Plant a Tree

Wherever you are, you can reach out into the internet and give the gift of a new tree that will grow from now into the future in our shared land. From tiny seedlings to young trees, whether you want to plant for yourself or give this special act to someone you love, we will bring green to the land one tree at a time.

We are partnered with various municipalities in the country to plant, from the Golan Heights to the Negev. Let us know what works for you and we will arrange a suitable site! More information on our various sites can be found by clicking the locations.

For each type of tree, you have two different options for size. This isn't about how large it will grow but how big it is today. A "small" tree will take longer to mature than a "large" tree so, if you want your tree to grow up more quickly, you may want to upgrade to large. We are more than happy to plant as few or as many of whichever sizes and types you prefer.

 

Our Locations

Yavne'el

Yavne’el is the site of a Biblical city mentioned in the Book of Joshua (19:33) delineating the territory of the tribe of Naphtali. “And their border was from Heleph, from Elon-beza-anannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakkum; and the goings out thereof were at the Jordan.” Interestingly, the Hebrew word “elon or alon” is translated into English as “oak” or “terebinth.” Yavne’el is to this day a scenic agricultural town located in the north of Israel, offering fertile land and unparalleled beauty.

Elon Moreh

Located in Samaria, Elon Moreh is the site of Abraham’s first encampment in the land that God promises his descendants, making it a meaningful location for followers of the Abrahamic faiths. Elon Moreh literally translates to “the terebinth/oak of teaching,” and there is much to learn about the biblical and cultural significance of this place, as well as its deep connection with ancient trees.

Alon Shvut

"In Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem, an oak tree has been sitting for over seven centuries between modern-day Alon-Shvut and Rosh Tzurim. The Loan Oak, as it’s called, serves as an informal mascot of the region, symbolising both loss and the return of the Jewish people to the region. Days before Israel won her battle for independence, the 127 male residents of Gush Etzion, who had sent their wives and children to safety were captured and murdered by the Jordanian Legion. During the Jordanian occupation, their widows and children would climb a hill in Jerusalem, from where they could see the Lone Oak. The tree was a symbol of both mourning, as well as yearning to return. In 1967, the descendants of the slain men returned to the area. Our project is to populate Gush Etzion with descendants of the Lone Oak, ensuring it will never be alone again.

Eitam Hill

The Biblical city of Eitam is located south of Jerusalem and is a beautiful rugged territory that is under the jurisdiction of the city of Efrat. We invite you to plant orchards and vineyards in this storied Biblical city whose local spring provided water for the Temple in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem

The ancient city of Jerusalem, home of the Temple Mount, is perhaps the most meaningful single piece of land in all of Israel. When we talk about coming home to Jerusalem, we mean coming home to our roots, both figurative in our families and heritage and literal, where we planted the nature that allowed our people to flourish and feed ourselves. Planting trees in Jerusalem is a way to return to our ancient duty to transform our land into a lush, green paradise.

Golan Heights

Throughout the centuries, the Golan has been the target of more continuous destruction than perhaps anywhere on the planet, its nature sadly destroyed by the conquering armies of empire. It is our privilege to reverse these attacks on nature and allow the ancient trees and vines of the north to flourish again with your help. The Golan holds a special significance to Jews as the home of the tribe of Manasseh, son of Joseph and to Christians as where the Temple of Pan is located.

Our Species

Oak

Nearly everywhere in the world, the oak tree has been revered since long before we learned to write. Drawings of these magnificent trees have been found etched into cave walls tens of thousands of years old and they have been understood as vital and fundamental to the sustenance of many ecosystems, dwarfing the impact of many other species.

Their sheer size and beauty symbolize the strength and permanence of our people and our commitment to the land. Sadly, though not unexpectedly, the Ottomans spent hundreds of years tearing the great oaks from the land for their charcoal production, leaving nothing behind but dead soil across massive swaths of Israel. From the beginning of the Arab conquests of the seventh century to the end of the Ottoman empire more than a thousand years later, many of the Jews of Israel were forced to pay taxes in the form of oak trees from their land.

Terebinth

The terebinth has a special significance in the history of Judea and Samaria stretching back long before human habitation. It was of particular interest to Abraham, showing up more than any other piece of nature in his adventures. In more modern times, it has been a symbol of awareness of the land, symbolizing the wisdom of history passed down from generation to generation as our roots have become deeper and deeper. After the exodus from Egypt, the terebinths of Israel welcomed us home, visible for days on the horizon and giving us shade.

Olive

Olives are one of the most-familiar biblical symbols representing the perseverance and strength of a people who has always had to fight to survive. Specifically adapted to grow and thrive in the rocky soil common to much of Israel where most other trees quickly fail, their roots can even grow through rocks, breaking them apart to plunge deeper into the soil for nutrients. They are known for their long lives and ability to grow, even when neglected and through droughts. Sadly, they have often been the target of western fads, quickly grown and cut down as a source of profit. But olive trees, whose wood and fruit are not just valuable but sacred, if properly cared for, continue to provide for generations and bring nature and revitalization to much of the land. 

Carob

"The carob is a symbol of altruism in Judaism. The famous Talmudic story of a sage called Honi and the carob tree illustrates the point. One day, Honi was walking on the road and saw a man planting a carob tree. Honi asked the man, “How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit? The man replied, “Seventy years.”

Honi then asked the man, “And do you think you will live another seventy years and eat the fruit of this tree?” The man answered, “Perhaps not. However, when I was born into this world, I found many carob trees planted by my father and grandfather. Just as they planted trees for me, I am planting trees for my children and grandchildren so they will be able to eat the fruit of these trees.” (Taanit, 23a)

Tamarisk

Also known as the "salt cedar", the tamarisk is an ancient medicinal tree native to much of the middle east, from Israel to Mesopotamia. Its leaves were harvested to relieve fever and heal the wounds of battle and even treat siege sickness. The tamarisk never loses its green and provides shelter and shade all year, protecting the land and allowing it to keep its moisture. They often survive through intense droughts and are even harvested for food.

Pomegranate

"The pomegranate is a common motif in Jewish culture. In Exodus (28:33), the priestly garments described as being adorned with pomegranates: “On its hem make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, all around the hem, with bells of gold between them all around.” In Song of Songs, the pomegranate is used to describe various aspects of the beloved. “Your temple behind your veil [Gleams] like a pomegranate split open. The pomegranate is associated with abundance, prosperity, and righteousness. It is said that the pomegranate contains 613 seeds corresponding to the 613 commandments of the Jewish law. We offer several species of indigenous pomegranates with which King Solomon would have been familiar!

Fig

"The fig tree is the first tree to be mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 3:7), when Adam and Eve cover their nakedness with fig leaves. In the book of Micha (4:4), the imagery of every man sitting under their own vine and fig tree conveys prosperity and peace. George Washington was so fond of this agrarian vision of liberty that he quoted this passage from Micha no less than fifty times in his Correspondence. We offer several species of figs native to the Land of Israel.

Grape

Grape vines have been cultivated in Israel for thousands of years and we are proud to be planting varietals verified to date from even before the First Temple. While some grapes were consumed during Islamic rule, most of the grape cultivation was stopped for more than a thousand years as wine was prohibited. Only in the last seventy-five years have we been able to resurrect this ancient tradition and bring so many of the vines back to life, restoring our connection to the wines drunk by our ancestors, even the familiar names from history. King David, King Solomon, Moses and Isaiah spoke of wine and it was the grape wine of Israel that sustained people through the water-borne diseases that ravaged many neighboring cultures. Our grapes and wine are some of our most widely-recognized traditions from our land.