1. Appoint three leading environmental leaders to the board of the Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael (KKL)
2. Pass three environment resolutions with overwhelming support from across the political spectrum.
3. Put Israel’s environment on the agenda of the World Zionist movement.

Working from within the Keren Kayemet to affect change.

Professor Alon Tal is a chairman of the Land Development Committee, which oversees a budget of 380 million shekels and Israel's forestry activities, river restoration and reservoir projects as well as all development activiities. In this capacity he has already begun the process of instigating tough environmental constraints on projects, expanding tree plantings, their indigenousness and contribution to biological diversity and establishing a carbon sequestration policy to begin to contribute to local solutions to climate change. For the first time, KKL will be held not just to environmental criteria but to requirements of social justice, contributing to reduction of socio-economic gaps in Israel's increasingly polarized society.  

Dr. Eilon Schwartz, perhaps Israel's leading expert on environmental education and philosophy will rotate into the position of chairman of the KKL education committee in 2009. In this capacity he will be able to redefine KKL's 25 million shekel educational program as well as those of the 24 affiliate JNF offices around the world.  

Orr Karassin, a leading environmental attorney and activist is chairing the sustainable development subcommittee, an internal think tank that defines KKL strategies in this area.   In addition, Orr is overseeing allocations of academic research grants. Already we have seen a 50% increase in ecological research funding.

Given the modest number of seats at the Congress, these political achievements are remarkable -- indeed unprecedented.  A.T.

Resolution Passed at the 35th World Zionist Congress by the GZA

1.  Strengthening the Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael’s / Jewish National Fund’s Environmental Policies:

This resolution formalizes the KKL’s identity as an environmental organization with a commitment to sustainable development.  Present environmental policies are given support – such as the commitment to maintain the size of forest land in Israel.  In addition recommendations are made to expand budgeting in key environmental areas such as river restoration, to require the KKL to produce environmental impact statements for major projects, and to develop a more sustainable transportation policy.

2.    Recycled Paper for the Congress and Zionist Organizations

In an attempt to lighten the ecological footprint of the events surrounding the Zionist Congress and of Zionist Organizations, this resolution called on the World Zionist Organization, the Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael and the Jewish Agency for Israel, to begin using paper with a minimum 50% post consumer recycled content.  Because recycled paper is currently not readily available in Israel, we are working with a paper plant to create a new industry to satisfy this new consumer need.

3.    Requiring Environmental Impact Statements for World Zionist Organization Construction Projects

This resolution requires all WZO construction projects, including through the Settlement Division, to meet environmental criteria.  It creates a mechanism of environmental impact statements and assessments to ensure that these criteria are met.  

The Acorn That Acted Like a Tree: The Green Zionist Alliance at the World Zionist Congress

JERUSALEM, June 23, 2006 — Delegates from The Green Zionist Alliance made a large impact at the 35th World Zionist Congress, held recently in Jerusalem. With just two delegates out of 350 worldwide delegates, the GZA was able to generate important and historic results for Israel’s environment.

GZA delegates Rabbi Michael Cohen and Noam Dolgin were joined by three alternates—Becca Weaver, Jonah Schein, and Lee Wallach—at the Congress, which meets every four years to chart the directions of Zionism and allocate funding.

All three of the GZA resolutions submitted to the Congress were adopted, with support across the political spectrum. The resolutions are historic in scope and content and will allow the GZA to continue its work to improve the environment of Israel.

“We are thrilled with these results,” said Rabbi Michael Cohen, co-founder of the GZA. “The Green Zionist Alliance has simultaneously moved forward in our mission to honor our relationship to the environment and gained the respect of the world Zionist body.”

• • The first resolution will make Sustainable Development a stronger objective of Jewish National Fund/Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael (JNF/KKL) projects.
• • The second resolution will lead to the creation of environmental impact statements for World Zionist Organization projects. At present there are no policies within WZO institutions that are in compliance with internationally-recognized standards of environmental responsibility.
• • The third resolution requires the use of recycled paper in all World Zionist Organization offices. This resolution will lead to the production of office-recycled paper in Israel for the first time in Israel’s history. Upon the third resolution’s passage, the hall of the Congress buzzed with excitement in recognition of what had just taken place.

Because of the GZA’s alliance with Mercaz Olami, the Zionist arm of the Conservative movement, the GZA became part of the largest faction at the Congress after Mercaz Olami joined with Kadima.

Continuing to hold two seats on the Board of Directors of the JNF/KKL, the GZA’s alliance also will now position a GZA representative in a higher position of power within the JNF/KKL. At the Congress, Mercaz Olami named GZA co-founder Rabbi Michael Cohen as an alternate delegate to the Vaad HaPoel, the World Zionist Council.

The GZA delegation included representatives from a number of Jewish and secular environmental organizations such as the Teva Learning Center, Earth Day Network, and COEJL Southern California. In addition, many of the delegates are alumni of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies.