After a needed break from studies, students returned to the Arava Institute from their vacation full of energy and enthusiasm. The annual Biodiversity Course taught by Dr. Uri Shanas and Dr. Elli Groner offered an opportunity for many students to get out in the field and experience how conservation is really practiced.  Soon after the their return students were treated to a four day “Water Trip”, part of the “Water Resource Mangement in the Middle East Course”, taught by Dr. Clive Lipchin, which included visits to significant water sites in  Jordan, Palestine and Israel. Our Youth Environmental Education Peace Initiative, headed by Dr. Gonen Saguy, which brings together Arab and Jewish Schools in Israel around environmental education had a special visitor this month, Ms. Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of US Secretary of State John Kerry.  The Arava Center for Sustainable Development graduated its first class in sustainable agriculture in Kenya while research at the institute in trans-boundary water management, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and bi-national nature conservation continues to contribute to the body of knowledge which is protecting our natural environment and human welfare in the Middle East and around the world.  Finally, we look forward to the Arava Alumni Peace and Environmental Network’s annual conference being held in Beit Jalla, West Bank on May 9th- 11th, this year sponsored by the Miller International Institute at the Rutgers University School of Law.

David Lehrer

Furrows in the Desert  Project Successfully Trains Farmers of Turkana, Kenya

Furrows in the Desert (FID), a project which aims to train the people of Turkana, Kenya in sustainable agricultural practices, just completed its first course on March 22nd.  FID is a joint project run by the Israeli NGO Brith Olam, the Arava Center for Sustainable Development, and the local monastery. The participants, which included a farm manager and local volunteers, were trained by Arava Institute affiliates Moti Harari and Amit Eliyahu. The course, which began in October, taught the students about land preparation, fencing, and compost preparation. The graduates will continue to receive ongoing practical and theoretical consultation for their own farms by the FID team. Congratulations to the graduates!  The Arava Center for Sustainable Development, headed by Dr. Shmuel Brenner, is dedicated to empowering peoples from the developing world through onsite training and programs held at the institue, spreading the knowledge gained in sustainable technologies and methods developed in the Arava.

Submitted by Elli Groner

Biodiversity Course Takes Students on a Sand Dune Expedition

During the first week of April, the Arava Institute held a four-day expedition as part of the “Biodiversity of Sand Dunes” course at Samar Sand Dunes in the southern Arava. Dr. Elli Groner led a class with both students from AIES and from Haifa University, along with Dr. Uri Shanas of Haifa University. The expedition aimed to teach students how to study the diversity of a specific landscape unit. They were taught how to set up pitfall traps to capture insects, arthropods and lizards; as well as how to set up Sherman traps to capture rodents. All the captured animals were then collected and taken to the lab in order to also teach students how to identify each species by using microscopes and other equipment. The final requirement of the course will be to write a report on the biodiversity of this specific dune landscape unit  applying various biodiversity indices including Whittaker, Simpson, and Curtis.

Submitted by Asem Makableh

Ms. Teresa Heinz Kerry visits a YEEPI School

On the 9th of April, Ms. Teresa Heinz Kerry, businesswoman, philanthropist, and wife of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, accompanied by Ms. Julie Fisher, wife of U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel B. Shapiro, visited a group of tenth graders at Lod High School in central Israel. These lucky tenth graders are participating in an extracurricular program called  the Youth Environmental Education Peace Initiative (YEEPI), supported in part by the US Embassy in Israel, the  Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, and also by the high schools themselves.  YEEPI is a unique program founded by a group of Arava Institute alumni and headed by Dr. Gonen Saguy, who is also an alumnus. The program exists as a partnership between the Arava Institute and the Towns Association for Environmental Quality –Agan Beit Natufa. YEEPI strives to remove religious and cultural barriers by joining Jewish and Arab schools together to learn how to protect and care for their shared environment. The success of YEEPI lies in its ability to break down stereotypes of “the other” and to help the students see each other as friends and equals, not Jews and Arabs. During the initial part of Ms. Heinz Kerry’s visit, the educators and administrators from both Ort Lod (the Arab high school) and Ort Holon (the Jewish high school) gave presentations about their ongoing work and some of the challenges that they face. Then, a group of students made presentations to the visitors. Most talked about the positive impact YEEPI has on them and how much they enjoyed the program while several students from Ort Lod expressed their desire to live in peace and work together. Some of the students from Ort Lod come from Bedouin households and for them, peace without compromising their traditional lifestyle was especially important. One student talked about how every morning, she assists her family by baking hundreds of Shrak (traditional Bedouin bread) before she leaves for school. In the evening, in addition to her chores and helping take care of her brothers and sisters, she studies hard to maintain good grades so that she can attend medical school. Her dream is to become a doctor, a dream that not so long ago, would have been nearly impossible for a Bedouin woman living in a traditional household. In honor of Ms. Heinz Kerry and Ms Fisher’s visit, the girl brought in a plateful of Shrak for everyone to try.

