Building hope in the Holy Land

Angelique Flores

After nine years, Alice Seltzer has seen the fruits of her labor.

On a recent trip to Israel, the Huntington Beach resident stopped at the

Malachim Forest to visit a playground she helped to fund almost a decade

ago.

“I was very touched and thrilled to see children running and playing,”

Seltzer said.

Seltzer was one of 22 members of the Orange County-Long Beach region of

the Jewish National Fund who donated money to build the playground.

Seltzer made a $15,000 donation to the project, which cost a quarter of a

million dollars to complete.

The Jewish National Fund has been working to improve the quality of life

for the communities surrounding the forest.

“It’s essential for the people of Israel to have a playground like this,”

member Gail Molk said. “A lot of recreational places are replaced with

housing, and it’s important for them to have some place to take their

families.”

Though the playground has been finished for a few years, Seltzer had only

seen pictures of the wooden slides, swings and jungle gym. During her

visit, representatives from the Jewish National Fund of Israel unveiled a

monument bearing the names of all donors. Seltzer dedicated her donation

to the park to her grandchildren.

“I have seven grandchildren. They are our future. Through this children’s

playground, they are connected to Israel, and I hope they will visit

every year,” Seltzer said.

While in the Malachim Forest, Seltzer and her five companions -- three of

whom are also from Orange County-- each planted a tree.

“It was a wonderful way to start the trip,” Seltzer said.

The women are members of the Sapphire Society, a women’s group within the

Jewish National Fund that sponsors land development projects in Israel.

While in Israel, the women visited possible future projects. Over the

past two years, the society has raised $1.5 million -- half of the $3

million they have committed for the infrastructure of a 150-home

settlement in the desert of Arava. Seltzer said the group hopes the

settlement will later be accompanied by businesses and recreation

centers.