National Fund
- South African Zionist Federation
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jewish National Fund South Africa, Home JNF SA, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Jewish National Fund South Africa, About JNF SA, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Staff Reporter, JNF helps launch One Billion Tree campaign SA Jewish Report, 12 May 2026.
- ↑ South African Zionist Federation, About us SAZF, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Jewish National Fund South Africa, Key Israel-Related Projects Supported or Initiated by JNF South Africa JNF SA, accessed 21 October 2026.