WLC19-3-Women-Arava-Water-eng
March 31, 2011
Conclusions and Beginnings, Challenges and Breakthroughs
2nd Day of Sessions, Eilat, March 31, 2011
The second day of sessions at the
KKL-JNF Sixth World Leadership
Conference (WLC), which took place
in Eilat, opened with two inspiring
events - a sunrise tour at the Eilat Bird
Sanctuary and, simultaneously, the
launch of the KKL-JNF International
Women’s Campaign for Israel.
The Eilat Bird Sanctuary, which
was developed with the assistance of
KKL-JNF, has become a haven for
birds and a home for the International
Bird Center of Eilat. Birds ringed in
Eilat have been traced as far north as
Siberia and as far south as South Africa. WLC participants who went on the early morning
tour enjoyed the fresh air, the beautiful park, and the fascinating information presented to
them about the songbirds and raptors inhabiting the park.
On this special morning, the WLC also launched the
KKL-JNF International Women’s Campaign for
Israel. Women from all over the world had breakfast
together and heard about the new initiative being led
by Dalia Stenzler, CEO, Ye’adim, and wife of KKL
World Chairman Efi Stenzler; Terry Katz, U.S.
National Chair, Women’s Campaign for Israel;
Silvina Filarent, wife of Adolfo Filarent, President,
KKL Argentina; and Talia Tzour, KKL-JNF Israel
Emissary to the United States.
Talia Tzour spoke about her mission in the U.S.
“Because of KKL-JNF, I have become more of a
Zionist,” said Tzour, “and the greatest lesson I’ve
learned lately has been that we are not alone. We
have a lot of wonderful friends. We are launching an
important international campaign today, which will
promote the realization of Ben Gurion’s vision.”
L to R: Talia and Terry
Dalia Stenzler related to the question of what women can contribute: “We have our own
agenda and very meaningful projects in different areas such as ecology, education, health and
so on,” she said. “KKL-JNF is an authentic expression of Zionism, and calling on the women
is an additional way to promote this goal.”
Terry Katz spoke about her connection to the State of Israel
and to Zionism, which began already when she was a child,
when people like David Ben Gurion visited her parents’
home. When JNF USA was reorganized in 1998, women
wanted to have a voice. Her membership in the JNF USA
Women Sapphire Society is an example of her close
connection to Israel. Every woman that joins the society
expresses her commitment to the goals of the society by
pledging an annual donation of five thousand dollars. Since
its inception in 1998, the women of the Sapphire Society
have raised $16 million. Many projects in Israel have been
completed with these funds, including the Tzukim
community in the Arava, which is a place for young people
to come back to. “Sometimes there has to be a woman in
order to show a man how to do something,” Katz concluded,
to the chuckles of women in the audience.
L to R: Dalia and Yael
Shealtieli
Diana Baredes, Director of the Women’s Division of KKL
Argentina, said that at the beginning of their activities, many
of the women thought that KKL-JNF was only about planting
trees. “The minute they find out about the diversity of our
work, the donations came on their own,” she said. She
concluded with the saying that behind every great man is a
great woman, but she improved it a bit, and said, “Looking at
all of you, I would say that behind every great woman is a
great man.”
The women who participated at the event were invited to sign
the covenant of the International Women’s Campaign for
Israel, as an expression of their readiness and commitment to
working for the advancement of Israel. In order to broaden the
circle of women and allow a greater number of women to take
part in the campaign, it was decided that membership would be possible with contributions
starting at $365.
The Negev and the Arava: Challenges and Opportunities
The
opportunities
and
challenges of developing the
Negev and the Arava were
discussed at the first session,
which was chaired by Ms. Yael
Shaltieli, KKL-JNF General
Director, with the participation
of Shmuel Rifman, head of the
Ramat
Hanegev
Regional
Council; Ezra Ravins, head of
the Central Arava Regional
Council; and Amer Abu
Mamar, head of the Segev
Shalom Local Council.
According
to
Ms. Yael
Shaltieli, KKL-JNF General
L to R: Yael Shaltieli, Shmuel Rifman, Ezra Ravins
Director, the Negev has high
and Amer Abu Mamar
priority on the State of Israel's
national agenda. “The vision of
Ben Gurion is being realized slowly but surely, thanks to the work of KKL-JNF,” she said
and presented the figures for KKL-JNF's investments in the Negev over the last five years:
400 million shekels in contributions from other countries, 500 million shekels from the funds
of KKL-JNF Israel, 400 million shekels of government funds, which were given in response
to these contributions - total about 1.3 billion shekels. These funds have been used for land
preparation, constructing reservoirs, creating parks and many more projects for the general
public of Israel.
