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A New Environmental Partnership Opportunity

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A New Environmental Partnership Opportunity A New Environmental Partnership Opportunity The Negev – Facts & Figures The Negev extends over 12,000 square kilometers, 60% of the State of Israel, from Be'er Sheva to Eilat. Although it comprises more than half of Israel's land area, only 8 percent of the country’s population lives in the Negev. The Negev forms part of a much larger desert that stretches from Egypt through the southern part of Israel to Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Average annual precipitation varies from 250 mm in the Northern Negev to 25 mm in the Eilat area. The Negev has a long and interesting human history, from pre-historic hunters who roamed the area over 10,000 years ago, through Biblical times, the Nabateans, the Romans, the Bedouins, and finally modern settlement since the establishment of the State of Israel. There are 6 cities, 7 local councils and 10 regional councils in the Negev. Be'er Sheva is the largest city, and is known as the capital of the Negev. Visit us at www.kkl.org.il Keren Kayemeth Leisrael Jewish National Fund Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Jewish National Fund KKL Resource & Development Division Jerusalem, 2010 Photography: KKL Photo Archives, Jerusalem "Be'er Sheva is the city of the future – it will one day surpass Tel Aviv.. WitWith an endless 'budget' of enthusiasm, the young people moving to the city will transform it into a center of education, development and quality of life”.. WithWith thesethese wwords IsrIsraeli President Mr.. ShimonShimon PerPeres summed up his visit to Nahal Be'er Sheva Park on Augustt 2,2, 2009.2009. Be'er Sheva Be'er Sheva, "capital of the Negev", is the seventh-largestt citycity inin IsrIsrael with a population of ovover 200,000. This vibrant city,, whichwhich President Shimon Peres sees as the future Tel Aviv,, hashas itsits rroots deep in the past but is heading stteadily onwards into the 21stt O O N N A A N N SS B B YY L L E E century.. RR II AA Tseffatt Historic Be'er Sheva Haiiffa A A E E The findingsindings unearunearthedthed atat TTel Be'er Sheva, an archaeological site S S a few kilometters northeastheastt ofof ttoday's city,, ttestifytify tto the fact that N N A A thethe rregion has been populated since the 4th millennium BC. The EE NN AA city was destrtroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries.ies. R R Tell Aviiv R R Be'er Sheva was the southernmostt citycity sesettledttled byby thethe IsrIsraelites in E E J J T T I I thethe LandLand ofof IsrIsrael, and partt ofof thethe tterritory of the tribesibes ofof SimeonSimeon O O D D E E and Judah, hence the expression "from Dan to Beersheba" to JJerrusallem R R M M describe the Kingdom of Israel. D D A A The firsirstt mentionmention ofof thethe sitsite is in the Book of GenesisGenesis inin N N connection with Abraham and Isaac who dug wells at the site, Be''er Sheva which is one off thethe explanationsexplanations ofof tthe city's name – Seven Wells. In the 7th century the lastt ByzantineByzantine inhabitantsinhabitants EE GG abandoned the city,, andand thethe ararea was taken over by nomadic YY Bedouins whose descendants live in the vicinity of Be'erBe'er ShevaSheva PP tto this day.. TT Eiillatt 2 3 Be'er Sheva – Facts & Figures ....Be'er Sheva extends over 29,375 acres (1(11,750,750 ha).ha). InIn tterms of area it is the second larlargestt citycity inin IsrIsrael aftter Jerusalem. Be'er Sheva ....ItsIts populationpopulation isis 2213,100, with an annual growth rrate of 0.7% and a density of 1596 inhabitantsinhabitants perper squarsquare kilometter.. 88%88% ofof thethe city'scity's populationpopulation isis Jewish.Jewish. ....Close to 30% of Be'er Sheva's inhabitants are below the age of 20; 54% betweentween tthe 20th Century Be'er Sheva ages of 20-59 and 16% above the age off 60.60. JNFJNF.. Be'erBe'er Sheva'sSheva's OldOld CityCity willwill bebe rresttored, an amazing park is Be'er Sheva reappeared in the late 19th century when the being developed in what was once the city's back yard and Be'er ....The city has 81 schools, close to 33,000 Ottomans, who ruled Israel at the time, built a police stationtation andand aa Sheva will spearhead the awakening and flourishinglourishing ofof tthe studentstudents andand anan avaverage of 26 studentstudents perper small town. The British capturtured the town during World War I in a Negev! classroom. ffierierce battle and many British,tish, AAustrtralian and New Zealand ....Academic institutions:titutions: BenBen GurionGurion soldiers are buried in a cemettery near the Old City of Be'err Sheva.Sheva. A Park to Change a City University,, KayeKaye College,College, ShamoonShamoon CollegeCollege During the British Mandate Be'er Sheva was a major v v KKL-JNF's-JNF's kkey project in Be'er Sheva is Nahal Be'er Sheva Park,, aa of Engineering, College