Submitted by Vera Saulino, YEEPI Intern

Students embark on “Water Trip” and witness challenges to management in the region

Photo by Stacia-Fe Gillen

Photo by Dima Khoury

Photo by Dima Khoury

Photo by Dima Khoury

At the crack of dawn on April 12^th, the entire student body of the Arava Institute, accompanied by staff and interns, boarded a bus headed for Ashkelon. It was the beginning of a 5-day Water Trip. The trip was part of a required course for all students called “Water Resource Management in the Middle East,” and was intended to show the challenges and approaches to transboundary water management in Israel, the West Bank, Palestine, and Jordan.  The trip began in Israel, with behind-the-scenes tours of a desalination plant and wastewater treatment plant. The desalination plant supplies Israel with 15% of its domestic water production, and the wastewater treatment plant is one of the most complex of its kind in the region. The following morning in Jerusalem, the group was introduced to  the Kidron River Valley. The Kidron River is a body of water for which both Israelis and Palestinians are riparians, and one that is beleaguered by contamination – including over 28,000 cubic meters of raw sewage which flows through the river. The students met with experts from Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) and the engineers behind a joint Master Plan to address the needs of the Kidron.  The group talked at length about the political barriers that prevent said Master Plan from manifesting – including the Israeli government’s rejection of joint proposals for the improvement of Palestinian infrastructure.We were kindly hosted by an alumnus who lives in East Jerusalem, and whose backyard looks down into the Kidron Valley where birds flocked around the raw sewage flowing in the river.The group then made its way to a reservoir in Area C of the West Bank, at what would be the most politically tense hour of the day. The reservoir provides water mainly to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The manager of the reservoir began explaining how the plant operates and his role in it, but the conversation was quickly diverted into an argument about whether or not the settlements should be there in the first place. After a bitter argument, the group departed the reservoir, feeling considerably discouraged about the chances for reconcilliation in the region. It was a relief, then, to arrive for lunch at EcoME – an ecological center in the West Bank founded by Arava Institute alumni which served as an oasis to the weary travelers. AIES alumni including Rina Kedem and Liel Maghen facilitated a group discussion reflecting on the frustrating experience at the reservoir.  The group left EcoME with good food in their stomachs and with a bit of restored hope. The trip was truly the highlight of the semester so far.  A huge thanks goes out to Dr. Clive Lipchin, director of the Center for Transboundary Water Management, program director Cathie Granit, and campus life director Barbara Finkel for organizing the trip and making it run smoothly.The next two days were dedicated to exploring water in Jordan, including a large reservoir, the King Abdullah canal, and the Dead Sea. The students met with area experts who guided them through the status quo of water usage in Jordan – some of the progress that has been made, and some of the setbacks. The next day, the final activity was an exhilarating, upstream  hike through Wadi Mujib – where the entire group climbed up rocks and rope systems to reach a huge waterfall. They went back the way they came, floating effortlessly downstream on a lazy river. The physical exercise and relaxation of being immersed in the water was the perfect cure for those who had been feeling discouraged or overwhelmed  by the critical political and environmental questions posed by the trip.

Submitted by Kayla Santosuosso

Intern Profile – Evan Morrow

Evan Morrow, born in Vancouver, Canada, graduated with a BSc in Environmental Science from Queen’s University with a focus on Physical Geography and Economics in 2008. He also received an MSc in Ecological Economics from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in 2009, where he looked at the economics of transporting water from a water abundant country (Turkey) to a capital abundant country (Israel), as well as the role that regional politics has played. Evan has since spent time taking accounting courses, volunteering at an afterschool program at a community center in Vancouver, planting mangroves and teaching English in the Philippines. He is looking forward to working on the website, GIS and other elements of the stream restoration project, and enjoying his time on Kibbutz Ketura.

Alumni Profile – Raja Abdel Aziz

Raja Abdel Aziz  is from Jerusalem. She received her BA in History and Political Science from Birzeit University. Her education is very important to her and during her time at the Arava Institute  in 2010-2011, she contributed to the Peace Building and Environmental Leadership (PELS) course with an interesting perspective and important insights. Following her study at the Institute, she then worked as a Program Associate for the year of 2011-2012. Raja is passionate about enhancing her understanding of the different dimensions of the Palestinian and Israeli realities and displays bravery in her pursuit.  Her project during her year at the Arava Institute focused on the Bedouin population within the Negev area, in terms of their political situation and their environmental perception within the State of Israel. Currently she is a graduate student at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, studying the political history of Israel and the Zionist movement.

The Alumni Conference is Almost Here! 

Don’t forget to register for the Alumni Conference! The conference will be held May 9-11 at the Talitha Kumi guest house in Beit Jala. The conference is fast approaching and registration is closing soon!  Come hear about the work our fabulous alumni are involved in, and network while you do it! The conference will also include opportunities to plan for future projects, as well as activities to help alumni get to know each other.  The cost for the conference is 200 NIS, but scholarships are available.  See you in Beit Jala!  This year’s conference is sponsored by the Miller International Institute of the Rutgers University School of Law.

