Foto Friday – A Zalul Look at Water

February 6, 2009 - 1:09 PM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Art, Environment, Foto Friday, General, Life 

Israeli NGO Zalul Environmental Association is a nonprofit committed to protecting and maintaining clean, clear water along Israel’s rivers and shorelines.

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Shay Tal – “Goin’ in” – Dolphinarium Beach, Tel Aviv

In time for Tu b’Shvat, the Jewish holiday that celebrates the coming of spring, Zalul has launched a photo competition. The results are nothing short of impressive:

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Orit Zisman – “Jellyfish” – Tel Aviv

The theme of the contest is “Mayim Chaim” (”Water of Life”), celebrating that most precious natural resource, water, which Zalul points out is the source of life not just for trees, but for all living things.

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Ben Hadar – “Holy Water” – Greek Orthodox Church, Nazareth

As Zalul sees it, “Tu B’Shvat is the “New Year of the Trees” in the Jewish tradition. However, in modern times it has been reinterpreted as the Jewish Earth Day. Each year, Jews around the world come together to celebrate the holiday by planting trees, cleaning beaches, and participating in other acts of “Tikkun Olam” (repairing the world).”

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Asaf Shal – “Water love”

And there are prizes for the top three photos! The first place winner will receive a jacket from Columbia Sportswear; a Billabong beach kit including a backpack, inflatable pillow, beach mat, and a drink cozy as well as a hat and t-shirt from Zalul. What are you waiting for, shutterbugs? Take a look at their Flickr page, go out this weekend and start snapping!

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Amir Levon – “Raft” – Green Beach, Eilat

The competition closes on on February 8, 2009 (until 23:00) and full details are available at the Zalul website.

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The cleaner the better

November 7, 2008 - 10:43 AM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, coexistence, Environment 

Cleaning up IsraelMany of us were raised singing songs about how we should “Clean up / Clean up / Everybody everywhere,” but we might not have thought about that on a global scale until around the time Al Gore won an Oscar.

When Clean Up Australia merged with the United Nations Environment Programme in 1993, Clean Up the World was born. Held each fall, member communities participate in Clean Up the World Day, with over 35 million people picking garbage out of their neighborhoods’ flora, fauna, beaches, urban landscapes, etc.

Locally, grassroots efforts to clean up after our less conscientious peers have been active for years, but never institutionalized on a major scale.

With a statement from President Shimon Peres that we ought to “Take the broom and together we will make Israel clean, healthy and green,” the Israeli government (in partnership with the JNF) kicked off its own version of International Cleaning Day one day just over a year ago.

As part of that campaign, which enlisted the help of some 17,000 local volunteers, the JNF organized a mixed crew of Jews and Muslims in the Bedouin village of Rahat for some collecting of strewn garbage. Talal al-Qarnawi, Rahat’s mayor, was glowing at the time:

“JNF not only plants trees, it spreads love between people with a common goal. Today, when Jewish and Bedouin children cleaned the streets of Rahat with their green garbage bags, I saw how much this meant for the residents of my city. JNF is building our common future, and together we will create a better and cleaner Negev for all to share.”

Now Israel’s National Cleaning Day is becoming even more official, according to a recent report on YNet. This week, the Knesset ratified a law to involve the national government in 2009′s festivities, enlisting students, civil servants and IDF conscripts to help in the efforts – which will involve not only actual cleaning up, but also educational activities aimed at minimizing 2010′s workload.

Image courtesy Eitan B from Flickr under a Creative Commons license.

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