In Part I the word "Politikin" was explained, which is similar to the familiar word "Politicians", and thus our Rabbi interpreted it (Terumot 3, 5): "They are the wealthy people behaving like kings, spoiled in their foods".

In this part I will share with you an incident that happened to me with the governmental organization "Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael".

The organization is described thus on Wikipedia: "Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael is a public benefit company, founded at the Fifth Zionist Congress in the year 1901 as a means for collecting funds from Jews for the purpose of purchasing lands in the Land of Israel and preparing them for Jewish settlement".

The source of the name "Keren Kayemet" is in the famous Mishnah (Pe'ah 1, 1): "He eats from its fruits in this world and the Keren Kayemet [tr. of: principal remains] for him for the World to Come". And thus our Rabbi interpreted this Mishnah:

"The interpretation of principal: The main part, and its fruits: The profits, and the matter of the saying: 'He eats from its fruits and the principal remains for him' is what I will say to you: [...] if a person fulfills those Mitzvot that are between him and his Creator he has a reward for this that Lord God will repay him for it in the World to Come as we will explain in Sanhedrin 11, 1. And if a person fulfills the Mitzvot that depend on the propriety of relations between human beings with one another – he has a reward for this in the World to Come for fulfilling the Mitzvah, and will achieve a benefit in this world for his behavior [which is] good behavior with people, because if he walked in this path and another walked in it – he too will enjoy that same benefit".

In any case it is clear, that the donors for the benefit of the development of the Land of Israel merit a reward for this in the World to Come. My great-grandfather donated to the settlement of the Land of Israel, here before you is a letter serving as testimony to the matter:

Date: 1/2/1968

From: The General Federation of Laborers in the Land of Israel. The Executive Committee.

Subject: The matter of Gershon Shlovitz.

I investigated the aforementioned matter, and according to my memory and also according to authorized testimonies, I can report:

A) Gershon Shlovitz, 81 years old, lives in Bucharest, Romania; and his economic situation is extremely difficult.

B) The aforementioned was one of the most prominent and important activists in the city of Galați – Romania. He truly did beyond his ability for the sake of "haChalutz" [=a movement of young people who organized in Europe for Zionist goals]. Six training companies at his private expense and also on his responsibility; he took care of establishing the companies, supply, workplaces etc. – and this over many years and facing not a few dangers. Millions of (Romanian) Lei the aforementioned invested in haChalutz enterprises [one Lei is worth a little less than a Shekel].

C) All the pioneers who passed through the aforementioned training companies and also the activists of the Zionist movement remember his blessed work and owe him deep gratitude.

D) It is also true that the recent emissaries – and among them David Haimovitz from [kibbutz] Hulda – announced the immortalization of his work by planting trees in his name – or in the name of his son, Mark Shlovitz, who was killed by the Nazis in Chișinău – Bessarabia. And I have no doubt that this promise must be fulfilled.

E) It is essential to intervene with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that the help given to the aforementioned through certain channels will continue in order to ease his situation, which is difficult.

According to that, I recommend and request to find a possibility to both realize the promise and help him.

With comrades' blessing, P. Segal.

Thus far the wording of the letter.

My great-grandfather Gershon immigrated to the land in the twilight of his days as a widower, with his son and his son's wife, as well as their son who is my father. Gershon stayed in a public nursing home for about a year and passed away; he is registered in the Golden Book of KKL for his work:

The main point, I approached KKL and requested a copy of the certificate of appreciation that my great-grandfather received from KKL. The certificate was lost when they immigrated to the land from Romania, and my father tells that its size was like an A3 page and it was pretty and decorated.

Someone from the Donor Relations Department said that the certificate would cost me 450 NIS, she further added: "It is half of the amount of a new registration".

I responded thus directly to the public complaints of KKL:

"Hello, this is a complaint,

A complaint about the fact that my great-grandfather, Gershon Shlovitz, cooperated with you by training six companies of farmers in Romania and sailing them to you, all at his expense and attached is proof [I photographed the letter] and it is also additional proof to the confirmation of Zehavit [the one I spoke with] that he is indeed registered in your Golden Book, and in other words, she confirmed that you have documentation on the matter.

All this cost him millions of Lei and immense mental strengths, he received a certificate of appreciation from you but it was lost when he immigrated to the land blind and poor. Recently I requested a copy of the certificate and you demand 450 NIS, and it is doubly puzzling (and even hallucinatory) that had he not been registered, I would have had to pay 900 NIS for registration, and how is it conceivable that I would have had to pay you for thanking him? This is robbery, and great wickedness".

