KKL-JNF planting event
KKL-JNF planting eventFlash 90

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) has opened an office in Ukraine.

The opening ceremony took place on Wednesday in Kiev.

The even was attended by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the vice chairman of the JNF Hernan Felman, and leaders of the Jewish community.

"After about 100 years, KKL-JNF's Ukraine office is back to work with great pride. It is very important for us to take these first steps in Ukraine," Felman said in a statement.

Felman called the opening a historic moment, adding that it symbolized the successful relationship between the two nations.

He said that the JNF had recently been contacted by the Ukrainian government who wanted to establish a partnership to work on the transfer of knowledge and technology in order to plant one billion trees over the next three years throughout Ukraine, part of a government response to climate change announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in June.

According to Felman, the presence of the JNF in Ukraine will further strengthen the relationship between Israel and Ukraine.

Herzog thanked everyone involved in opening the new JNF office.

"The well-being of the Jewish community, every Jewish community, is closely linked to the well-being of the State of Israel,” he said. “Thank you to those who do for the community, who deal with public needs and may God bless you with success.”

The JNF was also part of commemorating a memorial boulevard at a second ceremony on Wednesday held at the Babin Yar Memorial Site. Along with the Ukrainian government, the JNF planted 80 trees to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the murder of over 30,000 Jews during the Holocaust.