Foto Friday – New Year for Acasias
Filed under: Environment, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture, Holidays
The tree known as Acacia tortilis or Umbrella Thorn is a medium to large canopied tree native primarily to Northeast Africa. It also grows in the Middle East, where it is known to botanists as the Israeli Babool or to the rest of us by its Hebrew name “shitta” (pronounced “shee-ta”). Hmmm… it sounds better in Hebrew.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Although it’s the flowering almond tree that generally gets the glory on Tu b’ Shvat, the Jewish New Year for the trees, this year two others take central stage: planting conifers in the Galilee (though not at the Carmel Forest, which is being allowed to lie fallow and recover from December’s fire). And there is acacia tree planting in the Central Arava as the Adopt an Acacia project enters its second year.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Over the decades, the Central Arava has embodied the vision of making the desert bloom. But human habitation and agricultural progress have their price. Although the hardy acacia can withstand drought and the desert climate, it has faltered in the face of human progress. The water that was once available to the trees was now diverted before reaching the aquifer. The result: dead and dying trees.
The project — led by the KKL-JNF — has its volunteers plant acacia trees near villages and in other easily accessible areas, so that the caretakers can ensure their seedlings are properly cared for as they begin to strike root.
Photo: KKL-JNF
After all, there is a long-standing relationship between children of Israel and the acacia tree, which was used in the construction of the Tabernacle that served as a portable house of worship in the wilderness, as well as its furnishings — including the Ark of the Covenant.
Since those biblical times, the acacia has continued as an important part of the desert economy. Just like that animal whose every part is used “except for the squeal,” so the acasia has served as a multi-purpose resource. Its pods, leaves and flowers are eaten by desert animals fodder, the bark is a source of tannin, the sap can be used as glue and all of the above-mentioned can be found in items as diverse as decoration, weaponry and folk medicine.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
There are species of acacia all over the world, from Australia and Argentina. to the Americas and Africa. In our region — the Negev, Sinai and Jordan — there are three species: Acacia tortilis, Acacia albida and Acacia iraqensis.
For more amazing photos in the spirit of Tu b’ Shvat, visit Free Israel Photos, Flowers in Israel and the JNF-KKL, which has two lovely screensaversfor download, free of charge. And tree-planting activities will continue throughout the month – check the JNF-KKL website for details.
Boycott called for against pro-coexistence group
Filed under: A New Reality, coexistence, Environment, General, Israeliness, Life, Politics, Social Justice
Here’s an example of the illogical element surrounding environment between Israelis and Palestinians – when top is bottom, left is right, and boycotts are everywhere.
The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is probably the most idealistic and praiseworthy organization in the country. Founded in 1996, the institute’s mission is to prepare future Arab and Jewish leaders to cooperatively solve the region’s environmental challenges.
Located around 20 miles north of Eilat on Kibbutz Ketura, the institute has graduated over 600 students, including Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians and Jordanians. It’s a great place, I’ve been there. The people there are dedicated and their aim is true.
The Friends of the Arava Institute are putting on With Earth and Each Other – A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East, to be broadcast online on November 14, in an effort to raise support and visibility for the institute.
The hour-long show will be hosted by American stage and film actor Mandy Patinkin, and is slated to feature online performances by legendary American folk singer Pete Seeger, and Jethro Tull front man Ian Anderson, who recently donated his proceeds from three Israeli performances to three organizations working toward Israeli-Arab coexistence.
In addition to highlighting various examples of cooperation between the people of the region under the auspices of the institute, the show will ask viewers around the world to join together at the event’s conclusion to sing “Salaam (Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu),” the well-known song of peace in Hebrew and Arabic.
What could be a more positive, non-political message of coexistence than that, right? Not according to over 40 organizations, led by Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel, which published a letter thisd week calling on Seeger to “join the growing list of artists who have respected the Palestinian boycott call,” referring to cancellations this summer by the likes of Elvis Costello and the Pixies.
The letter cited recent events in the Beduin village of Al-Arakib, where illegal structures have been torn down four times this year by the Israel Police. The letter also focused on the participation of the Jewish National Fund as a partner in the online presentation.
“The JNF, a partner organization in ‘With Earth and Each Other,’ has been engaged in the ‘Judaization’ of Palestine for more than 100 years. After the 1948 expulsion of two thirds of the Palestinian people from their lands, the JNF planted fast-growing non-native trees on the ruins of Palestinian villages in a deliberate attempt to prevent refugees from returning to their land.”
In a separate letter to Seeger, Jeff Halper, chairman of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) wrote: “I hope that you will decide to join these artists of conscience and once again make a bold stand for justice.
Seeger, long sympathetic with Left-wing causes, has been donating some his royalties for the song “Turn, Turn, Turn” to the ICAHD for over ten years.
Halper noted that one of the JNF’s most recent activities has been “the planting of a forest to cover a Beduin village [Al- Arakib] in the Negev from which the residents have been forcibly removed.”
In response, the Friends of the Arava Institute issued a statement saying that the JNF is but one of 30 partner organizations involved in putting on the show. “The Jewish National Fund is not, as it has been described in some letters and articles, ‘the leading partner’ or ‘the sponsor’ of WEAEO,” the statement read.
According to the Arava Institute’s director, David Lehrer, those who are calling for Seeger to boycott the event are shooting themselves in the foot.
“It’s through dialoguing and that’s what the Arava Institute is all about. That’s what the program we’re running is doing and it’s what With Earth and Each Other is all about – bringing people together through dialogue. And you can’t do that if you’re staging a boycott.”