Thus far the email.

My inquiry-request came up for discussion in the committee, and they returned with an official answer and here it is before you:

"Mr. Shalev hello,

The inquiry was sent for examination and response by the professional factors in KKL responsible for this subject: Projects, Signage and Fundraising department in the Resource Mobilization Division.

First, our apology for the days that have passed since we received your inquiry. These days served us for a self-examination in order to answer you in a verified, documented and informed manner.

Out of the great respect we have for your great-grandfather and for you, we refrain from confronting you in everything related to your own claims regarding rights due to you as a result of your great-grandfather's donation at the time.

We will suffice by emphasizing that your great-grandfather 'donated', he did not do so for the sake of receiving anything in return [if anything, this is another reason to honor him]. Like him, very many thousands donated at the time and thereby enabled the establishment of the State of Israel. The donation your great-grandfather gave at the time was intended for a Zionist purpose".

And what did I ask? That they respect the memory of my great-grandfather? That they would not demand an exorbitant amount for a copy of the certificate? That they would not behave with degrading greed? And it is not that we are talking about a poor organization knocking on doors, because as I will explain below, this is one of the richest and strongest Jewish organizations in the land and abroad.

Their demand for a payment of 450 NIS for a copy of the certificate disgraces the memory of my great-grandfather, expresses a lack of gratitude toward his work, and even proves that they have not a spark of respect for the builders of the land! And above all, it expresses a nauseating greed, from a very strong and rich real estate organization which distributes high salaries to its employees. For example, the CEO of KKL earns about 45 thousand NIS, and there is no shadow of a doubt that many funds still flow...

KKL did not stop there, they continue to disgrace the memory of the founders of the state, and thus they say:

"It [=Gershon's donation] was not given to KKL rather to 'haChalutz' movement in Romania. Even if it had been given to KKL it was not intended for the needs of KKL as an organization, rather for the purpose of financing the goals for which KKL was established – purchasing land and developing it for Jewish settlement and the establishment of a state".

And KKL contradict themselves inherently, since if the organization awarded my great-grandfather a certificate of appreciation, and even registered him in the book of honor, it is clear that my great-grandfather made a significant donation to the KKL organization – and see how they twist with excuses, to such an extent the greed has blinded their eyes, since all these forced excuses, which disgrace the memory of the builders of the land, are meant to bring 450 NIS into their fat coffers!

Likewise, thanks to my great-grandfather Gershon Shlovitz talented manpower, possessing knowledge and experience, was sent to KKL for free. About six companies, in each of which there were dozens of people, and manpower is the most expensive commodity in the field of labor, and how hard it is to find a good worker! They further claim that even if they profited, then anyway they do so "For the sake of Jewish settlement and the establishment of a state", and they did not see any personal benefit in it.

And their stubbornness that the descendants of the builders of the land will pay 450 NIS and sometimes even 900 NIS for the issuance of certificates of appreciation, testifies like a thousand witnesses to the fact that the organization acted and acts for its own benefit alone. And whoever lacks gratitude, and disgraces the memory of the one who did good to him, it is presumed that his traits are very bad.

And now to KKL's revenues: Last year (the original article in Hebrew was written in 2023), KKL brought in 7,849,073,642 NIS (see Guidestar), of which about 7,707,985,000 from real estate (see the financial report, p. 36). And so you will not think I got confused I will repeat the numbers: KKL profited almost eight billion NIS last year! Astonishing!

I will return to my great-grandfather, the land prepared by the farmers of "haChalutz" movement was registered to the credit of KKL and thus KKL conquered the land, upon which it has profited billions over the years. It is very important to add and note, that there were those who were murdered during the preparation of the land and its conquest through labor, but KKL refuses to say thank you.

To me it is clear that they preserve the pretext of the Orthodox parsons that all material needs are foreign to them, a sort of "Sons of God", in order to convince the masses that they are worthy of donations and even the giving of wills.

But the truth is, that since the establishment of Israel the benefit of KKL for the purpose of conquering land has greatly decreased, and today it is a real estate company and even has a subsidiary named "Himanuta", whose purpose is "To constitute a legal instrument for purchasing and managing lands that Keren Kayemeth considers selling onward" (according to Wikipedia).

