Weekly Report, November 7th - 19th, 2010

• Tareq Abu Hamed flew to Northern Cyprus (Turkish Cyprus) on November 7th to spend three days hosted by the Sustainable Environment and Energy Systems (SEES) Graduate Program at the Middle East Technical University, North Cyprus Campus (METU NCC).  The main purpose of the visit was to discuss the possibility of a joint Master's Degree in Renewable Energy with METU NCC. Tareq met with numerous faculty members fo METU NCC including Professor Turgut Tumer, the Campus President.  A number of areas of cooperation were explored including METU students participating in AIES programs, joint programs and joint research.
• On Tuesday, November 9th,I brought three students from the institute (Sara from NJ, Brian from Seattle, and Elham from Amman) to visit Edward Sperling, the injured rider, at Tel Hashomer.  It was my first opportunity to visit Eddie since the night of the accident.  We arrived about an hour before visiting hours so we were able to have lunch in an Aroma Coffee Shop inside the hospital with Micha Sperling, Eddie's son.  Micha told us that Eddie was awake and able to communicate.  The students were grateful for a chance to get to know Micha and also to tell Micha about themselves.  At around 12:00 we went to visit Eddie in the ICU unit.  Visiting hours are from 12:00 to 14:00 (2:00 pm) and only two people at a time can go in at once.  Of course being typical Israelis we initially ignored that rule but were then promptly kicked out.  In any case, we took turns visiting with Eddie. The students had prepared a beautiful folder with pictures of all of the students and each student wrote something personal next to their picture.  Sara, Brian and Elham took turns reading what they and other students wrote.  Eddie's face looks pretty good considering the beating it took.  His eyes are bright and he had an amazing look of satisfaction as the students chatted with him.  In addition to reading the card, the students told Eddie about themselves.   Eddie mouthed some words which the students were able to understand with some difficulty.  I hope that the visit gave Eddie and his family some cheer. It was incredibly important for the students themselves, who recognize the fact that Eddie had been on the ride in order to support the institute.



Brian, Micha (Eddie's son), Elham and Sara

• On Wednesday, November 17th, I spoke to Micha who told me that Edward and his family were flying home. For more updates on Edward and his family, please go to  http://edsperling.wordpress.com/ 
• Tuesday, November 9th, was the first day of the 4 day Negev Field Trip for the students.  Day one of the trip saw the students arrive at Sde Boker to sit in on the second day of the Bi-annual International Desertification Conference. For the Masters students it was also a chance to get a real feel for the place they will call home following the completion of their first year of studies here at AIES. Day two of the trip was that much more crammed, with a number of activities lined up beginning with a hike through Ein Avdat and ending with a homely culinary experience in Yeroham.  Highlighting the issues of waste disposal, environmental justice and social inequity , day three involved a visit to Ramat Hovav municipal waste disposal facility and a visit to the unrecognized Bedouin village of Wadi El Na’am. Appropriately, the night was spent in Bedouin tent accommodation at Khan HaShayarot.  The ride home included a stop in a Tel Sheva, where Mariam, the improbable founder of her very own range of organic herbal health products enlightened the group as to her fight against adversity as a Bedouin women in order to start her own business.
• This Arava Alumni Leadership Jam in collaboration with YES ( www.yesworld.org) brought together a group of 24 diverse AIES alumni from Jordan, Israel, USA, and Palestine for 5 intensive days in the Wadi Ram Desert - Jordan. Participants were diverse in both the year that they studied or interned at the AIES (as far back as 1999!) age, nationality and field of expertise! Being in the quiet of the desert and facilitated by a team of YES and AIES alumni the group was guided through a trans-formative process focusing on the interplay between introspection, lifestyle sustainability and the ability to bring about systemic change in the world. Some of the outcomes were; a deepening and building of authentic relationships between alumni, invigoration of the AAPEN and alumni projects, rejuvenation of body, mind and spirit and time to reflect on the post Arava Experience and its influence on the personal, social and professional realms.

