“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”—Nelson Henderson.
We all have a desire to leave our mark on life—an inheritance—an indelible imprint that will leave an impact upon mankind for generations to come.
There is a certain sense of fullness that we bring into our lives when we take action for something beyond ourselves—something that we may never directly benefit from.
It can be difficult to decide how to leave our legacy to future generations. We find ourselves asking, “What can I do to make the world a better place and be a blessing for the coming generations?” This is challenging question to answer.
For some, the answer might be leaving a gift of money for their children, loved ones, or a worthy foundation. For others, it may mean leaving a well-established family business or property to future generations. Whatever the answer might be, we all want to leave a positive, substantial impact and inheritance that will reverberate throughout time.
God gave us the first and greatest example of leaving an inheritance when He gave us—all of mankind—the earth to care for and to rule over. 
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”—Genesis 1.26
What an awesome responsibility we have all inherited! Recognizing how fragile our planet is reminds us of the great honor that has been entrusted to us by our Creator—not only for our own physical survival, but also for the fulfillment of our Divine mission to provide for the generations to come.
This idea of leaving legacies for the future can be found in cultures throughout the world. There is an ancient decree that was mandated by the Iroquois Indian Tribe of North America known as the Great Law of the Iroquois. It stated that, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the Seventh generation.” This law holds every decision of a man in judgment as to the impact that decision may have at least 140 years into the future—to make certain that the decisions that are made today will benefit the children seven generations from now.
My Olive Tree has set a goal of 2,500 olive tree sponsorships between now and September 24th-—Rosh Hashanah 5775—the beginning of the fast-approaching Shmita year.
Why can’t we plant during the Shmita year? You see, when God gives a gift—an inheritance—as He did when He gave Abraham and his offspring the land of Israel, instructions always come with it! We find that when the Israelites inherited their land, God instructed to observe what is called a Shmita year—a seven-year agricultural sabbatical:
“…When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord.Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard.”—Leviticus 25.2-4
When we consider the Shmita year, we can’t help but realize that the earth has an intimate, delicate relationship between giving and receiving. As man establishes himself as caretaker of the earth, when we sow and nurture its seeds, the 
Will you consider helping us reach our goal before September 24th? Will you consider leaving a cycle of inheritance for generations to come in the land of Israel?
We thank you for your support of Israel, and your desire to leave a legacy for generations to come!
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children…”—Proverbs 13.22