Most of the students and interns are taking advantage of the spring break to head home, travel and visit friends, so the Arava Institute offices and campus are relatively quiet.  This week we are celebrating both the Jewish holiday of Passover and the Christian holiday of Easter. Both holidays highlight the Spring as a time of rebirth and renewal.  Last week’s visit of President Obama has breathed new life into a moribund peace process, offering us a chance to renew our hope in peace and the fulfillment of the promise of the Arab Spring.  As I sit with family, friends and students at our Passover Seder,reading from the Hagada,  I will recall when I was a slave in Egypt and how I was freed but I will also recall President Obama’s words;  ” It’s also a story that holds within it the universal human experience, with all of its suffering, but also all of its salvation.”  I hope everyone has a good break and returns renewed, refreshed and ready to make a difference.

David Lehrer 

Liel Maghen, Arava Institute Alumni,  attends President Obama’s Speech in Jerusalem

Since President Obama declared that he is going to have a speech in front of Israeli youth in Jerusalem, I knew that it is going to be a remarkable event.  I managed to get a ticket to the speech through the Arava Institute and the NGO Peace Forum. Although my expectations were high, the event still managed to surprise me. After an hour under the sun in the main entrance  and after hours in the second security entrance, I managed to get into the main conference hall. Inside the auditorium was a festive atmosphere.  Students were eating,drinking and singing in the hallways, waiting for the speech to start. Others, were trying to find better seats and some used the opportunity to take a nap or to read another article before class. Together with this festive energy, there was another energy that was very clear. The audience was socially heterogeneous. Just half an hour before the speech, you could see students of different ages and universities, seated in the same row with the US Ambassador or with some ministers that were invited this event. I even saw two students asking two members of the Knesset to change seats because they were seating in their seats.   But nothing could have prepared us for the speech itself. Together with the strong and clear words about the friendships between Israel and the U.S, President Obama managed to focus on three dimensions that are critical to the current situation: security, peace and prosperity. But two things that touched me more than anything, were related to my experience at the Arava Institute. The first was when President Obama talked about justice and asked the audience to imagine themselves as Palestinians. Although at the Arava Institute it is not unusual for students to be asked to try to imagine themselves in the place of the other, I don’t remember any political leader asking Israelis to put themselves into Palestinian shoes and to think about the situation from a universal and just perspective. The second point was when President Obama talked about ways to achieve the reality for which we wish;  ”That is where peace begins – not just in the plans of leaders, but in the hearts of people; not just in a carefully designed process, but in the daily connections that take place among those who live together in this land”.  No leader has ever told the people who the reality depends on them and not only on the politicians. Through my experience at the institute and through the Arava Alumni Peace and Environmental Network (AAPEN), I understood that people from both sides are waiting too long for their politicians to change reality.  I hope that this speech will make an important impact on people’s hearts and as a result act against  the violence and injustice which the President described in order to achieve the necessary, just and possible peace.

Submitted by Liel Maghen

Ben-Gurion University President Rivka Carmi visits the Arava Institute:

On March 13th, Rivka Carmi, President of Ben-Gurion University, visited the Arava Institute with 18 delegates from her leadership team.  President Carmi was given a tour of the Renewable Energy Research Park with Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, and was then taken to the new student lounge to meet with students and staff from the Institute. There, Executive Director David Lehrer and Academic Director Dr. Elli Groner spoke about the Institute’s academics, and its focus on transboundary issues and peacebuilding.  At that meeting, a Palestinian and Jordanian student spoke about themselves, their decision to come to the Arava Institute, and their future plans. Both students spoke to the challenges of enrolling in an Israeli institute, and how it impacted their families and their future job prospects, but also altered the way they approach communicating with those who are different from them. President Carmi was so moved by the words of these students that she asked every student in the room to stand and introduce themselves. The diversity of our student body, both in their nationalities and their academic interests, was truly revealed to Ms. Carmi at that moment, who congratulated the student body with applause.

Culture Night Spring 2013:

It was that time of the semester once again: culture night! Students, staff, and community members gathered to view and participate in nearly twenty student-led presentations on some aspect of their culture. Mujadara, rice crispy treats, and tabouleh prepared by students and staff lined the tables as everyone filed in to eat, drink, and learn about where each other came from.  Gefen, the son of staff member Michelle Shachar, kicked off the night with a round of Capoeira done in tandem with two students.  Student Rivka Shapiro taught the crowd how to make paper snowflakes, representing her hometown in Minnesota which was covered in snow on that day.  As usual: lots of dancing! The Salsa Committee (yes, there is a Salsa Committee on campus!) presented a routine they’d been practicing, and student Jessye Waxman led a short Irish step dancing class. And, in typical Culture Night fashion, a large group danced debkeh around the room.  We also watched presentations on Palestinian culture and costume, listened to Motown music while drinking milkshakes, and were even taught how to speak with a Boston accent. Once culture night had officially ended, an impromptu drum circle broke out, and students could be heard celebrating into the night.

