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Yad Kennedy ( he, יד קנדי, Kennedy Memorial ), located in the Mateh Yehuda Region near
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, is a memorial to
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
, the
35th Military units *35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force *35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I *35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July 1 ...
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
, who was
assassinated Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
in
Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
in 1963. The memorial is shaped like the stump of a felled tree, symbolizing a life cut short. Inside is a bronze relief of Kennedy, with an
eternal flame An eternal flame is a flame, lamp or torch that burns for an indefinite time. Most eternal flames are ignited and tended intentionally, but some are natural phenomena caused by natural gas leaks, peat fires and coal seam fires, all of which can ...
burning in the center. It is encircled by 51 concrete columns, one for each of the 50 states in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
plus one for
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, that nation's
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
. The emblems of the states (and of the District of Columbia) are displayed on each of the columns, and the columns are separated by slim panels of glass. The monument measures approximately in circumference around its base, and there is space within the memorial for approximately 100 visitors at a time. The monument was built in 1966 with funds donated by American Jewish communities. Yad Kennedy and its adjoining picnic grounds are part of the John F. Kennedy Peace Forest.


Name

The Hebrew word ''yad'', which is used for a number of memorials in Israel (including the well-known
Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
memorial museum
Yad Vashem Yad Vashem ( he, יָד וַשֵׁם; literally, "a memorial and a name") is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; honoring Jews who fought against th ...
), comes from the
Book of Isaiah The Book of Isaiah ( he, ספר ישעיהו, ) is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and the first of the Major Prophets in the Christian Old Testament. It is identified by a superscription as the words of the 8th-century BC ...
, chapter 56, verse 5: "And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (''yad vashem'')."


Location

The site is located from downtown Jerusalem, in the same general direction as
Hadassah Medical Center Hadassah Medical Center ( he, הָמֶרְכָּז הָרְפוּאִי הֲדַסָּה) is an Israeli medical organization established in 1934 that operates two university hospitals in Jerusalem – one in Ein Karem and one in Mount Scopus –, ...
, on top of the highest of the Jerusalem hills, at an elevation of . The site overlooks what was at the time of the dedication the
Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
ian village of Bittar (now a part of Israel's
West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
), the historic site of
Betar The Betar Movement ( he, תנועת בית"ר), also spelled Beitar (), is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir (Ze'ev) Jabotinsky. Chapters sprang up across Europe, even during World War II. After t ...
, famous as the last stronghold of the Jewish revolt led by
Simon Bar Kochba Simon ben Koseba or Cosiba ( he, שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר כֹסֵבָא, translit= Šīmʾōn bar Ḵōsēḇaʾ‎ ; died 135 CE), commonly known as Bar Kokhba ( he, שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר כּוֹכְבָא‎, translit=Šīmʾōn bar ...
against Roman forces in 132–135 CE. The view from the parking lot has been described in the
Frommer's Frommer's is a travel guide book series created by Arthur Frommer in 1957. Frommer's has since expanded to include more than 350 guidebooks in 14 series, as well as other media including an eponymous radio show and a website. In 2017, the company ...
travel guide as "breathtaking – a never-ending succession of mountains and valleys." On a clear day, the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
can be seen in the direction of
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
, away. The memorial can be reached by following the winding mountain roads past
Ora ORA or Ora may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film * Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress * ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011 * ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012 * "Ora" ...
and Aminadav. It is approximately 45 minutes by foot from the nearest main road, where the closest Jerusalem city bus is #20, although special tour buses are normally utilized for group visits. The monument and adjoining picnic grounds are part of the John F. Kennedy Peace Forest. The area designated as the JFK Peace Forest is part of the larger "Aminadav Forest", a 7,000-
dunam A dunam ( Ottoman Turkish, Arabic: ; tr, dönüm; he, דונם), also known as a donum or dunum and as the old, Turkish, or Ottoman stremma, was the Ottoman unit of area equivalent to the Greek stremma or English acre, representing the amount ...
forest in Ein Kerem.


History

Max Bressler of
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, then president of the American
Jewish National Fund Jewish National Fund ( he, קֶרֶן קַיֶּימֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, ''Keren Kayemet LeYisrael'', previously , ''Ha Fund HaLeumi'') was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Syria (later Mandatory Palestine, and subseq ...
, came up with the proposal for the memorial in 1964. (pay per view) Bressler, for whom the Jerusalem neighborhood of
Kiryat Menachem Kiryat Menachem ( he, קרית מנחם) is a neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem. It is bordered by Ir Ganim to the south and east, Mount Ora to the west, and the Jerusalem hills to the north. To the west are steep hills that descend toward stre ...
is named, had hoped to lead an American delegation to the dedication ceremony, but he died in 1966.


