Editor’s Column Words From During October I had the privilege of flying to the US I was once told at a meeting with Ezra Ravins, Head of the Regional Council. Our in the Prime Minister’s office schedule included meetings and presentations about the “Your area is unattractive area to JNF managers and supporters, as well as updates to new settlers.” Let us be about Zuqim, the newest community in the Central Arava clear: while the Arava region only recently established with the generous assistance of is the most beautiful desert the Sapphire Society, JNF and KKL. area in Israel, its remoteness and arid climate – only 30 The second part of the trip included participation in the millimeters of rain per year Jewish National Fund Annual Conference in - make for difficult living Atlanta, Georgia. I was amazed! We were given conditions. Through the the chance to present the area to the open public and summer months we reach participated in some of the discussions ourselves. 40 degrees Celsius and even higher. First of all, during our presentation of the area, although I recognized some of the faces who had visited the Arava What hasn’t been said over the last three years, I was very impressed by the about global warming? extensive knowledge most of the audience showed; general This summer was yet knowledge about the Central Arava and more particular another record breaker, knowledge they had about JNF - KKL projects in the area. with some days reaching 46 - 48 degrees. During the This was the second time I flew overseas. The first was in sowing season in August August 2008 to Australia, when I also had a chance to meet farmers suffered heat a very active and caring community. I have to say, personally damage in their fields I believe it doesn’t and shouldn’t be taken for granted. more severe than anyone remembers. Many of When I began working for the Council 30 months ago we the pepper seedlings were considering how best to define or name the could not survive the Department that had just been created. Resource heat. However, we are Development was chosen since today we approach the determined and persistent whole fund raising activity not as a one sided action but as farmers even when faced a long term partnership. Well, on with forces of nature. my return from the US trip, I am Keren Rotem, proud to know that we have such Resource Development supportive partners overseas. Coordinator and Editor Editorial Board: Editors: Keren Rotem & Micha Silver Linguistic Editor: Micha Silver Publisher: Central Arava Regional Council, Israel Translator: Alec Hirchowitz – Tirgum Editorial Board: +972-(0)77-6449019, +972-(0)52-8666153, [email protected] Graphic Design: [email protected] Title Page Photograph: Freddy Naftali Internet Site: www.arava.co.il 2 Arvot Newsmagazine | December 2010 The Head Of The Council A final farewell to the first established the farm in 1950’s and throughout his settlers. Within a period of a Ein Hatzeva, died and was life he cooperated with few months, three of the buried in Ein Hatzeva. the security forces in first settlers in the Central preventing infiltrators and Arava region passed away. Ali el-Missek, from the terrorist attacks against small Bedouin tribe near travelers and settlers in Shai Ben Eliyahu, the first Ein Hatzeva, passed away the Arava. Ali and his settler to arrive in the Arava, and was buried in the family received protection a man of vision whose Bedouin cemetery west and appreciation from the relentless determination of the “spring route” on country’s leaders Yitzhak led to the establishment the hills that overlook the Rabin and Arik Sharon. of Ein Yahav, departed Arava valley. Ali arrived this life at the in the Arava in the early Awards age of 72. In 1959, as a for Volunteers young, brash moshavnik he succeeded to enlist the Some Arava residents, backing of Israel’s first Prime involved in volunteer Minister David Ben Gurion services, have earned to secure authorization special mention. Through for the founding of Ein their actions they have Yahav. He later served as won our esteem and have head of the Central Arava brought respect to the Regional Council for 9 years region. And this is in addition and was deeply to their own personal involved in facilitating sense of fulfillment. the peacetreaty with Jordan in 1994. Nahum Kaplan, who settled on Ein Yahav in the early 1960’s and subsequently Shai Ben Eliyahu, early 1960’s , Ein Yahav in the old army camp Arvot Newsmagazine | December 2010 3 Sheva Cohen, the legendary nurse from Ein Yahav, was awarded a shield from the Deputy Minister for Pensioners Affairs, in honor of many years of volunteer work. Sheva arrived as a qualified nurse in the early 1960’s and has been the community nurse ever since. Till this Elad Seker receiving the Presidential Award for Volunteering from day she accompanies the President of Israel Mr. Shimon Peres. Photo by: Yosef Avi Yair Angel. pregnant women on the long drive to the hospital to Elad Seker, Commander analyze complex situations give birth. Sheva is married of the Arava Rescue Unit, and to coordinate the rescue and has 4 children, two received the Presidential with other medical services of whom manage farms Award for Volunteers. and search authorities - in Ein Yahav, and 11 Elad, 40, is married with saves lives. And saving lives grandchildren. 