- On December 12th through the 15th, the Research Department held a conference on Kibbutz Ketura for 15 Palestinian, Israeli, and Italian water professionals: "The Development and Management of Marginal Water Resources in Water Scarce Regions: The Case of Israel and the Palestinian Authority". The conference was funded by the Italian Trade Commission and the Israeli Office of Regional Cooperation. Due to the increasing scarcity of clean water in the West Bank, Israelis, Palestinians and Italians spent three days discussing a cooperative framework for regional water resources management and ways to utilize grey water (water from kitchens, showers and sinks) for agricultural purposes. The final result of the workshop is a commitment from the Arava Institute, Italian representatives, and West Bank local council to assess and implement marginal water reuse schemes in Palestinians villages. More information is available at: http://english.themarker.com/joint-italian-israeli-palestinian-project-to-solve-sewage-problem-1.331049
- On December 13th, Professor Miri Amit, the new Dean of the Eilat Campus of Ben Gurion University visited the institute. Professor Amit is a mathemation and for more than ten years served as the National Superintendent of Mathematics at the Israel Ministry of Education, overseeing school curricula, national testing and mathematics education policy for the entire State of Israel. Professor Amit was appointed to her new position as Dean of the Eilat Campus and is very interested in deepining the relationship between the Arava Institute and BGU. Professor Amit had the opportunity to meet staff and students on her first visit to the institute.
- A few days after the conference at Ketura, Israeli and Jordanian researchers met in Aqaba under the umbrella of the Dead Sea Arava Science Center, headed by Dr. Hanan Ginat. On December 16th and 17th, 30 Israeli researchers and 30 Jordanian researchers who are working together on cross border research in hydrology, biology , ecology, renewable energy, sustainble agriculture and medicinal plants met for two days in Aqaba to report on progress and to develop ideas for future research programs. The logisitics of the confrerence was organized by a group of Arava Institute Alumni who have created a new environmental organization. Many of the projects are joint Science Center Arava Institute research and a number of Arava Institute staff attended the conference including Dr. Clive Lipchin, Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, Dr. Elli Groner, Dr. Michael Beyth, Gigi Strom, Abby Lutman and myself. The conference was a major success hosting an unprecidented number of Israeli and Jordanian researchers who are working together. The proof of the success of the meeting was not during the presentations of research but during the meals when instead of Jordanians sitting at one table and the Israelis at another, the biologists sat together with the biologists, the ecologists sat together the ecologists and the hydrologists sat with the hydrologists; science knows no borders. The conference and the research is funded by the Israeli Ministry of Regional Cooperation.
- The following week, on December 23rd, the Arava Institute held its final Board of Director's meeting for 2010. The Board recieved an update, reviewed goals for 2011 and discussed the budget for 2011. The 2010 budget year was difficult due to a lower than expected fundraising campaign. Board members asked for clarification of the budget and want to see a plan to stabilize the finances in 2011. The Directors of the institute will submit such a plan by January 15th, 2011.
- After the Board meeting the Association held its Annual General Meeting. The meeting approved the Board of Directors for 2011 and appointed Professor Yaakov Karni to replace Dr. Michael Beyth as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Arava Institute. Professor Karni is head of the Solar Tower and solar energy research at the Weizmann Institute in Rechovot. Dr. Beyth will continue to serve on the Board. The institute wants to thank Dr. Beyth for his tremendous contribution to the Arava Institue by serving as Chairman for three years and wishes Professor Karni luck and success in the new position.