Submitted by Kayla Santosuosso

Research Snapshot: The Blueprint Negev Bedouin Project

Executive Director David Lehrer and Research Assistant Tess Zinnes are researching a policy document that will propose how the needs of the Negev Bedouin can be integrated into the JNF Blue Print Negev fundraising campaign. This study is  funded by the JNF, USA and assesses social service projects within the Bedouin community as well as recommends measures to mitigate tensions between all stakeholders involved. Aiming to evaluate levels of effectiveness as well as propose improvements for overall implementation, the research team will generate a strategy with criteria for future projects. In conjunction, a current first-semester Arava student from Jordan with a background in business, initiated a sub-study seeking to identify the needs of small Bedouin enterprises while evaluating the potential for micro-financing to expand employment opportunities. Over twenty cross-sector interviews contribute to the initiative’s data pool that highlight a strong willingness to create closer collaborations to catalyze change.

Submitted by Tess Anais Zinnes

Alumni Profile: Bart Johnsen-Harris

Bart Johnsen-Harris is a Rhode Island native who graduated from Brown University in spring 2012 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies. Merging his interests of the Middle East and environmental issues, he began studying at the Arava Institute this past fall, after completing an intensive Hebrew course at Middlebury College. At the Institute, he took graduate-level courses and engaged in a research project on the Hebron-Besor watershed, a river system which spans from the West Bank, through Israel, and into Gaza. His work ranged from the installation of new monitors in the Hebron River to the analysis and mapping of areas suitable for an artificial catchment to regulate dilution of the stream. Most notably, his successful coursework in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) landed him a job in Amman, Jordan. He currently resides there, working on finding ecosystem service hotspots in Wadi Araba. He designed the methodology for the cross-border Israeli-Jordanian research project and acts as a GIS technician.

Submitted by Kayla Santosuosso

AAPEN Announces the 2013 Alumni Conference 

The Annual Alumni Conference will be taking place in Beit Jala this year from Thursday, May 9th – Saturday, May 11th, thanks to a great team of alumni organizers from the Arava Alumni Peace and Environmental Network (AAPEN).  The conference will give our accomplished alumni the opportunity to present on their recent work with one another and crowdsource solutions to challenges faced in the process. The agenda also includes a volunteering session with the local community in Beit Jala, open space discussions, and elections for the AAPEN leadership team. The cost is 200 NIS. Alumni are encouraged to attend, and asked to please register as soon as possible, here.

This month we welcomed an extraordinary group of 40 new students and interns to our campus community. I can speak on behalf of the entire staff here at the institute when I say that these bright, enthusiastic students bring us high hopes for this semester – one full of hard, valuable work and meaningful diaglogue and trust-building. The students have already begun their classes in subjects like Ecohealth, Water Resources in the Middle East, and Environmental Ethics. They’ve also kicked off their semester by participating in a soccer tournament, several socials, current affairs discussions, film screenings, yoga classes, and communal dinners. Many thanks are in order to our Campus Life team for making such a smooth transition possible for these new students.

David Lehrer

US Ambassador Visits the Arava Institute on Renewable Energy Trip

We were honored to briefly host the American Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, who visited Kibbutz Ketura, the Arava Power Company, and the Arava Institute this month. The trip was intended to explore and acknowledge the strides in renewable energy development in the region, including the research  and education programs conducted by AIES. Ambassador Shapiro received a presentation of the Validation Center inside the Arava Institute’s Research and Visitors Park in memory of Dr. Eugen Fischel and Dina Markowicz, by one of our Masters students, who also spoke to the Ambassador about his own research. The Ambassador continues to be very supportive of AIES, and even called himself a “fan”of the institute. 
A full summary of the visit can be read in this article featured in the Jerusalem Post.

Submitted by Kayla Santosuosso

Congratulations and Farewell to Masters Student Bara Wahbeh

A heartfelt congratulations goes out to Bara Wahbeh, who successfully defended his Masters thesis this month at Ben-Gurion University. The research, titled “Hydrogen Production via Boron Hydrolysis by Thermochemical Cycles” was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, the Director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation at the Arava Institute. The research simulates hydrogen production in a car by reacting steam with boron particles, which produces hydrogen gas and yields no greenhouse gases. Bara’s next step will be to pursue the creation of a prototype for this research, with eventual goals of putting the technology on the market. Bara was given exceedingly high marks for his defense, to virtually no one’s surprise at the institute.  Bara has been an integral part of our community for several years now,  and we are of course sad to see him go. But we have the utmost confidence in his success as a scientist, a businessman, and a changemaker, and are excited to watch his plans unfold.