Fundraising

On 13 January 1964, former
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
Governor
George M. Leader George Michael Leader (January 17, 1918 – May 9, 2013) was an American politician. He served as the 36th governor of Pennsylvania from January 18, 1955, until January 20, 1959. He was a member of the Democratic Party, and a native of York Count ...
announced plans for the memorial, stating that he would serve as the General Chair of a State committee to raise funds. He stated that similar committees would be set up in each State, as well as some additional committees in countries overseas. On 22 November 1964, the first anniversary of the assassination, the Jewish National Fund sponsored meetings in major Jewish communities throughout the United States. The meetings were described as tributes for the fallen President as well as symbolic dedication ceremonies for the planned memorial. American communities pledged to fund the planting of trees in the forest in addition to funds for the memorial. For example, in July 1965, the community of
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
pledged to have 100,000 trees planted as a result of a banquet sponsored by JNF attended by more than 1000 government, union, and management leaders.


Dedication

Nearly 2000 people, including many official guests representing the Israeli and United States governments, came to witness the dedication, along with hundreds of tourists, American students, and
Israelis Israelis ( he, יִשְׂרָאֵלִים‎, translit=Yīśrāʾēlīm; ar, الإسرائيليين, translit=al-ʾIsrāʾīliyyin) are the citizens and nationals of the State of Israel. The country's populace is composed primarily of Jew ...
. An Israeli children's band played
Hatikva Hatikvah ( he, הַתִּקְוָה, haTīqvā, ; ) is the national anthem of the State of Israel. Part of 19th-century Jewish poetry, the theme of the Romantic composition reflects the 2,000-year-old desire of the Jewish people to return ...
, the Israeli national anthem, along with the U.S. anthem, the Star Spangled Banner. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' reported that the children "tried valiantly" to play the U.S. song, playing very slowly, but then many strong voices from among the crowd helped out until the music "swept the audience." Among the guests at the 4 July 1966 dedication was U.S. Chief Justice
Earl Warren Earl Warren (March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969. The Warren Court presided over a major shift in American constitution ...
, who had chaired the commission tasked with investigating the 1963 assassination. Among other guests were
Levi Eshkol Levi Eshkol ( he, לֵוִי אֶשְׁכּוֹל ;‎ 25 October 1895 – 26 February 1969), born Levi Yitzhak Shkolnik ( he, לוי יצחק שקולניק, links=no), was an Israeli statesman who served as the third Prime Minister of Israe ...
,
Prime Minister of Israel The prime minister of Israel ( he, רֹאשׁ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה, Rosh HaMemshala, Head of the Government, Hebrew acronym: he2, רה״מ; ar, رئيس الحكومة, ''Ra'īs al-Ḥukūma'') is the head of government and chief exec ...
,
Teddy Kollek Theodor "Teddy" Kollek ( he, טדי קולק; 27 May 1911 – 2 January 2007) was an Israeli politician who served as the mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation. Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 197 ...
, the mayor of Jerusalem, and
Walworth Barbour Walworth "Wally" Barbour (June 4, 1908 – July 21, 1982) was the United States Ambassador to Israel from 1961 to 1973. Biography A graduate of Harvard University, Barbour was one of the longest serving American diplomats in a foreign post, ...
, the
United States Ambassador to Israel The United States ambassador to Israel is the official representative of the president of the United States to the head of state of Israel. Until 1948 the area that is now the state of Israel had been under British administration as part of the ...
. Chief Justice Warren, who was reported to be so enthusiastic about the memorial after actually seeing it for the first time that he rewrote his remarks, noted:
We choose to do this on the American Independence Day but also in honor of the independence of Israel and other free nations. We are all confronted here by history because this is the birthplace of the world's three religions on which our own civilization is based and which contributed the all-important principle that all people are God's children and entitled to live in peace.
Warren noted that Washington, D.C. had many memorials, but that this area, with the forest as a "living memorial," would have "greatly pleased" Kennedy for two reasons. First, Kennedy himself had spoken of the importance of planting trees in Israel, when he had addressed a 1958 Jewish National Fund meeting while serving as a junior Senator from Massachusetts, saying, "What work could be more heartwarming or more enduring than the great forest at Jerusalem. Your children and grandchildren when they visit Israel will find your monument". Second, Warren recalled that Kennedy had visited Israel twice, the first time in 1939 when it was still part of the British Mandate, and the second time in 1951. Speaking in 1951 of the differences between the people he witnessed during those two visits, he said that "Perhaps the greatest change of all I found in the hearts and minds of the people, For unlike the discouraged settlers of 1939 they looked to the future with hope. I found a revival of an ancient spirit". Warren concluded his remarks by saying he would use the same word that President Kennedy would have used: "
Shalom ''Shalom'' ( he, שָׁלוֹם ''šālōm''; also spelled as ''sholom'', ''sholem'', ''sholoim'', ''shulem'') is a Hebrew word meaning ''peace'', ''harmony'', ''wholeness'', ''completeness'', ''prosperity'', ''welfare'' and ''tranquility'' and ...
." Israeli Prime Minister Eshkol spoke as well, noting that Kennedy's memory would be kept alive by this memorial "not only as a friend of Israel but also as a symbol of the lofty ideals of his country and of all humanity," dedicating the memorial to "the man who opened new frontiers of international relations and human friendships." In remarks offered by the American ambassador to Israel, Walworth Barbour, he noted that "A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors. In thus honoring and remembering the late President Kennedy, the men and women of the Jewish National Fund honor themselves--beyond and above the glory they have already earned in their work for Israel."
Jacob Tsur Jacob Tsur (1906-1991) was the first Israeli minister to List of ambassadors of Israel to Argentina, Argentina, List of ambassadors of Israel to Uruguay, Uruguay, List of ambassadors of Israel to Paraguay, Paraguay, and Chile (1949-1953), and w ...
, world president of the Jewish National Fund, praised the memorial as well, "conceived in the shape of a mighty trunk of a fallen tree, among the thousands of saplings which will grow one day into a great forest."