of ManagementManagement administrtrative center.. major undertakingtaking thatthat willwill extextend over a number of years. The Academic Studies,tudies, CollegeCollege ofof Be'erBe'er SheSheva e e David Ben-Gurion realizing the great potential the Negev had park is being developed along with the Be'er Sheva Municipality,, and the Negev,, TTechnological College,, ordered the city capturtured from the Egyptianstians duringduring IsrIsrael's War of thethe MinistrMinistry of the Environment and the Drainage Authorityity.. JusJustt g g School for Performing Arts.ts. IndependenceIndependence inin 11948. Since then Be'er Sheva has been growing thisthis summersummer (2009)(2009) PrimePrime MinisterMinister BenjaminBenjamin NeNetanyahutanyahu visitvisited ....Histtoric sites: Bett Eshel,Eshel, Abraham'sAbraham's wwell, and developing rapidly.. SStill,till, inin manymany waysways itit rremained a desertt Be'er Sheva and pledged to transfer 150 million NIS over the next e e thethe GrGreat Mosque, the Turkish railroad ttown, gray and dustyty andand defdefinitinitely in need of a "green face lift".t". seven years for furtherther dedevelopment of the park.. station,tation, thethe BritishBritish militarmilitary cemettery,, thethe Be'er Sheva Today – Dynamic and Diverse Until recently Nahal Be'er Sheva was the city’s "backyard" and N N Turkish bridgeidge oover Nahal Be'er Sheva. garbage dump. The comprehensive plan to develop this site is ....Culture: Be'er Sheva Symphony What is Be'er Sheva? For IDF soldiers returningturning tto their posts on creating a scenic gem in the heartt ofof thethe deserdesertt andand aa grgreen lung e e Orchestra, Be'er Sheva Theater Company,, Sunday mornings it is a sttop on the way to the army bases forfor tthe benefitit ofof thethe NegeNegev residents, and includes a strtrategic Be'er Sheva Music Conservatory,, NegevNegev concentrated in the Negev.. ForFor sstudentstudents itit isis thethe homehome ofof IsrIsrael's plan up to 2020. The park extends 8 kilometters along both banks Museum, the Municipal Library,, Be'erBe'er youngest,t, mosmostt unconvunconventional university – one of the best in the of Nahal Be'er Sheva over 1100 acres (350 hectares) within the h h Sheva Perforforming Artsts CentCenter.. country,, asas wellwell asas ffor a number of colleges. For residents of the Be'er Sheva city limits. t t many small communities throughout the Negev it is their capital, Work has been done on the riverbed and banks to control where they come forfor culturculture, education and community services. fflooding.looding. LarLarge amounts of trash have been removed from For touriststs itit isis thethe BedouinBedouin MarMarkett wherwhere local Bedouins put out f f Nahal Be'er Sheva and replaced by gardens, paths and theirtheir mermerchandise for sale every Thursday.. Be'erBe'er ShevaSheva isis soso manymany promenades. The largestt prproject in the park – the central things,things, ffor so many people, it is hard to keep up! o o promenade – is already in full use. The artiftificialicial laklake in the park For some people, however,, thosethose whowho hahave vision – such asas Mr.. isis ffilledilled withwith rrecycled water from KKL-JNF-JNF watwater management Shimon Peres, Israel's President, or KKL-JNF-JNF –– Be'erBe'er Sheva,Sheva, capitalcapital projects. Ancient Bett EshelEshel isis beingbeing rresttored and will serve as the l l of the Negev,, isis IsrIsrael's future. This once sleepy little town is on main entrance to the park.. FFuture plans include an information thethe waway to greatness, with some fun along the way.. OverOver oneone tthird station,tation, anan amphitheatamphitheater,, rresttoration of archaeological sites, the a a of the city's population is betweentween tthe ages of 20 to 45, and they ANZAC trail and development around the ancient wells. All these t t want culture, entertainmenttainment andand aa vibrantvibrant citycity –– whicwhich they are projects are being implemented with the help of KKL-JNF-JNF friendsfriends i i going to get,t, thankthanks to the Israeli government and thanks to KKL-- worldwide. p p a a C C 4 5 A Ring of Green for Be'er Sheva InIn 11985 KKL-JNF-JNF beganbegan dedeveloping a "green belt" outside and around the grrowing Negev metrtropolis. Trrees were planted Sycamore Acacia around the northwthwesttern section of Be'er Sheva, and to date, over 6250 acres (2500 hectares) of green areas have been planted; by 2018, this area is expected to be doubled. The trees planted include a mixture of eucalyptus and pine (fortyty percent) and broad-leaved trees such as jujube,jube, carcarob, acacia, and sycamore. The development of the grreen belt includes the rrejuvenation and rehabilitation of existingting forforestted areas as well as planting in new plots.ts. ThisThis entirentire project is in accord Eucalyptus with Israel's national mastter plan for afforforestationtation andand Jujube preservation of open spaces.
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