Submitted by Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed and Kayla Santosuosso

A New Student Lounge Debuts on Campus 

The campus welcomed the opening of a new student lounge this semester!The lounge was designed by a team of staff members, who envisioned it as a multipurpose space. The aim was to meet the various needs of all members of the campus community, meaning everything from facilitating study groups and lectures, to encouraging quiet reflection time and small social gatherings. In the lounge there is a kitchen, a dining area, a lounge with couches and a television, as well as a small “cyber café”, where students and interns can surf the internet in a quiet space. A visitor to the student lounge can at once see students debating environmental ethics, skyping with their families, and painting signs for the new compost areas. The student life team hosted campus life meetings, as well as icebreakers, film screenings and a session learning about sustainable living at the Arava Institute.The lounge has also served as an ideal space for weekly Current Affairs sessions during which participants engage in exploration and debate of the world’s recent events.  We are grateful to the JNF USA and Danielle and Irving Grossman, whose generous support made this lounge possible.

Submitted by Abra Berkowitz 

Alumni Gathering Held in Sakhnin

Last month, about 40 members of the Arava Alumni Peace & Environment Network  (AAPEN) gathered at the beautiful and unique sustainable building of the Townships Association for Environmental Quality (TAEQ) in the Arab town of Sakhnin, Israel. This gathering was a part of an ongoing intention to meet every month or so, and to strengthen the connections within AAPEN. The gathering allowed alumni from various years to get to know each other, and to hear about different initiatives and projects that are being held throughout the Middle-East. During the weekend, we got to learn about environmental issues of Sakhnin’s area, to discuss AAPEN issues, and even plant some trees on the building’s grounds.  We would like to thank Dr. Hussein Tarabiye, TAEQ manager, who invited AAPEN members, and who helped us with organizing the successful gathering.  TAEQ is the Arava Institute’s partner in the USAID sponsored YEEPI project. We hope many more gatherings will take place, in Israel, Jordan and Palestine, as they continue to remind us that maintaining our connection as alumni is very much possible, despite political barriers and borders.

Submitted by members of AAPEN

David Lehrer

AIES Night for Fall 2012 Students

AIES students got the opportunity to present their semester-long research projects to fellow students and staff at AIES Night. Always a highlight of the semester, the night is part academic, part celebratory, as the students and staff get to see their hard work finally come to fruition. This semester’s slate of research was extraordinary and especially diverse. Examples of projects include: Open Public Spaces in Eilat, Water and Wastewater Use in the West Bank, the Domestication of Wild Plant Species, and Effective Bedouin Integration in Space Planning. The research was the product of an Independent Study course lead by Dr. Ilan Stavi, and each student was paired with an advisor who guided them on a specific research venture. As usual, our staff was extremely proud of the students for their hard work. And, as a true testament to the power of the AIES community, we were thrilled to see that many members of Kibbutz Ketura also attended the presentation to learn from and support the students’ work. Congratulations, students! Submitted by Cathie Granit and Kayla Santosuosso

The Launch of the Public Council for the Arava Institute in Israel

On Friday, January 11^th, at the Peres Center for Peace in Tel Aviv, the inaugural meeting of the Public Council for the Arava Institute was held.  The purpose of the Public Council is to raise awareness of the work of the Arava Institute in Israel and to increase financial resources from Israeli sources. Over 70 people attended the launch, including,  former member of Knesset (the Israeli Parliament) Yael Dayan, the Israeli Ambassador to Jordan, Daniel Nevo, and Israeli actress, Karen Mor.  To help get the Public Council off the ground, we invited Tzipi Livni, the head of the Tnuah (Movement Party) who is running in the Israeli elections for the Parliament.  Ms. Livni had come directly from a debate held that morning at an Israeli high school in Rehovot where the atmosphere was negative and depressing.  The students shouted down Ms. Livni’s message of a need for a political settlement with cries of “there is no partner!” accompanied by cheering and clapping.   Ms. Livni entered the Peres Center for Peace, clearly shaken and distracted.  We moved into the small room where Ms. Livni and others would speak.  The program was hosted by former Ambassador to France, Daniel Shek , the Chair of the new Public Council.  The first speaker was Professor Alon Tal, founder of the Arava Institute who gave an historical perspective and talked about the institute’s achievements.  Then two alumni stood up to speak, an Israeli alumna who studied at the institute in 2006 and a Palestinian woman who studied with us in 2011. The Israeli woman spoke about the impact that the institute has had on her life and the Palestinian alumna spoke about her interest in Israel and learning more about the “other”.  Both women passionately described their transformational experiences at the Arava Institute.  Then Tzipi Livni stood up and it was obvious that something had happened to her in the very short time since she had walked into the Peres Center, distracted and upset.  Tzipi told the audience about the morning event at the Israeli High School in Rehovot, how depressing it was and how upset it had made her, but how sitting in the Peres Center, listening to the Arava Institute alumni, had lifted a burden from her chest.  With just a few simple words from our alumni about their experiences at the institute and their own vision of a better world, hope and a belief in the possibility of peace had returned to Ms. Livni.  We believe that this message of hope that was rekindled in Tzipi Livni by our alumni will be passed on to other leaders in Israel and throughout the Middle East.   As the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arava Institute, Professor Yacov Karni said in his closing speech, we must never give up on our beliefs and our hope.