Alumni in Wadi Rum

• On Sunday, November 14th, along with the entire world, the students of the Arava Institute watched "With Earth and With Each Other" the first annual virtual web rally for Peace and the Environment sponsored by the Friends of the Arava Institute (FAI).  The broadcast was a bit choppy at first but by the end the broadcast was smooth and the students, staff and kibbutz members who attended the program were inspired and proud.  Of course much thanks goes the FAI staff members, David Weisberg and Jessica Reed for the incredible effort put into the broadcast.  I also want to thank Yonatan Chesler who oversaw the project at the Arava Institute and Josh Neirman for his technical support.  And of course a special thanks to Mandy Patinkin, Pete Seeger and all of the other artists who made this a unique and special event.
• Monday, November 15th, Deputy Minister Ayoub Kara, from the Ministry of Regional Cooperation and the Ministry of Negev and Galil Development visited the institute. I first met the Deputy Minister at this year's Renewable Energy Conference in Eilat in February. I invited Minister Kara to visit the institute.  The Deputy Minister was accompanied by the Eilot Regional Council Head, Udi Gat.  Three students from the institute met with the Deputy Minister and talked about themselves and their experience at the institute. The Deputy Minister asked a few questions to the students and then staff members raised issues concerning funding from his two ministries as well as issues concerning permits for Palestinians.  The Ministry for Negev and Galil Development has promised funding for the new dorms and the Ministry for Regional Cooperation has promised funding for cross border conferences.  The Deputy Minister expressed a strong interest in helping the institute to promote cross border cooperation.  After the meetings, the Deputy Minister was taken on a tour of the institute's renewable energy research facilities.  
• On Wednesday, November 17th, the students met with the son of a kibbutz member who had been the one to spray paint the anti-Arab slogan on the door of one of the units on the campus of the institute.  Similar to the meeting with Louie, the volunteer who also participated in the incident, the meeting was very moving and refreshing.  Marvin apologized for his actions and talked a bit about his background coming from France where he had experienced anti-Semitism and he also spoke about his experiences in the army.  Marvin said how ashamed he was of his actions and that since the incident he has been torturing himself over it and when he comes home from the army does not leave his house.  The students told Marvin that Ketura is his home and that he should not fear leaving his house.  Many of the students spoke about the impact of the incident on them but most of all they expressed forgiveness and a sincere desire to put the incident behind them.   Raja, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem read the following statement to Marvin:
• "My name is Raja' I am an Arab girl form Jerusalem.  This letter is for you since you live in this kibbutz.  I was not shocked, not even a little bit when I heard about what you did, but I was hurt that this norm in Israel happened here in the Arava Institute, where all these nice Israelis welcomed me as student. Obviously you have no idea why I’m here, but let me tell you that you attacked an Arab group who are here to look at this conflict between us from another perspective, a peaceful one. I hope that you can take this experience back to the Army with you, to turn it into a positive one and not to brag to others that you attacked a peaceful Arab group in your kibbutz."
• Cathie Granit, the Institute's Program Director reminded Marvin, that as a soldier, he is looked up to by the younger kids of the kibbutz and that he needs to be an example.  In an emotional statement, Cathie asked Marvin "To please do the right thing."

David Lehrer

Weekly Report November 1st - 13th

Another 2 intensive weeks have passed since my last Blog update. Here are the highlights of the last two weeks at the institute:

