President's - Column by Eli A. Scherr igrig KEREN KAYEMETH 1EISRAEt t this season of the year, we reflect on both the past and the future. At JNF we can be thankful that the past has been filled with accomplishment and the future with challenge. In the past, we lobbied, demonstrated, and prayed for freedom for our fellow Jews in the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, and other parts of the world. Our prayers have been answered and hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters are free in the Land of Israel. The future chal- lenges us to help these people achieve a better life. In the past, we have worked, prayed and hoped for peace in Israel and the Mideast and the possibility of peace appears stronger now than it has for many years. The future challenges us to help Israel to remain strong and vibrant. A true and lasting peace will be achieved only if all parties deal from the strength of a desire for peace rather than from the weakness of having to submit to an im- posed peace. The Jewish National Fund continues to make progress providing those things which improve life for all the people of Is- rael. JNF has touched the lives of tens of thousands of Israelis, providing them with housing sites, recreation centers, jobs, summer camps, and water. By supporting the Jewish National Fund, you help all Israelis to enjoy a better quality of life and you help Israel to remain a strong and determined partner for peace in the Mideast. Your support has been vital to our past accomplishments and will remain vital if we are to meet the challenges of the future. The themes and messages of the Days of Awe are many. I would like to take this opportunity to share one such message with you. The accompanying article by Milton S. Shapiro, National President ofJewish National Fund, is addressed to all friends and supporters ofJNF. His message reminds us that as we reflect on the hopes and blessings of the past, we must nev- er forget the obligations and challenges of the future. On a personal note, all of us at the Jewish National Fund join in extending best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year to all. We pray for a year of success, progress and peace for our people in Israel and throughout the world. A ROSH HASHANAH MESSAGE By Milton S. Shapiro President, kv.ish tV?,tiona, ,r,r.! of America FROM IFIED 17100 West 10 Mile Road Southfield, MI 48075 Phone 557-6644 FAX: (810) 557-2412 his year, the Jewish people are celebrating the 3,000th anniversary of King David's founding of Jerusalem as his capital. JNF's work is evident throughout Jerusalem's parks, promenades, forests and major institu- tions. JNF will play an official role in the Jerusalem 3000 celebrations and will complete four major Milton Shapiro projects that will have a significant impact on the city. For Jerusalem 3000, JNF is building Gan Yaldei Yisrael, a unique children's garden that overlooks key sites; completing the magnificent Green Belt of trees that encircles Jerusalem and symbolizes its unification; restoring the Jerusalem Corridor forests destroyed in the July 2 fire, the largest in Israel's history, and developing the KKL Park and Events Center in the Judean Hills. These projects will improve the quality of life for all Jerusalem residents. I ask the Jewish community to make a significant new year's resolution: join JNF in enhancing Jerusalem, our eternal spiritual capital and the heart and soul of the Jewish peo- ple. Our Fire Emergency Campaign is particularly urgent. The July 2 fire destroyed two million trees, devastated nearly 5,000 acres of land, and caused at least $20 million in damage. The initial planting of trees to replace those destroyed must take place after the first winter rains in November. Rosh Hashanah is the most appropriate time to join this process of renewal. Let us resolve that in new years to come, the Jerusalem Corridor will be thriving and verdant again. A happy and healthy new year to you, your family and all Israel. Young Leadership Golf Outing A 'Hole In One" The Young Leadership ofJNF held their first annual Golf Out- ing recently at Tanglewood Golf Club in South Lyon. It was a com- plete success with close to 105 golfers participating and 18 Hole Sponsors. Thanks to Howard Meyers and Andy Finn, co-chair- men of the golf outing commit- tee for working so hard on this event, and to the members of the Golf Committee: Steven Arbit; Steven Flaggman; Lawrence Frommer; Leonard Jacobson; Michael Langnas; Eric Lumberg; Marc Wander; and David Wilner who helped to make it so suc- cessful, along with Eli Scherr, President of JNF of Michigan, who served in an advisory capac- Thank You! Thank You! To our Russian friends in the community who raised $2,545 this year in blue box monies to help the people of Israel. And a special thanks to Fivel Feldman and his committee for their ef- forts in coordinating the task of collecting all the blue boxes and bringing them to the JNF office. Your JNF family extends best wishes for a healthy and a peace- ful New Year. Garden Donors Enrolled As Of August 31, 1995: We acknowledge with sincere appreciation the following gar- den donors who enrolled in the 0 • "Of Blessed Memory' August 31, 1995: BUS SEVENTEEN PARTICI- PANTS OF MIRACT .E MISSION II; MELVIN KEPES; FRED KAMIENNY, RICKI BECKER & CHILDREN; HILLEL DAY SCHOOL OF METROPOLI- TAN DETROIT. We mourn the loss of: FREDA BAUM, KHANA BESNO- VATAYA, PAULINE BLOCH, HARRIET ELKUS, ROSELYN GONTE, SOL HILLER, LEAH HIRSCHENFANG, BRIAN LEVINE, J.P. MCCARTHYAND PHYLLIS SCHWARTZ. Golden Book Subscribers As Of August 31, 1995: Golden Book subscribers help the JNF continue land reclama- tion in Israel. We salute the fol- lowing contributors of Golden Books as of August 31, 1995: DOREEN & DAVID B. HER- MELIN; PHYLLIS & RALPH BORIN; JACK & MIRIAM SHENKiVIAN; DAVID & BEV- ERLY WINSTON; ELEANOR 4** Ext- eiios - ► Speedy Recovery BESS AXELROD, JULIUS FEIGELMAN. MALA AND HENRY DORF- MAN on their 50TH (GOLDEN) WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.