The brainchild of a bank clerk in Galicia, east Europe, the first Blue Box was introduced only months after the founding of the Jewish National Fund in December l90l, and its use quickly spread until there were hardly any Zionist minded households in the Diaspora in which the little "pushke" did not occupy pride of place.

Not only did it become the most popular Zionist symbol for a people yearning for a homeland, but it formed the principal means of collecting funds for the purchase of land in Palestine before and during the British Mandate. In fact, land purchased largely with Blue Box funds effectively determined the boundaries for the State of Israel.

Since then, the emphasis in the application of Blue Box collections has shifted to land development and improvement and, more recently, to protecting and enhancing the environment.

Today, Australia leads the world in funds collected per capita via the Blue Box, over $1.2 million per year from some 30,000 households. This is achieved by over 1,000 volunteer collectors calling personally,door-to-door, twice a year - at Pesach and Rosh Hashana. In quite a few cases, the volunteer's call is the only contact the householder has with the community, and even with Judaism. For others, the Blue Box is a "link to Israel and a symbol of belonging".

The JNF will be happy to supply a Box if you don't already have one, and welcome you as a collector if you are able and willing to join the dedicated band of Blue Box workers.

To read about becoming a Blue Box volunteer - Click Here