Today KKL is just another greedy company with a "powerful committee". And as for those massive funds intended "for the public benefit", well, they are scattered and transferred by politicians who distribute the funds to their purposes and cronies, and these – their cronies, throw the remaining bones to their servants, and the remaining crumbs – to the servants of their servants; and the remaining crumbs of crumbs they transfer to marketing on YouTube and Facebook, and to the Hula Lake... In short, a celebration of corruption.

Let’s continue with the letter:

"Therefore, we have no choice but to reject utterly and completely your claims which are voiced by virtue of your great-grandfather's donation, as if we are practicing a custom of 'robbery and great wickedness'".

And what did I ask of them? That they arrange a job for me? That they return the many funds my great-grandfather spent for their benefit? I merely asked that they respect his memory and the memory of the builders of the land, and send me the certificate of appreciation they issued him in the past. And I have not a shadow of a doubt that their opaqueness stems from very deep greed.

Let’s continue in the letter:

"Regarding your request to receive a registration certificate in the books of honor:

The books of honor of KKL are a highly significant historical exhibit for Zionism that continues to exist, act and pulse. Every day new donors are registered in the books who choose to join their name or the name of their loved ones to the 'chain of generations' of Zionism for all eternity and also receive a certificate attesting to the registration".

And I do not know what is all this mumbo-jumbo? All this ridiculous earnestness is meant for what? Just to profit another 450 NIS, and from whom? From the descendants of people who donated millions to them, millions which turned into billions over the years! And there is no limit to KKL's greed, to the lack of gratitude and to the opaqueness of their uncircumcised heart – from this whole story I learned that this is merely an economic real estate organization that is unworthy of its name: "Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael", rather its name is: Keren Kayemet for the Capitalists, Keren Kayemet for the Exploitation of the Masses.

By the way, in America for example, for decades they have honored at various events every guest who arrives, by planting a tree in his honor in the Land of Israel, of course those rich Americans do not send trees on ships rather the value of the tree and its planting to KKL, and if they only knew to what low the organization has deteriorated.

They further write to me in their answer:

"So far KKL has bound nearly 250 books that require – among other things: Registration, binding; unique maintenance and restoration (the ink which is an acidic material is written upon a page that is parchment made of organic material); storage under unique preservation conditions; professional scanning and appropriate display for the general public. All these cost a lot of money and therefore, and according to KKL procedures – a donation of 900 NIS is collected for registration in the Golden Book.

In accordance with that same procedure, a donation of 50% of the stated amount is collected for the production of an additional certificate to the one given originally. The aforementioned costs are intended to fund part of the expense involved in the continued operation of the books of honor enterprise – the historical one – which is displayed to the general public, and the one looking toward the future for new registrations in the books".

What do they want from me? That I should fund the binding of their books? Is it not enough that my great-grandfather spent millions from his pocket, which as mentioned turned into billions? Furthermore, if we assume that in every book there are 300 pages and for each page 10 people pay 900 NIS per page in the book, it turns out that on one book KKL profits 2,700,000 NIS! And it claims that it has bound nearly 250 such books! Meaning, from this whole story of greed KKL has profited to date 670,500,000 NIS! No wonder they insist with such great stubbornness that I pay them 450 NIS, since there is someone profiting many hundreds of millions from the exploitation of the donors' descendants!

And needless to say that in order to "maintain" these books KKL pays nothing, since the ones who "maintain" these books, are the crony male and female clerks who received jobs due to their closeness to some corrupt politician, and who anyway lounge idly in their offices.

In short, do the billions that my great-grandfather rolled to them not cover "professional scanning", and also "storage under unique preservation conditions", why should the donors' descendants further enrich KKL? Since this is an organization rich as Korach, among the richest Jewish organizations in the land and abroad.

Simply a shame and a disgrace for KKL! And a shame and a disgrace for the Israeli governments that supported this crime!

They sign their response:

"Therefore, the donation required for receiving a certificate in accordance with your request is 450 NIS, half the donation required for a new registration. Of course, against the donation a payment reference will be transferred to you which can be submitted for an offset from the income tax paid by you, by law [simply outrageous! as if they care that I will not lose, and if they cared about the exploitation of the masses, they would not exploit in the first place].

I hope that now, when the entirety of the relevant information is in your hands, you will accept the things with understanding. Insofar as you choose to donate as required, we will be glad to produce and send you a certificate as requested".

Well, I am disgusted by your certificate, and furthermore this article and the one preceding it aroused in me an aversion to any appreciation by greedy politicians like you, leeches who only due to your closeness to the budget cake merited a position that does not require any benefit, and your entire role is to muddy the waters!