- On Wednesday, December 22nd and Thursday, December 23rd, students participate in the PELS Jerusalem trip. The students first had a tour with Eitan Katz from the Ir Amim (City of Nations) Organization. He took them around Gilo, Harmon HaNatziv, Jabel Mukaber and Mount Scopus, where he spoke about the geographical and political landscape. The students then spent the rest of the day at the Jerusalem Institute of Israel Studies (JIIS) where they heard from Israel Kimcki who is the director of the Jerusalem Studies Desk and former Director of the Policy Planning Department for the Jerusalem Municipality. He spoke about the issues Jerusalem faces and possible solutions to those issues. Following that the students heard from Walid Salem, director of the Center for Democracy & Community Development. He spoke about the Arab Peace Initiative. Also speaking to the students was Dr. Alon Liel, Former Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He spoke about the Syria-Israel Track and where it stands today. Both gentlemen then had an open discussion with the students where they asked many tough, but thoughtful questions. The following day the students awoke early in the morning to have a compassionate listening training preparation for the day ahead. This was led by Maha El Taji-Daghash and Annael Harpaz. The students then went to the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem where they went on at Jerusalem Reality Tour led by Rotem Mor. The tour took them through the City of David where they learned about the importance of it to the Jewish people. They then went to the Alternative Welcome Center, run by the residents of Silwan, where they heard from a resident of Silwan about the struggle the people are facing when it comes to dealing with the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jewish residents of Silwan. Following that the students went to Sheikh Jarah where they met with three Palestinian Legislators from Gaza where they asked amazing questions ranging from peace with Israel to Gilad Schalit to Palestinian politics. The students then had a very somber meeting with Noam Schalit (the father of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit) and heard about the latest regarding Gilad’s status. Following that the students briefly recapped the two day trip and went on their way.
- The first Friends of the Arava Institute Eco-Tour arrived on Kibbutz Ketura on December 26th. There are 18 participants on this pilot Eco-Tour including 4 members of the Friends of the Arava Institute, Seth Morrison (FAI Chair), Barry Fierst, Karen Fierst and Hillel Solomon. The tour was organized by Tali Adini, Director of the Eco-Paths Department of the Arava Institute and led by Dr. Clive Lipchin and Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed. The tour spent a day and a half on Ketura learing about the institute, meeting Arava Institute students and hearing lectures about cross boundary water issues. The next three days were spent travelling in and around Jordan, Israel and Palestine.
- The official opening of the new Daniel Fischel & Sylvia Neil Family Research and Visitors Park in Memory of Dr. Eugene Fischel & Dina (Diane) Markowicz was held on December 27th with the participation of the FAI Eco-Tour, Kibbutz Ketura members, AIES staff and students. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, Daniel, Sylvia and their families could not attend the ceremony. A special dedication ceremony will be held sometime in the future when the family can participate. The Research and Visitors Park is located just in front of the Institute's offices and will serve as an area for field testing renewable energy technology, sustainable water technology, sustainable agricultural techniques and for studying ecosystems. The park will also serve as an educational demonstration site where students and visitors can learn about the research being done at the Arava Institue. Finally the park will serve as an outdoor classroom for students from around the world. Rutie Kaplan-Roth and Sarit Maagan-Rosenfeld did a superb job organizing the ceremony.
- Thursday night, December 30th, Sababa (The Center for a Healthy Environment in the Arava) held its final steering committee meeting for 2010. With 16 participants, the committee was updated on the current campaigns, Timna Hotel, Samar Sand Dunes and Agricultureal Waste. The committee received the news that the District Planning committee in Beer Sheva rejected the Israel Lands Authority's objection to the planned declaration of a nature reserve in the mid-section of the Samar Sand Dunes, paving the way for approval of the natur reserve. Taal Goldman, Sababa Coordinator and other Sababa and Green Course activists participated in the hearing in Beer Sheva. The committee also recieved a report from Revital Katz about the Environmental Impact statement which was commissoned by the Beer Sheva District Planning Committee on the Timna hotel. The report clearly recommends not to build the hotel in the Sasgon Valley and recommends that it be built near the entrance to the Timna Park. All in all, a good month for the environment!
- Late breaking news: The Arava Institute has been recognized as a winner of this year's MEPEACE "Education" Award. : http://www.mepeace.org/events/mepeace-awards-event-dec-31
David Lehrer
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