Planting of the International Cooperation Forest

In the past MASHAV course participants have planted thousands of trees as a symbol of their connectedness to Israel. This tree planting ceremony was the first in a series of planting sessions which, over the next few years, will grow to become a forest of up to 25,000 trees, a living legacy of international cooperation and development.

The ceremony, held in the hills near Ben Shemen in conjunction with the Jewish National Fund, featured an address by a representative of the participants and greetings from director of MASHAV's Training Department Micky Arbel. He called attention to the unique pavilion being built in the forest donated by the King of Thailand. The "Planter's Prayer" was recited in five different languages as the flags of numerous countries waved in the breeze of the hot summer afternoon and the sounds of the song "Jerusalem of Gold" played in the background.

(Planter's Prayer...in part)

...Give dew for a blessing
And cause beneficient rains
To fall in their season
To satiate the mountains of Israel
And her valleys
And to water thereon
Every plant and tree
And these saplings
Which we plant before you this day.

Make deep their roots
And wide their crown
That they may blossom forth in grace
Among all the trees in Israel
For good and for beauty...

All the course participants planted saplings with their own hands, their personal contribution to the beauty of the country, significantly improving the quality of Israel's environment - a memento of their stay.