Alumni Profile: Lindsey Zemler

Lindsey grew up in Boulder, Colorado in a home in the mountains. Hiking, nature, yoga, and stories have always been part of her life and currently she loves traveling, learning about culture, and contributing to sustainable communities. At the University of Colorado she studied English Literature, Political Science and Jewish Studies and had leadership involvement with a local sustainable food group and Alternative Spring Breaks. As a junior she studied abroad at Hebrew University in Jerusalem studying the Middle East and Hebrew.

After graduating from college Lindsey spent two years with the Arava Institute, first as the Alumni Projects Intern and then as a Program Associate. Her involvement with AIES, the kibbutz community and the region was influential and a deep learning experience. Most recently Lindsey has been living in Northern California working on the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival as the Festival Assistant. Beginning this February she will be an intern at Neve Shalom Wahat-al-Salaam working in the development department. Submitted by Cathie Granit

Intern Profile: Kayla Santosuosso

Kayla Santosuosso, the new Administrative Assistant, joined the team at the Arava Institute this month. Kayla holds a B.A. in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies from New York University with a focus in Arabic. During her time in NYC Kayla worked for the NYU Office of Sustainability, helped to run several food co-ops, and interned for the Arab American Association of New York. Though she’ll certainly be missing her city life, Kayla is transitioning into Ketura smoothly—using her free time to brush up on her Arabic, hike the mountains behind the institute, write, shoot pool, and travel. Kayla aims to be a US Foreign Service Officer in the Middle East, particularly within the area of environmental conflict resolution. She is thrilled to be at Arava, and feels very fortunate to work with such a talented, passionate group of students and staff.

AIES Student Achievements:

The Institute is proud to announce three significant student achievements this month.

Leila Hashweh and Brian Hoefgen have both been accepted to pursue their Masters at Ben-Gurion University. The programs will take place at the Albert Katz International School, Blaustein Institute for Desert Research at the Sde Boqer Campus of BGU.

Leila has been accepted to the M.Sc. program in Hydrology and Water Quality, specializing in Water Resources under the supervision of  Professor Eilon Adar (BGU) and Dr. Clive Lipchin (AIES). Leila will work on the Habsor watershed taking an interdisciplinary approach to water management.

Brian has been accepted to the M.Sc. program in Desert studies, specializing in water irrigation and soil under the supervision of Dr. Shimon Rachmilevits (BGU). Brian will work on the agriculture of vines.

Graduate student and Program Associate Abra Berkowitz successfully defended her Master’s thesis this month. Abra used qualitative methods and recent planning theories to examine the Abu-Basma Regional Council, a new Bedouin municipality established to plan 13 formerly unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev. She plans to enjoy the coming semester at the Arava, and then go in search of a PhD.

Submitted by Elli Groner

The Arava Institute Academic Program Negev Trip  – From December 3rd-5th, students and interns embarked on the Negev Trip, led by Michelle Shachar and Dr. Elli Groner. The Negev Trip is a joint program between the fall Ecology course and the Peacebuilding and Environmental Leadership Seminar (PELS). The trip followed the theme of environmental justice through three days of hikes, lectures, and activities in Arab and Jewish communities.  By visiting different settlements in the Negev, students learned about the various people, communities and organizations which form a complex, and changing region. Sites visited were: Mitzpe Ramon, an example of a Southern development town, still home to many of its original inhabitants from North Africa, but now attracting a small population of artists and intellectuals from the center of the country.   Dr. Joshua Schmidt , an alum from the first years of the Arava Institute,  organized a full-day program called “Resilient Communities: Cultural Preservation and the ‘Development’ of Mitzpe Ramon” for our group.  Students were hosted for lunch by Black Hebrew, Moroccan, and Indian families.  We heard from the government perspectives in the Regional Council, and spoke about environmental considerations at the impressive Beresheet Hotel.   Abra Berkowitz, our Program Associate, organized meetings that highlighted many of the planning issues connected to her Masters thesis which she just completed. The group visited Kaser al-Ser, a recently recognized Bedouin village which hosts an ecological building project through an NGO partnership with Bustan.  Then the students continued on to Tel Sheva, a Bedouin town which is home to one of a few emerging women-led businesses in Bedouin villages.  There the group spoke with local leaders, community activists and governmental officials from the Abu-Basma Regional Council for Newly Recognized Bedouin Villages, and the Regional Council for Unrecognized Bedouin Villages.  During the overnight stay in the unrecognized settlement of Wadi Ariqa, the southernmost Bedouin village in Israel,  Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed joined us to explain about the Bio-gas project established there.  The trip also included a visit to Ramat Hovav, a petrochemical plant and waste disposal site; and to Holot Makman, a tourist lodge built almost exclusively from mud and recycled local materials.  At the end of the trip, participants were left with many questions, such as how to balance economic development with ecological preservation. The conversations have continued on campus, and students have begun to look for solutions to the challenges facing the region. Submitted by Michelle Shachar