Design

Yad Kennedy was designed by the Brazilian-born Israeli
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
David Resnick David Resnick ( he, דוד רזניק; August 5, 1924 – November 4, 2012) was a Brazilian-born Israeli architect and town planner whose awards include the Israel Prize in architecture
, who later won the 1995 Israel Prize in architecture, and the Ukrainian-born Israeli
sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
Dov Feigin Dov Feigin ( he, דב פייגין; born 1907, died 2000) was an Israeli sculptor. Biography Dov Feigin was born in 1907 in Luhansk, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. His father was a tailor. Feigin attended public Ukraine school as well ...
. Feigin created the bust of Kennedy along with a memorial wall that includes excerpts from a number of Kennedy's speeches. Resnick said that "the entire complex is intended to symbolize the vigor of a great man whose life was tragically ended in mid-growth by assassination". Resnick was awarded the contract to design the memorial after a nationwide competition. His initial vision for the memorial was a "free form" but generally circular shape, set within a reflecting pool. However, because money was being raised for the memorial by groups in all 50 states in the U.S., as well as groups in Washington, D.C., a vision of columns for each of those locations ultimately helped him come up with the concept of a tree trunk, linked to the idea that Kennedy's life had been cut down like a tree that is felled in its prime. The courtyard below the memorial includes a number of plaques acknowledging contributions by individuals and groups. In addition to the Kennedy relief and eternal flame, papers and photographs relating to the subject of Israel-United States relations until the time of Kennedy's assassination are kept in a small library. In 1974, a picnic site was added on the grounds of the memorial, open to visitors. The JNF announced that the site would "include rustic benches and tables, water facilities and shaded eating areas," and would be "close to the impressive stone and metal memorial–but far enough away not to pollute the area."


Kennedy Peace Forest

The Kennedy Peace Forest was dedicated before the memorial, with official dedication ceremonies taking place on 22 November 1964, on the first anniversary of Kennedy's assassination. In June 1966 Jewish National Fund officials announced that 1.5 million trees had already been planted in the forest in preparation for the memorial's planned 4 July dedication ceremonies. The announcement noted that another 2 million trees had been planted in the adjoining "United States Freedom Forest," with a goal of planting 5.5 million trees in the two forests, as a number equal to the Jewish population of the United States. More than three million dollars in donations had been received at that point for the Kennedy Forest, from more than 100,000 donors. In June 1968, the JNF announced it would plant 500,000 trees in the Kennedy Forest in memory of John F. Kennedy's brother,
Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
, assassinated on 6 June of that year. In 1999, JNF announced that trees would also be planted in memory of John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Carolyn Jeanne Bessette-Kennedy (January 7, 1966July 16, 1999) was a publicist for Calvin Klein. After her marriage to John F. Kennedy Jr., Bessette-Kennedy's relationship with her husband and her fashion sense became the subjects of media scr ...
, and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette, all victims of a 16 July 1999 plane crash in the ocean off
Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
. In April 1989 a forest fire (possibly the result of
arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...
) destroyed approximately and 3000 trees in the forest.


