Editor’s Column “In the Negev the people and State of Israel will be tested. For only a united effort of a people volunteering and a State planning and implementing will we accomplish the great mission of populating the wilderness and bringing it to flourish. This effort will determine the fate of the State of Israel and the standing of our people in the history of mankind”. David Ben Gurion from the speech “The Significance of the Negev”, January 17, 1955 Over the years, the Council, trust me you couldn’t get from my mother’s side I in various materials and any more central than guess I have more than one purposes has “used” Ben that. Was I ever aware of option of where to live. But Gurion’s speech. But what the difficulties of Israeli more than ever, the more does it really mean? Does residents in the periphery, I reflect, as a Jew and an the fate of Israel really rely I daren’t say no, because Israeli, I know, for me there on the Negev? I think most I was, did I ever consider is only one option. of the residents in southern doing something about it? Israel are convinced. How Is living so far away from do we convince Tel Aviv!? Today, as a mother, I reflect the center of Israel, with all tremendously on the life the hardships, really worth I moved to the Arava over I’m creating for my child, the high quality of life? Am 5 years ago for very selfish and the ones to follow… I really “choosing” a better reasons. I was ready for a My father, whose parents future by doing so? Am I family and was looking for a were among the founders a modern Zionist? What is “good” nesting location. of Kibbutz Kfar Blum (on Zionism nowadays? the other end of this small Does that make me a Zionist? country), had moved with In the 5th issue of the I lived a good and happy his family to live in the US. Arvot Newsmagazine I decade prior to living in the It’s easier there, he says. interviewed Arava residents, Arava in Cental Tel Aviv, Having a British citizenship from most of the communities, of all ages Editorial Board: and in different stages in Editor and Writer: Keren Rotem life to try and understand Linguistic Editor: Micha Silver the reasons behind their Publisher: Central Arava Regional Council, Israel choice to move to the Arava Editorial Board: +972-(0)77-6449019, +972-(0)52-8666153, valley and expose a little [email protected] about the people who make Graphic Design: [email protected] the area into what it is. Title Page Illustration: by children of the Arava Kamishibai class, an illustration and story writing exchange program Keren Rotem, with children in Baltimore in the U.S.A. Resource Development Internet Site: www.arava.co.il Coordinator and Editor 2 Arvot Newsmagazine | June 2011 Words From The Head Of The Council Open Day 2011 the infrastructure and ourselves. So we are obliged at Yair R&D Station accommodations to host to use some dramatic an international exhibition moves that will attract On January 19-20, 2011 we of this caliber. The move more people to the region. held our annual Open Day brings great potential for Agricultural Exhibition, the the local agriculture and We have to be able to largest and most impressive tourism industries, for the offer our residents a good agricultural event in Israel. region as a whole and for education system that can During those two days we the State of Israel. handle everyone including hosted over 30,000 visitors secular and religious, from all over the country, Demographic Growth Bedouins, gifted students who joined our festivities in the Council and those with learning focused on agriculture disabilities. We must and settlement in the Since the establishment of further upgrade the basic Central Arava. This year the Central Arava Regional health services we offer we also held the Negev Council in 1978 the main today including services for Conference, a professional target and issue of concern the elderly. It is our duty scientific conference with by all the Council Heads and to those pioneers from the the participation of dozens managers was increasing 1960’s to allow them to stay of researchers and farmers. the region’s population. in the area as their medical Sixteen years ago, while needs increase. The event opened with I was the Head of Arava a ceremony hi-lighted by R&D I was exposed to Recently we have initiated, Mr. Shimon Peres, the a Master Plan called as part of our plan to President of the State of “Arava 2002” that aimed to increase the region’s Israel, planting an Acacia reach a threshold of 10,000 population, a program to tree. Children from Moshav residents by 2002. attract engineers and other Hatzeva, who participate professionals employed in the Regional Acacia Today, the region has just in the various plants within tree restoration project, above 3,000 residents, an hour’s drive of the area. also took part. During the far from the goal we set These non-agricultural ceremony Yair Station was declared as the location for the 2015 International Agritech Exhibition by the honorable guests Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor together with Agritech Association. The implications of this decision are enormous for the area; preparations will now get underway Mr. Shimon Peres planting an Acacia tree with children from Moshav Hatzeva for development of during the Open Day 2011 opening ceremony. Photo by Gilad Livni. Arvot Newsmagazine | June 2011 3 challenge and recruited Ms. Rebecca Fischer, who has past experience with issues concerning the development of the Negev while she led Makor Mission. We toured the area for several days introducing Mission participations to the many challenges we must deal with in agriculture, research, education, culture, the senior citizens, health, tourism and more. I am hopeful that the partnership with JNF - KKL will lead us towards development of the area. During Mission tours in the Arava the personal encounters and brainstorming will often result in creative solutions to the difficulties the Council faces with regard to major Ezra Ravins speaking at the KKL-JNF World Leadership Conference 2011 that regional development and took place in Eilat in March 2011. Photo by Ancho Gosh. doubling the population. families will be absorbed JNF-USA Central Arava in Sapir and Zuqim. The Mission Zuqim Success of this initiative depends on the level of At the beginning of March I’d like to put into basic services the Council we hosted a JNF Mission historical perspective the will be able to offer the new whose purpose was establishment of new residents. assisting and promoting communities in the Negev the Central Arava Regional in the 21st century. In According to the Council’s Council development plan the past, preceding and Master Plan we are preparing for 2020. The mission was during the establishment to absorb over 2,000 non conceived by Mr. Russell of the State of Israel, the agricultural families and we Robinson, JNF-USA CEO Moshav Movement would have to create additional during one of his visits to send Nahal groups to employment opportunities the area when I presented settle communities in the in tourism, education, him with the Council’s young state, and setup the services, entrepreneurship profound need to promote foundations for a Moshav and other areas that may regional development. or Kibbutz. The first steps be developed. Russell agreed to the of staking out fields and 4 Arvot Newsmagazine | June 2011 lifting a flag were done by community inaugurated We are very optimistic with these para-military units. a new kindergarten that regard to Zuqim’s future Today, the procedure is was built with generous as a leading eco-tourist vastly different and requires assistance of the Ministry destination in the Arava and dealing with complicated of Education and JNF-USA in the whole of Israel. We statutory regulations and and the Sapphire Society. still have much work ahead bureaucracy. of us as far as diversifying Thanks to the new employment possibilities In 1995 Ariel Sharon, kindergarten two new in the area, along side then the Minister of families from Zuqim agriculture and tourism, Infrastructure, during a visit found employment as and are working diligently to the area declared the kindergarten teachers and with our partners towards establishment of Zuqim. It once again we witness the the all important goal of took a long nine years until great support of JNF-KKL in bringing new population to construction commenced their steadfast assistance the Arava. on the first houses. Today, developing the area and the community includes 48 attracting new families. For Sincerely yours, families residing on Zuqim that we are greatly indebted and total of 75 plots already to those organizations, sold, which comprises 50% their volunteers, donors of the final 155 planned and employees who support Ezra Ravins lots. The families who chose the State of Israel in their Head of the Council to build their house and actions and projects. [email protected] raise their families are still suffering the labor pains of a new community 16 years after its establishment. The community of Zuqim is composed mainly of young families that migrated from the center of Israel to build their home in the Arava and earn their living by managing tourist projects. Some are employed as teachers at the regional school and work in agriculture.