JNF Sponsors New Park in Kfar Chabad

“There are only two words to say over and over again – thank you, thank you, thank you. The rabbis said that one good deed begets another, and now that the first stage of the park has been completed, we look forward to the second stage.” Rabbi Shimon Rabonowitz, chairman of the Kfar Chabad Administrative Committee, was speaking at the dedication ceremony of the new Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Courtyard Park in Kfar Chabad, where he thanked the Jewish National Fund (JNF) on behalf of the 8,000 local residents, including 2,000 children.

The new park includes an open green space that provides a community environmental park for local residents and a gathering area for the thousands of visitors who come to see the reconstructed replica of the Chabad headquarters – popularly known amongst the Chassidim as ‘Seven-Seventy’, its street number on the Eastern Parkway thoroughfare – of the legendary and revered Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who resided in Crown Heights, New York.

The first stage of development, which is now completed, focuses on the area around the ‘770’ building, including a courtyard that will serve as a gathering for celebrations and holidays as well as a visitors center, not only for thousands of Hasidim, but also for other visitors, both in Israel and from abroad. Landscape development includes an area of some 3 acres comprising a scenic lookout, recreation areas, a garden with paths, terraces, natural stone retaining walls, a rock garden, tree plantings, a lawn, an irrigation system, paving for paths and roads, outdoor seating areas with benches, shade pergolas, a bicycle parking rack, drinking fountains, and trash cans.

KKL-JNF (Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund) World Chairman Danny Atar said that he was very happy to dedicate the park. “To tell you the truth,” he said with a smile, “even if you hadn’t invited me I would have come, because I love everything connected to Chabad. The dollar bill that I received from the Lubavitcher Rebbe over 25 years ago never leaves my pocket. I can assure you that we will continue on to the second and third stages of the park. I also want to welcome former KKL-JNF World Chairman Efi Stenzler, who approved the plans for the park during his tenure and is here with us today.”

David Yifrah, head of the Lod Valley Regional Council, noted that the new park is the first joint project of the Lod Valley Regional Council and KKL-JNF. “The first stage of the work was done very quickly, for which I would especially like to thank KKL-JNF Central Region Director Haim Messing. We are now looking forward to beginning and completing the second stage of the park.”

“This is a very special and unique project,” said Haim Messing, Director of the KKL-JNF Central Region. “Thousands of schoolchildren from all over Israel visit this structure, and until now, they had to make their way through sand in the summer and mud in the winter. I want to thank all the KKL-JNF and Lod Valley Regional Council employees for completing stage one of this project in only seven months.”

On behalf of the children of Kfar Chabad, Yossi Weigel thanked KKL-JNF for the new park. “My grandfather helped plant the KKL-JNF forest in Eshtaol. This week, we read the Torah portion about the spies sent by Moses to the land of Canaan, ten of whom said that it would be impossible to conquer the land. However, Joshua and Caleb, the two remaining spies, said that if God so wills it, nothing is impossible. By creating this park here so quickly in extremely difficult terrain, KKL-JNF has proved that for it also, nothing is impossible.”