As a friend noted when she heard about the calls for the boycott, “You know we’re in trouble around here when a place like the Arava Institute is being boycotted.”
Enough of this madness already.
Foto Friday – 9/11 Living Memorial
Filed under: Art, design, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture, Picture of the Week, Politics, War
With the somber anniversary of 9/11 approaching, it is fitting to call attention to Jerusalem memorial erected to mark the event and its fallen.
The memorial is literally off the beaten path, situated outside Jerusalem on a road that isn’t yet completed or well-marked. You basically get off Highway 1 at Motza, start heading towards Mevasseret Zion and then veer off on an unpaved road towards Emek HaArazim. A short drive brings visitors to the JNF-KKL Arazim Park and the Bronka Stavsky Rabin Weintraub Living Memorial Plaza.
© Pes & Lev, JerusalemShots
The 30-foot bronze sculpture by artist Eliezer Weisshoff represents an American flag that gradually turns into a memorial flame. It rests on a base of granite brought over from the Twin Towers and is the only memorial site outside New York on which are engraved the names of all those killed. The sculpture was created with the purpose of expressing the event simply and symbolically without the use of elements of destruction, loss and ruin.
Some more excellent images of the 9/11 Memorial by photographer Hanan Isachar are available on his website. And a video of last year’s dedication ceremony has been posted on the US Embassy Tel Aviv YouTube channel. Take a moment to watch and reflect.
Foto Friday – Parks, Recreation and Firefighting
Filed under: Environment, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Life, Picture of the Week, Travel
It’s only Friday and already Sunday’s massive forest fire has all but disappeared from the headlines. To recap: about 450 acres of forest (this figure according to the Keren Kayemet Leyisrael -Jewish National Fund) in the Ora-Aminadav area went up in flames.
The fire started at two separate points. 100 KKL-JNR staff, nine fire trucks and five firefighting aircraft participated in the extensive operation. The fire spread towards nearby Hadassah Hospital where 23 vehicles in the hospital parking area were burned.
Roads were blocked for hours and some Ora and Aminadav residents were evacuated but returned during the night after the fire was successfully controlled and put out. All in all, it could have been much worse. One month earlier on June 29, the country experienced its most severe wave of fires since 2008. Which was the worst since 2006. And so on.
Like many arid regions, Israel’s hot, dry summer weather is an easy target for wildfires set both by accident and on purpose. KKL-JNF has become increasingly vigilant about protecting Israel’s forests, stating that it invests more than $5 million annually in fighting forest and field fires. This includes maintenance and operation of 22 firefighting vehicles with off-road capabilities, dozens of fire fighters on duty 24/7, communications systems and 30 fire watchtowers — also manned ’round the clock.
KKL-JNF also operates a forest fire risk forecast service, co-manages an aerial firefighting fund, conducts forest fire investigations and implements their conclusions. Because afforestation is what they do. Over the past 100-plus years, KKL-JNF has planted more than 200 million trees covering over 225,000 acres of land. So there is every hope that the Aminadav trail – seen here in its pre-fire state – will be that way again one day.
In addition to planting trees and protecting them from fire, KKL-JNF also develops regional parks and recreation areas, restores historical sites, rehabilitates springs and rivers, and builds roads and trails for hiking and biking. If you can’t get to Israel right away, there’s plenty to see on their YouTube channel, like this movie about the Ilanot Forest, a wheelchair accessible park and “Tree Museum”.
Foto Friday – Painting Feb Red
Filed under: Art, Environment, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture
It’s February which means only six more weeks of winter, or maybe just six minutes more, given the freakish weekend hot spell. The JNF-KKL has declared February a month-long Festival Darom Adom, or Scarlet South Festival, in honor of the wild red anemones now dotting the fields all over the country, but particularly the northern Negev region where the local residents have organized walking tours and entertainment.
Photo by Hirshfield, courtesy JNF-KKL
The red anemone or calanit, is a favorite of Israelis and one of the success stories of Israel’s campaign to save its wildflowers.
Photo courtesy of Free Israel Photos
According to website Wild Flowers in Israel, an excellent resource, “the Hebrew name ‘kalanit’ is related to the Hebrew word for a bride ‘kala’, referring to its beauty,” and is mentioned the Talmud.
Photo courtesy of Flowers in Israel
Hebrew University’s Flora of Israel Online has plenty of scientific articles and lots more photos of this beloved flower.
Photo courtesy of Wildflowers in Israel
For those who can’t be here right now to see these red beauties at their peak, we present a few images to enjoy. And please visit the JNF-KKL website to download their amazing screensaver of Israel’s wildflowers.
Photo by Gil Soffer
Subscribe
Subscribe to Israelity via email:
Social Media
Categories
- A New Reality
- Art
- Blogging
- Business
- coexistence
- Crime
- design
- education
- Entertainment
- Environment
- Food
- Foto Friday
- General
- health
- History and Culture
- Holidays
- Immigrant Moments
- Israeliness
- Life
- Medical Breakthroughs
- Movies
- Music
- News
- Nostalgia Sunday
- Picture of the Week
- Politics
- Pop Culture
- Profiles
- Religion
- Science
- Social Justice
- Sports
- Technology
- Travel
- tv
- War
The Face of Israel Today
-
About Israelity
Free newsletter
Stories from ISRAEL21c.orgPopular Posts