• Of course most of the activity at the institute in the last two weeks was connected to the the 9th Israel Ride. This year the Ride started in Tsfat (for the first time) with 40 Riders. There were 17 ride alumni on the Ride including 5 members of the Board of Directors: Howie Rodenstein, Michael Marcus, Jack Platt, Nigel Savage and Bruce Stanger. Rabbi Michael Cohen also participated and rode with the "Chalutzim"!! The first day of the Ride was a magnificent ride through the mountains of Tsfat, down to the Hula Valley, through Rosh Pina and eventually down to the Sea of Galillee. The second day we rode from sea to sea - from the Sea of Galilee, through Emek Yizrael, past Meggido, through an Israeli Army base ending at Kibbutz Sdot Yam on the Mediterranean Sea. From there, the riders were bussed to Kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh. On Friday, the riders rode to Sde Boker, visited David and Paula Ben Gurion's graves and rode mountain bikes to a desert spring. The day ended at the Ramon Inn in Mitzpeh Ramon where the riders spent Shabbat. Shabbat was filled with food, massages, relaxation, services (for those who wanted) and of course the highlight of the Shabbat at Mitzpeh, the Arava Alumni student panel. Riders were very moved by the stories alumni (both crew and students from Sde Boker) told of their experiences at the Arava Institute and their dreams of a new Middle East. The Shabbat ended with beautiful Havdallah Service overlooking the Ramon Crater led by the Hazon Staff. Sunday morning, the riders were up bright and early in order to ride through the Ramon Crater and across the Faran River Bed across a beautiful dry 70 miles of hot desert. Encountering a strong head wind at the very end, the riders finally made it to Kibbutz Ketura, home of the Arava Institute. At Ketura, the riders were treated to beer, tours of the institute, wonderful rooms at the Keren Kolot guest house, the pool, a barbeque and a coffee house on the lawn of the student dorms were riders had the opportunity to informally meet with students. The last day of the Ride, was from Kibbutz Ketura to Eilat, once again transversing a challenging desert landscape including climbing the magnificent Red Mountains surrounding Eilat and finishing with an amazing descent from the top of Mount Yoash down through the Red Mountains to the Red Sea. The Ride concluded with a dip in the Red Sea, more beer and a Shehekaynu.
• On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, we were privileged to host Dr. Jürgen Kleinwächter, a physicist from Germany who has developed the Solar Village concept at Tamera - Solar Village. Jürgen spent two days at the institute learning about our work, meeting staff and students and lecturing on the Solar Village concept. The conclusion from the visit is that there are a lot of areas for cooperation and we will certainly be in touch with Jürgen about further cooperation.
• Shira Kronig from Arava EC&T and Dr. Clive Lipchin, head of the Research Department, spent two days in Aqaba meeting with French, English, Jordanian and Palestinian research partners on the Red Sea Dead Sea Conduit feasibility study funded by the World Bank.
• On Thursday, Kibbutz Ketura celebrated the 36 anniversary of the founding of the kibbutz. The celebrations started with a dedication of the Community Garden which is funded by the Merrin Family Foundation grant given to Dr. Elaine Solowey to further her work in sustainable agriculture. The Community Garden of the Kibbutz allows the children of Ketura, the opportunity to get their hands dirty and learn about organic farming first hand. In the evening, the students of the institute joined the members of the kibbutz for a festive dinner and then a program that included songs, skits and Israeli folk dancing. The folk dancing began with an Arab "Debka" dance led by our students. Then the songs switched to traditional Israel folk dancing. It was quite a site to see some of our female Arab students wearing the traditional "Hejab" dancing to the Hebrew tunes of "Hora Medura" and "Shavteh Mayim"!
• Though the institute is usually quite on Fridays, we are blessed with a number of visits that include, Martin Cohen, a friend of Mandy Patinkin, who is staying in Eilat and asked to see the institute. Martin is meeting with students, staff and will have a chance to meet Methuselah. The other visitor is Kenneth Ludwa a representative of USAID who is doing a site visit of the MERC project that Dr. Elaine Solowey is running jointly with the Jordan Unversity of Science and Technology. Kenneth was thrilled to hear about the diverse student body studying at the institute and said that it is now much clearer to him that the Arava Institute is a natural partner for USAID.
• The outlook for next week is not any quieter. A number of staff members including Tareq, Cecil, Sharon and myself will spend the first part of the week in Jordan. On Thursday, November 18th, the institute along with the Heschel Center are sponsoring the first annual Sustainable Food Conference - "Food for Thought" www.foodforthought.org.il. The conference will host best seller author, Ruth Ozeki. The week after, the institute will celebrate the signing of the Ben Gurion University - Arava Institute Agreement.

Shabbat Shalom and have a good week.

David