JNF ENVIRONMENTAL MISSION May 5 - 11, 2010 JNF Professional: Allison Krumholz Mission Co-Chair: Michelle Grant, Los Angeles Mission Co-Chair: Gary Suskauer, Baltimore WEDNESDAY MAY 5 ARRIVAL /EILAT Welcome to Israel! After our individual arrivals into Ben Gurion Airport, we will meet as a group in the Eilat terminal for our flight south. Upon our arrival in Eilat, we will be picked up and transferred to our hotel. This evening, we will enjoy a festive welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Joining us will be a guest speaker, who will provide us with an update on the current environmental issues shaping Israel at this time. Isrotel Yam Suf Hotel, Eilat Overnight, Isrotel Yam Suf Hotel, Eilat THURSDAY MAY 6 EILAT / SOUTHERN ARAVA After a delicious Israeli breakfast this morning, we will head to JNF’s Timna Park. As we pass through the front gates to the newly built chronosphere, we will be immersed in a fascinating 360-degree multimedia experience called the Mines of Time. Through dramatic audio, visual reality, computer simulation, and state-of-the-art animation, this presentation will introduce us to the ancient Egyptian and Midianite cultures dating from the time of the Timna Park Exodus - a prelude to what we’ll encounter further on in the park. Following our tour, we’ll take a hike before departing for our next visit. After this informative visit, we’ll head to the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, located on Kibbutz Ketura. As the leading environmental institute in the Middle East, the Arava Institute serves as a regional center for conservation and environmental protection activities, developing ties between Middle Eastern and Western university students. Arava Institute for Environmental Studies During lunch with the students, we will be able to see, first hand, how this institution encourages environmental cooperation between different people. The Arava Institute is working towards peace and sustainable development on a regional and global scale. Pending confirmation, we may have the opportunity to audit a class at the university. Following the class, we’ll spend the remainder of our time visiting the many research projects on the campus. We’ll also have the opportunity to visit the Institute’s own Bio-Diversity Kibbutz Lotan Orchard before heading to our next visit. 1 From here we will head to Kibbutz Lotan, a kibbutz at the forefront of Israeli efforts at creating an ecologically sustainable community that maintains the fragile balance between development and preservation of the desert environment. Here, we will meet with a representative of the kibbutz who will explain what life is like on the kibbutz. Following this introduction, we will proceed to the Eco-Kef: The Center for Creative Ecology, before Kibbutz Lotan continuing to the Lotan Bird watching Center, with its reserve for migrating birds. Afterwards, we’ll visit the Lotan Center for Creative Ecology-Eco-Fun, which includes activities on recycling/composting, organic gardening, and alternative/natural construction. Time pending, we will go to the Ramat HaNegev Research & Development Station, where we will have the opportunity to learn about the major research taking place that has been aimed at decreasing the amount of water Vegetables produced at the R & D Station needed for agriculture in the Arava while simultaneously enabling expansion of agricultural production. In addition to discovering new methods for saving and recycling water, another focus has been cultivating organic crops in soil unsuitable for agriculture. We’ll then continue to our hotel to check in. This evening, we will enjoy an authentic Israeli dinner at our hotel in Mitzpe Ramon prepared by renowned chef Joe Isenberg. Ramon Inn, Mitzpe Ramon Overnight, Ramon Inn, Mitzpe Ramon FRIDAY MAY 7 MITZPE RAMON / CENTRAL NEGEV Early this morning we will meet in the hotel’s lobby for a stroll around the Ramon Crater and the opportunity to see a magnificent sunrise over the crater. We’ll then hike through the magnificent Ramon Crater, the largest Maktesh in the world. Following breakfast at the hotel, we’ll check out and drive to Be’er Sheva, the Ramon Crater capital of the Negev. We will meet with Itai Freeman, Director of the Be’er Sheva River Authority, at JNF’s Be’er Sheva River Project. This economic development project is a key component of JNF’s Blueprint Negev plan to bring 250,000 new residents to the south in the next five years. The River Walk will transform Be’er-Sheva into a green lung for the Negev and provide year-round recreation and entertainment activities. We’ll visit Givot Bar, a new community developed by JNF and their partners, the OR Movement. Nahal Be’er Sheva 2 Recognizing that Israel's constantly growing population in the north is running out of space, JNF and the OR movement are committed to developing the Negev and building the