Shaltieli especially emphasized research and development, which she said was “the
foundation of the desert economy.”
KKL-JNF supports the development of new
technologies, acclimation of crops and adapting them to the arid climate. The small
population of the Negev produces about 5 billion shekels of agricultural produce, 60% of
which is for export.
What is KKL-JNF's great advantage? Unlike government ministries, said Shaltieli, each of
which focuses on their particular field, KKL-JNF spans a large domain, encompassing the
total fabric of life. “We just provided for a growth of 500 families in the Negev,” said
Shaltieli, “and our aim is to guarantee a high standard of living for another thousand
families.”
Shmuel Rifman, head of the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council, remarked that all the work
on developing the Negev has one goal, which is to increase the population. “The aspiration is
that within the next decade we reach 1.5 million residents. This is the mission that the
government of Israel and the various authorities and organizations must lead. KKL-JNF's
contribution to this endeavor is of utmost significance.” Beersheba is the key, said Rifman.
“When the capital of the Negev is big and strong, the greater metropolitan vicinity will also
develop.”
Rifman enumerated the four bases of Negev development: research and development – as a
basis for the region’s economy; drawing young people to settle in the Negev; Bedouin
relations – regulation of settlement and investment in Bedouin education; and solar energy –
because “the Negev is the energy silo of Israel,” said Rifman.
There are about 3,000 people living in the Central Arava at present. “Our hope is to double
the population within a decade,” said Ezra Ravins, head of the Central Arava Regional
Council. “For this, we have to attract residents and, at the same time, make sure that the
people who live here do not move away.” 60% of Israel’s agricultural exports are produced
in the Central Arava, which includes 90% of the bell peppers exported. However, explained
Ravins, who is a farmer himself and grows bell peppers, “one cannot develop a region based
only on agriculture, so we are trying to develop additional directions including tourism.
Sometimes it seems to us,” Ravins said sadly, “that the State of Israel has forsaken us and
thinks we have finished our historical role.”
Ravins enumerated several projects in the Central Arava supported by KKL-JNF: five
reservoirs; establishment of the Tzukim community; land preparation for agriculture and
housing; clearance of land mines; the Shalom Road; Sapir Park; scenic lookouts and
recreation areas; educational programs and more, all of have been built and developed thanks
to contributions from friends of KKL-JNF all over the world.
Amer Abu Mamar described himself as a citizen of Israel, someone who has a sense of
belonging to the land and the State, with rights and obligations. “Many Bedouins think as I
do,” he said, “while there are also those who think otherwise.”
He said that development of the Negev and the influx of prosperous populations would also
be good for the Bedouins. “KKL-JNF carries out important projects for Israel,” he added.
“It’s about time we also talk about the half of the glass that is full and not just complain all
the time.” Nevertheless, he stressed that a solution is necessary for the Bedouin citizens of
the State, along with investments in education, infrastructure and employment. “The current
situation of the Bedouin adds dignity neither to the Bedouin nor to the State of Israel.”
KKL-JNF World Chairman, Mr. Efi Stenzler,
summarized the session and said that the Bedouin
issue was “a time bomb for both the State and for the
Bedouins. The matter has been neglected for years
by all the governments. In recent years we have
been promoting projects in the Bedouin sector - in
Segev Shalom, in Rahat, in Hura. It is important to
encourage the regional directors who are interested
in arriving at a solution.”
Regarding the incidents in El-Arakib, Stenzler said,
“Yesterday, of all days, on Land Day, with the worst
timing, a Jewish organization chose to send emails
to the whole world disparaging KKL-JNF for
planting trees. The court ruled that there has never
been a lawful settlement on this land, which belongs to the State of Israel, not to the Jewish
National Fund, and it is therefore possible to plant trees. Unfortunately, there are people who
criticize without first checking the facts.”
In conclusion, Stenzler presented the crucial points for developing the Negev. “The State has
to decide that the Negev is a top priority, not just with words but with deeds. The Bedouin
issue has to be resolved - because it is a national issue, not just a Bedouin issue. There must
be an increase of population in the Negev. After we have finished dealing with these three
issues, we can say that Ben Gurion’s vision is being realized.”
Facing Israel's Water Crisis
Much has been said about Israel's
water crisis, but is there a way to
cope with this serious problem other
than praying for rain? At the
second plenary session of the WLC
there was a panel on this topic,
which
included
Mr. Avry
Kadmon, director of Water
Resources,
KKL-JNF
Israel;
Professor Avital Gazith, Tel Aviv
University; and Mrs. Geraldine
Shatz, Board of Directors, JNF
USA.
