Jewish National Fund Requires $46.5 Million for Next Three Years’ Development Program

The Jewish National Fund will require $46.5 million for its development program in Israel during the next three years, Herman L. Weisman, JNF president told a session of the Zionist Organization of America holding its 73rd annual national convention this weekend. In outlining the program Mr. Weisman, a New York attorney who was elected unanimously by the 1000 ZOA delegates as president of the Zionist organization, said that the details of the JNF program was recently announced by Shimon Benshemesh, Director General of the Keren Kayemeth Lelsrael, at the inaugural meeting of the JNF World Council in Jerusalem. The funds will be utilized for land reclamation and afforestation. Mr. Benshemesh called upon JNF bodies throughout the world for a substantial raise in income so that the requirements of the three-year plan be met, Mr. Weisman told the delegates. He reported that since the Six-Day War, the Keren Kayemeth has planted 17,542,000 trees-reclaimed 72,000 dunams of land (a dunam is 1/4 of an acre) and constructed 490 kilometers of roads, most of these activities taking place on the far-flung frontiers of the State.