infrastructure for many new communities such as Givot Bar, while preserving its natural beauty at the same time. Givot Bar, which literally means ‘hills of grain,’ has plans to grow to 500 families with JNF-KKL’s continuing partnership. While we are here, we will meet with an Givot Bar OR Representative who will lead us on the tour of the community. We will meet with residents who live in the community and learn what life is like as a true modern-day pioneer. Afterward, we’ll drive north to Sderot a town plagued by frequent rocket attacks that hold life at a standstill for its many residents. After a falafel lunch here, we’ll head to the Gaza Overlook to meet with a municipal Negev Pioneers representative who will provide us with an overview of the current political and social issues affecting Sderot at this time (pending confirmation). From here, we will head to the JNF Indoor Recreation Center, the largest community recreation center in Israel. This all-inclusive indoor recreation center provides Sderot’s youth with a safe place to have fun and simply be children. Sderot Indoor Playground We’ll then continue driving north. Upon our arrival into Jerusalem, we’ll participate in a traditional Shehechyanu ceremony welcoming us into the city. After checking into our hotel, we’ll have the option of attending a Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel. This evening we will enjoy a Shabbat dinner at our hotel. Mount Zion Hotel, Jerusalem Overnight, Mount Zion Hotel, Jerusalem SATURDAY MAY 8 SHABBAT IN JERUSALEM / DEAD SEA / MASADA Today will be at leisure in honor of Shabbat. There will be an optional day tour to Masada that will include a cable car ride to the top of the Herodian Palace Complex. This is the location of the ancient fortress where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans before committing suicide in 73 AD. There will also be an optional walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Cable Car Ride over Masada tour will enter the Old City through the Jaffa Gate and head directly to the Western Wall, the last remaining retaining wall which enclosed the Temple Mount in the Second Temple Period. It will also explore the Southern Wall 3 Excavations, the location of the original steps that lead to the Temple Mount and the remnants of ancient houses. Afterwards, the tour continues with a walk down the Cardo, the main street in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Overnight, Mount Zion Hotel, Jerusalem Kotel SUNDAY MAY 9 JERUSALEM / GALILEE After breakfast this morning, we’ll visit to Ir David. We will tour the City of David, which is the actual location of the Biblical City of Jerusalem captured by King David over 3,000 years ago. We will learn how JNF is helping continue King David’s legacy through archeological excavations, historical preservation, residential revitalization and educational programming. During the tour we will see some of the world's most significant archeological finds Ir David Tunnel relating to the Biblical Period in Jerusalem, evidence of the more than 3000 year-long Jewish presence in the city beginning with King David. From here, continue to the Western Wall Tunnels, an incredible labyrinth of tunnels, arches and passageways that expose Jerusalem’s rich history, archeology and topography. Afterward, we’ll have the opportunity to plant a tree with our own hands. A Western Wall Tunnels representative from the Jewish National Fund will explain the importance of planting trees in Israel and explain how this activity connects to JNF. We will then depart for the north. Along the way, we will visit Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu that runs an entirely organic farm. Here we will tour the organic farm, learn about their integrated pest management techniques that are entirely chemical free, their cutting edge research and development in the Planting a Tree fields of natural pollination and biological pest control and tour their Bio-Bee system. Later this afternoon, we’ll check into our hotel. We’ll enjoy a guided tour of the hotel’s organic dairy farm, organic vegetable farm, orchards and herb garden. This evening, we will have dinner at the hotel, consisting of organic Israeli food made at Mitzpeh Hayamim’s organic farm. Mitzpe Hayamim’s organic farm Overnight, Mitzpe Hayamim, Rosh Pinah 4 MONDAY MAY 10 UPPER GALILEE After a delicious Israeli breakfast, we will drive to the Kinneret. Here, we will meet with a representative from KKL for a discussion about the significance of the Kinneret to Israel’s current water situation. We’ll also hear about JNF- KKL’s work to preserve and develop water resources and find solutions to the current water crisis. We’ll learn about the 200 reservoirs across Israel built by JNF, which have added 250 million cubic meters of treated Kinneret water and flood water to Israel's national water economy.