Chairing the session, Ms. Simone
Szaslmuk-Singer, Vice President,
L to R: Avry Kadmon, Professor Gazith,
JNF Australia, spoke about the
Geraldine Shatz
biofilter project for improving the
quality of the groundwater by
collecting rainwater, purifying it with plants, and letting it
infiltrate into the aquifer. A pilot project has been
completed in Kfar Saba, thanks to a contribution by
JNF Victoria, Australia.
WLC participants visited the site several days earlier and
met Yaron Zinger, the Israeli student who had promoted the
project as a doctoral student in Australia at Monash
University, with the initiative and support of JNF Victoria,
Australia. “We see this as an opportunity to make a
difference for Israel's water economy,” said Zinger. “There
are additional benefits provided by the project.
A
breakthrough in research like this improves Israel’s
reputation in the world, and the collaboration of scientists
creates an invaluable system of international relations.”
Mr. Avry Kadmon noted that Israel has been suffering from drought for the last eight years,
and some people think this will continue in coming years due to global warming. He said that
80% of urban runoff water is drained as sewage and never reused. “If we eliminate the
pollutants in the water, we will have a new source for agricultural use,” he said. The problem
is that rainfall is in the winter, while water for irrigation is needed mainly in the spring and
summer. The solution is to construct reservoirs. Until now, KKL-JNF has constructed 220
reservoirs throughout Israel, some of them for collecting runoff, and in recent years mainly
for treated effluents.
Kadmon mentioned the Shamir wells, which were supported by the Parsons Foundations in
the U.S. - three wells to make use of groundwater deep in the earth for irrigating orchards and
vineyards in the Upper Galilee and in the Golan. This water will be used instead of the
potable water used today. He also mentioned the project for cleaning the Yarkon by means of
the green wetlands in Hod Hasharon, supported by JNF Australia. WLC participants visited
both sites at the beginning of the conference.
Professor Gazith spoke about being involved in several KKL-JNF initiatives in recent years
and having learned to greatly appreciate the organization's work. He noted that the decrease
in potable water is a universal problem that many countries are facing. “Whoever thinks the
future is in desalination is mistaken, because the amount of energy required limits the amount
of water one may desalinate. This is why purification and recycling is so necessary.”
KKL-JNF’s water agenda has many aspects, and Professor Gazith focused on the academic
aspect, which is about seeking solutions for the prolonged water crisis. He presented the
scientific partnership with the Province of Manitoba, Canada, which includes scientific
symposiums with water experts, development of shared models for managing water
interfaces, and cooperation between the Oak Hammock Marsh in Manitoba and the Hula Lake
in Israel, including signing a twin sites agreement. There is another important collaboration
with Monash University, Australia, regarding urban water issues, including the biofilter
project Zinger had mentioned.
“The future of Israel depends on science
and technology,” said Professor Gazith.
“The environment is not exactly a top
priority of our Middle Eastern
neighbors. KKL-JNF's environmental
agenda
facilitates
international
partnerships for the benefit of all parties
involved. Israel has become more and
more isolated politically, and this also
influences scientific collaborations.
Biofilter
The partnerships formed by KKL-JNF
allow for overcoming this obstacle. In
addition, KKL-JNF’s support for science assists in creating personal bonds, thereby revealing
a side of Israel that is not directly related to the conflict. I have heard many scientists say,
'We never knew about all the things Israel is doing.'"
Mrs. Geraldine Shatz described the work being done by the Parsons Foundation in the U.S.,
which invests in water projects in Israel. The Foundation concentrates on three areas:
education, prevention of water pollution in nature and its main area of investment, which is
creating water sources by means of recycling. A few examples of projects the foundation has
supported include the rehabilitation of Nahal Alexander, construction of the Sderot reservoir,
the Shamir wells, and the implementation of a five-year educational program in schools in
Israel for raising consciousness with regard to water issues.
Among the new programs being considered by the foundation are: construction of a large
reservoir in Ofakim; an innovative initiative for installing electronic sensors in cultivated
areas in order to save water and increase yields; and construction of a desalination facility in
the Arava, using solar energy for irrigating bell peppers.
With creative thinking, advanced technology and international joint ventures, as presented in
this session, one may certainly hope for a better future for the water economy in Israel and in
the world.
For Articles, comments or use please contact
Ahuva Bar-Lev
KKL-JNF – Information and Publications
Email: ahuvab@kkl.org.il
Phone: 972-2-6583354 Fax:972-2-6583493
www.kkl.org.il/eng