 Mahmud Diab Joins the Board of Directors of the Arava Institute - Mahmud Diab retired Supervisor for the Arab Sector of the Northern District of the Ministry of Education has joined the Board of Directors of the Arava Institute.  Mr. Diab has held many positions in the Ministry of Education including advisor to President Yizchak Navon when Mr. Navon was the Israeli Minister of Education.  Mahmud had a close relationship with Yigal Allon and Prime Minister Yizchak Rabin.  Mr. Diab also spent part of his career in Tel Sheva, a Bedouin village outside of Beer Sheva where he supervised the Bedouin school system.  Mr. Diab and his wife Lutfia recently spent 3 days at the Arava Institute, participating in the Board meeting, meeting students, staff and researchers.  Mr. Diab is particularly interested in helping the institute to recruit more Arab Israeli students.

Student Profile – Leila Hashweh  – Leila is a 24-year-old Palestinian student from Jerusalem currently studying at the Arava Institute for the 2012-2013 academic year.   She grew up both in East Jerusalem and in Ramallah. She graduated from the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Agriculture in Rehovot, with a B.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and Management. After college, she worked as a researcher in environment and the economy at the Maan Development Center in Ramallah.  Leila loves to garden, dance, and go to the beach. At the Arava, she has started a course in yoga and meditation, and has been particularly active in starting the dialog among students over issues regarding current affairs in the Middle East. She is passionate about exploring creative ways of conserving freshwater, to maximize its use for the agricultural sector. Leila hopes to pursue her M.Sc. in hydrology or environmental studies in the joint program at the Albert Katz International School of Ben-Gurion University at Sde Boker. Submitted by Cathie Granit

Dr. Elaine Solowey, Head of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture, sprouts the first frankinsence tree in Israel in 1,500 years - Dr. Solowey does it again by bringing the frankinsensce tree back to Israel along with growing myrrh and balm of Gilead, all plants used as incense and for medicinal purposes during ancient times.  See Matthew Kalman’s article in the Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/after-1500-years-frankincense-returns-to-the-holy-land/

JNF Colorado Carbon Neutral Dorms Dedicated at the Arava Institute - On December 24th, 2012, Arava Institute students staff Board members and guests gathered on Kibbutz Ketura to dedicate the new student dorms funded by the Mountain State Region of the JNF with the help of  JNF USA, KKL, the Ministry of Negev and Galil Development and the Settlement Department of the WZO.  Mr. Udi Gat, Chairman of the Hevel Eilot Regional Council spoke about the importance of the work of the Arava Institute in the region.  Udi and the regional council were instrumental in facilitating the funding of the project as well as Kibbutz Ketura.  Glen Pegalson, General Secretary of Ketura talked about the pride, members of the kibbutz have in the Arava Institute.  David Lehrer, Executive Director thanked the JNF and the donors to the project:  Butch Weaver, Norman and Sunny Bronstein, Larry Mizel, Joyce Zeff, M.B. and Shana Glassman Foundation, Charlie Gwirtsman, Jordon Perlmutter, Gene Kay, James Markus, Harvey and Sue Allon, David Adelstein, Rick Altman, Andrew Miller and many other JNF donors from Colorado who helped make this dream come true.  David gave a special thanks to Michael Marcus, Colorado JNF Board member and also member of the Friends of the Arava Institute (FAI) Board, who initiated the fundraising campaign.  The ceremony finished with the attachment of two mezuzot by FAI Board members Karen and Barry Fierst and their son Shai Fierst, an alum of the Arava Institute, on to the doors of the new student lounge built with a generous gift to the JNF from Danielle and Irving Grossman of Wilmington, Delaware.

Footnote – at the exact time of the dedication, an earthquake registering 4.5 on the Richter scale with its center located 7 miles south of the institute occurred.  No one in the new building felt a thing.