Special events

Among the many special events that have taken place at the memorial was a visit by a number of officers and crew members from the United States
aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
USS John F. Kennedy (CV67), named in honor of the same U.S. president memorialized by this monument, during a 1997 port visit to
Haifa Haifa ( he, חֵיפָה ' ; ar, حَيْفَا ') is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropol ...
.Library of Congress Veterans History Project: Arnold Resnicoff collection, AFC/2001/001/70629, May 2010.


Tree planting

A VIP Kennedy Memorial
tree planting Tree-planting is the process of transplanting tree seedlings, generally for forestry, land reclamation, or landscaping purpose. It differs from the transplantation of larger trees in arboriculture, and from the lower cost but slower and less re ...
center is included on the grounds of the memorial, where many distinguished visitors from other countries have planted trees. In May 1978
Jacqueline Kennedy Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...
, widow of the president, visited the memorial and planted a tree in the forest. Other members of the
Kennedy family The Kennedy family is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy be ...
who have visited the memorial and planted trees include
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...
(JFK's brother), on 11 December 1986; Joan Kennedy (Teddy Kennedy's first wife), on 24 January 1983; and
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954) is an American environmental lawyer and author known for promoting anti-vaccine propaganda and conspiracy theories. Kennedy is a son of U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy and a nephew of President ...
and his sister
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend (born July 4, 1951) is an American attorney who was the sixth Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. She ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Maryland in 2002. She was the first female lieutenant g ...
(JFK's nephew and niece; children of
Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
), on 1 January 1987. A special "Kennedy Family Planting Circle" was established by the Jewish National Fund. In 2001 Kennedy's daughter Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, then Lieutenant Governor of
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, visited Yad Kennedy during her tour of Israel with her husband and three of her four daughters. Visiting American military personnel are among those who plant trees at the memorial because of its remembrance of an American president. Among those who have planted trees at the site are former Chiefs of Chaplains of the United States Army,
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
, and
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
. Israeli groups also take part in the tree planting tradition, especially on the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat, an occasion linked to trees. On some occasions as many as 4000 Israeli school children have come to the Kennedy Peace Forest to plant trees on that holiday. In addition to individual or group tree plantings, there have been special occasions when smaller "forests" have been dedicated within the larger John F. Kennedy Peace Forest. For example, as early as January 1966, even before the dedication of the memorial, a forest was planted in honor of Ambassador
Avraham Harman Avraham Harman (, November 7, 1914 – February 23, 1992) was an Israeli diplomat and academic administrator. From 1968 to 1983, he was the president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Biography Leslie Avraham Harman was born in London in th ...
, Israel's ambassador to the United States. The "Avraham Harman Forest" was contributed by Bnai Zion, a pro-Israel "fraternal group" in the U.S., and
Golda Meir Golda Meir, ; ar, جولدا مائير, Jūldā Māʾīr., group=nb (born Golda Mabovitch; 3 May 1898 – 8 December 1978) was an Israeli politician, teacher, and ''kibbutznikit'' who served as the fourth prime minister of Israel from 1969 to 1 ...
, newly retired from her post as Israel's Prime Minister, was one of the participants in the dedication ceremony. Other specially designated areas within the larger John F. Kennedy Peace Forest include a "woodland" set up to memorialize the victims of the 1972 Lydda airport (now named
Ben Gurion International Airport Ben Gurion International Airport, ; ar, مطار بن غوريون الدولي , commonly known by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the main international airport of Israel. Situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Lod, it is th ...
) terrorist attack.


Gallery

File:Yad Kennedy aerial photo.jpg, Aerial view File:Yad Kennedy donor wall.jpg, Forest and memorial
Donor Wall File:Yad Kennedy with State emblems.jpg, Emblems on memorial columns File:Yad Kennedy California State emblem.jpg, Sample State emblem (California)


See also

* John F. Kennedy#Israel *
Memorials to John F. Kennedy This is a list of memorials to John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States from 1961 to 1963. Memorials, busts, and statues In the United States *John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial in Dallas, Texas *John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame, T ...


References


External links


YouTube video from 1966 newsreel, part 1YouTube video from 1966 newsreel, part 2Photograph of plaque at tree planted by Jacquelin Kennedy
* ttp://www.jnf.org/assets/pdf/plant-a-tree-in-israel-info-1.pdf Driving directions to memorial, plus Jewish National Fund contact information for tree planting {{John F. Kennedy Buildings and structures in Jerusalem Monuments and memorials in Israel Tourist attractions in Jerusalem Works about John F. Kennedy Memorials to John F. Kennedy