3 children and lives on Ein is his number one objective. Yahav. He is a volunteer in Alongside this rescue work, Alongside her day to day the Arava Rescue Unit and Elad promotes social medical work, she also has commanded the team activities for youth and volunteers in the Arava for the last 7 years. His army units. The rescue unit Rescue Unit; and she has activities have promoted under his command joined rescue delegations and strengthened the participates in humanitarian to assist people after unit and have increased delegations to disaster earthquakes in Turkey the feeling of security -struck areas around (1999), Peru (2007) for tourists in the Arava the world, and so Elad and Haiti (2010). and anyone who finds represents the image of Sheva Cohen, from Ein Yahav, himself in a situation of the humane and influential receiving the Shield from the Deputy distress or helplessness. Israeli to the world. Minister. Photo by: Lior Daskal Elad, with his total commitment (even at the expense of his own family and the farm he manages), sets an example of professionalism which knows no limits of time, borders or bureaucratic boundaries. His ability to maintain the unit’s volunteers in top form, together with his ability to 4 Arvot Newsmagazine | December 2010 The Australian Ambassador Arava Leadership Ms. Andrea Faulkner Training Program came to the Central Arava for two days. She lodged The Arava Leadership in a guest room in Ein Training Program Yahav and toured the (“Mechina”) in Hatzeva Arava, visiting Zuqim, Sapir opened its second year Park, the Peace Road, Yair with 28 students from all Station and the Mechina in across Israel. The program Hatzeva, where she planted boasts an extraordinary an Acacia tree. combination of students: boys and girls, religious and Australian Ambassador planting an Annual JNF Acacia tree in the Mechina. secular as well as seven Conference in students from Australia Ron Finkel, who was on a Atlanta from the I.B.C. program. visit to Israel. Partnership 2000 assists in sponsoring Recently, there have been the Mechina project. Every Keren Rotem and I were two visits from Knesset meeting with the Mechina fortunate to participate Members to the Mechina. students leaves me with in the annual JNF Ze’ev Bielsky, former renewed enthusiasm, since conference in Atlanta, Chairman of the Jewish the project has instilled the Georgia in October and to Agency, and Shaul Mofaz, whole Central Arava region present issues regarding former Chief of Staff and with a breath of fresh air. the Center Arava Regional Minister of Defense. Each Integration of the students Council. Our intensive presented his convictions, in regional educational trip included a meeting in and a lively discussion projects and their assistance Baltimore with Sapphire followed. The meeting with to the community are felt women and meetings in Mofaz was also joined by and welcomed. New York with the Nathan Chairman of Partnership Parsons Water Fund and 2000 from Australia, The Mechina has already with the professional team earned high regard and we are planning to expand it to 60 students, whose integration into daily life in the Arava will greatly assist the development and strengthening of the area. We are blessed with exceptional volunteering of Zionist youth. Left: Shaul Mofaz, Ron Finkel and Ezra Ravins at the Mechina. Right: Bob Friedland during the JNF Parsons Water Fund Board Meeting. Photo by: Keren Rotem. Arvot Newsmagazine | December 2010 5 at the JNF offices in New York, followed by the conference in Atlanta. The conference was extremely well organized with plenty of pride and love for Israel. In each of the many meetings we presented the challenges involved in settling the Central Arava and the complex but achievable mission of doubling the Region’s population over the next decade. JNF Canada Above: Ezra Ravins presentation of During October a Canadian the Central Arava during the Annual delegation visited and toured JNF Conference in Atlanta. the Arava. The delegation Right and Below: Ezra Ravins from JNF Canada included presenting the Central Arava to the President of KKL the JNF New York Office Staff. Canada, Joe Rabinovitch Below: Ezra Ravins and the CEO of and his wife Elaine, the JNF USA, Russell Robinson.