GIN-1-03-Nitzana-Lova-eng.doc
Arie “Lova” Eliav (1921-2010) was one of the last of Israel’s state-builders. He also
established the Nitzana Educational Community on the Egyptian border, where KKLJNF supports many projects for immigrants, disabled and ill children, African refugees
and more. Last Thursday, the Nitzana village was named for Lova, fulfilling a dream of
his many friends and associates.
Nitzana Educational Community Named for Arye Lova Eliav
"If you say Nitzana, it's as if you said KKL-JNF." David Palmach, head of the Nitzana
Educational Community, which is located in the Negev near the Egyptian border, was
speaking on Thursday, February 28, at a ceremony at which Nitzana was renamed the Arye
Eliav Nitzana Educational Community in honor of Arye Lova Eliav, who helped establish the
community. Over a thousand national service volunteers and pre-military academy students
from all over Israel spent the day touring the Negev and learning about the two Zionist
leaders who put the Negev at the top of their priority list, David Ben Gurion and Lova Eliav.
In the afternoon, Lova's friends and colleagues recalled this unique pioneer in the presence of
his wife, Tania, and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Nitzana is an educational community in the Negev, 70 km. northwest of Beer Sheva. The
community was established in 1986 by Arie Lova Eliav and the Jewish Agency and has been
developed and supported by KKL-JNF throughout the years. Each year, 12,000 Israeli high
school students attend desert, science and ecological seminars at Nitzana. The seminars focus
on Zionism, the importance of the Negev desert, ecology and protection of the environment,
water sources and conservation, recycling and environmental sustainability. Nitzana also
serves as an absorption center for 100 new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union,
Ethiopia and North America every year. In addition, a new rehabilitation center for youth who
suffer from serious illnesses or disabilities was recently opened. There is also a special
program for the children of African refugees who entered Israel through the Egyptian border.
During the day, the national service volunteers and other young people spent the day at
various places in the Negev, including KKL-JNF sites at Yeruham Lake, Sde Boker, Golda
Park, and more. At Golda Park, national service volunteers who work with children with
mental challenges at an institution in the Galilee learned about KKL-JNF in general and
Golda Park in particular. Golda Park is located in the heart of the desert on the banks of Nahal
Revivim, where KKL-JNF, with the help of its friends from Japan and Australia, created an
impressive recreation site with a lake, green lawns, picnic areas and a scenic lookout.
A group of adults, some of them acquaintances of Lova Eliav, toured Nitzana and learned
about its different programs. At Beit Uri, the main office building that was built with the
assistance of KKL-JNF, the group met Alex, Olla and Natalie, 17-year old immigrants who
are studying at Nitzana. One member of the group asked Natalie why she decided to come to
Israel, and her answer was straight and to the point: "Because I'm Jewish." Alex, who was
born in Ukraine, said that he had experienced anti-Semitism as a child and felt much better in
Israel. All three young people said that they would be going into the army after Nitzana, and
then continuing to the university. The group was very impressed and offered to host the new
immigrants at their homes for weekends and holidays. Olla thanked them graciously but said
that "Nitzana is really like a home for us, and we love being here with our friends and
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counselors." The group also visited the Nitzana recycling complex, where the students
separate different sorts of garbage and learn how to make use of it rather than just throwing it
away.
The day continued with lunch at the Nitzana dining hall, where various personages who knew
Lova Eliav spoke about him and his connection to Nitzana. Natan Sharansky, the chairman of
the Jewish Agency, was the first person who suggested naming Nitzana for Lova: "Lova Eliav
built Nitzana, he dreamed Nitzana, he created Nitzana. If you look at what's going on here
today, you can see that this is exactly what Lova envisioned – Zionism, pioneering spirit, the
Negev, ecology and caring for others. Lova Eliav was a courageous man of vision who was
not afraid of expressing his opinions, even when everyone disagreed. He was the first Knesset
member to speak up on behalf of Soviet Jewry, when everyone was afraid of diplomatic
repercussions. I loved him, and I loved his Zionism. It is an honor for KKL-JNF and the
Jewish Agency that Nitzana is being named for him."
In a moving video message to Lova Eliav's wife and family, KKL-JNF World Chairman Efi
Stenzler called Lova Eliav "a man of action, one of the greatest that Israel has known."
"I had the privilege of knowing Lova for many years," he said. "For me, he was a guide, a
compass whose needle always pointed me in the right direction. Lova was always in the place
that needed him the most, and was the ship that would help it navigate from the deep waters
to the safe shore."
Dr. Bentzi Bar-Lavie, Director of KKL-JNF's Education and Youth Department, noted that
KKL-JNF is partner to many ongoing projects in Nitzana. "Besides Beit Uri and land
development, we are proud to be a part of "Empowerment House", where children with
cancer and various disabilities take part in activities related to the environment, science and
health. Lova planted a forest grove with us here, and we feel that we are continuing his
tradition and legacy at the KKL-JNF Education and Youth Department."
Former MK Ofir Pines heads the "Eretz Hatzvi" NGO, which is committed to
commemorating Lova's legacy throughout the country. "Lova was the ultimate leader," Pines
said, "and one cannot help but long for people of his caliber today. He had an extraordinary
ability to think out of the box, and he knew how to express himself, both in writing and orally.
He also knew how to say no, and to leave if he realized that nothing more could be
accomplished, an unusual quality for a man who was also a politician," Pines concluded.
"Everyone had their own Lova," said former Defense Minister MK Amir Peretz. "One of
the most meaningful moments in my life was when I was forced to resign as minister of
defense. Lova came to me and said, 'They did the same thing to me, I know exactly how you
feel. The way I see it, you have two choices – either you stay in the system and blame the
whole world for what happened to you, or you decide to do something entirely different and
get on with your life. Come and live with me at Nitzana, which is like a microcosm of the
entire Jewish people. I took his advice, and still have a room here today."
Eli Amir, a famous Israeli writer and former director of the Jewish Agency's Youth Aliya
Department, recalled how he convinced Lova to move to Nitzana: "Lova had a vision of
establishing a youth village in the Negev, so when the time was ripe, I came to him and said,
if you won't help us, Nitzana simply won't happen. Lova said, are you crazy? I want nothing
more to do with bureaucrats and government agencies. I told him, don't worry, that's my job.
There's a little room there, all I want is for you to move there, we need someone inspiring.
Lova said, I'll tell Tania to pack."
Other speakers at the event included Jewish Agency Deputy Chairman Rani Trainin, Nitzana
Chairman Asher Greenbaum, Nitzana's first director, Dr. Ze'ev Zivan and Eyal Eliav, Lova
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Eliav's son, who said that if his father had been here today, "he would have wanted even
more."
Following the speeches, the audience made their way to the entrance to Nitzana, where Tania
Eliav, together with family and friends, unveiled the sign officially proclaiming Nitzana as
"The Arie Lova Eliav Nitzana Educational Community." The day concluded with a concert
attended by over one thousand young people and Lova Eliav's friends and family, featuring
popular Israeli performers from both the present and the past.
For further information, comments or permission
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
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