David Lehrer

]]> http://aravainstitute.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/arava-institute-directors-blog-december-2012/feed/ 0 aravainstitute 1 IMG_4034 Mahmud Diab IMG_0979 Frankincense2 IMG_4409 http://aravainstitute.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/arava-institute-directors-blog-november-2012/ http://aravainstitute.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/arava-institute-directors-blog-november-2012/#comments Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:40:56 +0000 aravainstitute http://aravainstitute.wordpress.com/?p=420 ]]> Message from the Director – November has been an extremely hectic month for both me and the institute.  The month began with the 12th Israel Ride.  This year’s ride started in the north of the country in a small coastal village near Acco and included two days of riding in the Galil, through the Hula Valley, up to the Golan Heights, by the Sea of Galilee and down to Beit Shean. The rest of the ride was on our traditional route in the south including a visit to Ben Gurion’s grave, Shabbat in Mitzpeh Ramon, an overnight at Kibbutz Ketura and the Arava Institute and our final stop on the beach in Eilat. All 60 riders had a phenomenal time.  Registration is already open for 2013 www.israelride.org .  A few days after the ride I took off for a fundraising trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles meeting with Friends of the Arava Institute board members, donors, JNF donors and Arava Institute alumni. At almost the same time as I arrived in San Francisco, a group of 25 participants from the developing world landed in Israel for the Arava Institute’s MASHAV program on Renewable Energy.  Participants in the 12 day course come from 16 countries including China, Colombia, Ghana, Senegal, Serbia, Kazakhstan and Guatemala  MASHAV is the foreign aid agency of the Israeli Foreign Ministry which has recently granted the Arava Institute official status. This course coincides with the Eilat/Eilot 5th International Renewable Energy Conference http://www.eilatenergy.org/.  The Renewable Energy Conference is sponsored by the Eilat/Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative, the Hevel Eilot Regional Council, the city of Eilat and the Greater Toronto Jewish Federation show cases the research of the Arava Institute’s Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation headed by our own Dr. Tareq Abu-Hamed.  Of course, needless to say, the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza had a major impact on the institute, staff and students.  It is always a test of our conviction that dialogue and peaceful reconciliation is the only long-term solution to stability and sustainability in the region.  Once again our students, staff and alumni proved that our commonalities and mutual concern for the environment are stronger than our differences.  A certain level of quiet has returned to the region.  As our Palestinian, Israeli, Jordanian and international students strive to work together towards a cleaner healthier and more peaceful world, we call upon all leaders in the region and across the globe to learn from their example. In this blog I have posted three brief paragraphs; (1)  Our new carbon neutral dorms (2) An alumni profile of Liel Maghen and (3) A different view of Gaza Israel relations – a report on how the Arava Institute is working with Gazans to treat saline water for drinking (4) How the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza has impacted the students at the institute..

The New Carbon Neutral Dorms  – On December 24^th, 2012, the new Arava Institute Carbon Neutral Dorms will be dedicated.  The dorms were built thanks to the support of the Jewish National Fund Mountain State Region in the US, the Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael and the Office of Negev and Galil Regional Development.  The dorms will house up to 32 students in double and single rooms.  Architect Avner Simon of Avner-Arad Simon Architects designed the dorms to be climate appropriate for the extreme arid climate of the Arava and use a minimum amount of electricity to heat the building in the winter and cool the building in the summer.  Such features as extra-insulation, double pained windows and artificial and natural shading were use to make the dormitories comfortable for students and energy-efficient. Scott Friedman, project manager for the institute oversaw the building process.  In addition to the new dorms, a new student lounge was built thanks to the generosity of Danielle and Irving Grossman of Wilmington Delaware and the Jewish National Fund.  The new dorms will enable the institute to expand the number of students accepted to the program and fulfill its mission of providing the Middle East with a new generation of environmental leaders and professionals.

Alumni Profile Liel Maghen

After studying in the Arava institute in the 2009-2010 academic year, Liel decided that he would like to know more about the region and the political relationships which shape it.  Therefore, he enrolled at Hebrew University in Jerusalem to study political science and Middle Eastern studies.

As an alum of the Arava Institute, he was selected for an internship program in Washington D.C where he interned with the late REP. Donald Payne.  During his internship he delivered a speech in a US congressional forum and another one in front of a conference of local Muslim leaders. On his return to Israel during 2011 he continued his political experience by interning in MK Avishay Braverman office.  Over the last two years, Liel has led tours for MEDJI Tours, which is a joint Jewish/Arab tour operator that creates custom group multi-narrative tours to Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan.   By working with for MEDJI Tours (which has won prizes from the U.N and became a National Geographic official operator) Liel gave tours to different groups from around the world including different celebrities. In addition,  Liel is involved with coordinating many AIES Alumni gatherings, including an inter-personal Alumni Workshop in Jordan in 2011 and a three-day desert hike that started at the EcoME Center last May.  Liel believes that his experience in the Arava institute changed the way he sees the region. The Arava Institute’s motto  “Environment knows No Borders”  has become the lenses from which  he understands  the region as one unit and  that it’s communities can bond together beyond the political borders that divide them.   Submitted by Cathie Granit, Programs Director

Water desalination project in Gaza

The Arava Institute’s Center for Transboundary Water Management  (CTWM) is developing a household level solar-powered desalination unit for the treatment of brackish water. This project, funded by the Osprey Foundation and the International Foundation, seeks to improve the quality of drinking water for residents of the Gaza Strip.  Nearly 95% of the municipal freshwater in Gaza is polluted to levels unfit for human consumption.  In municipal wells, chloride levels are, on average, four times the 250 mg/L limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the nitrate concentration is roughly six times higher than the WHO limit of 50 mg/L. This project will improve dramatically the quality of drinking water for Gaza’s residents. CTWM is now completing the first stage of the project which is the design and testing of the unit. The second phase will take place in Gaza where an operational unit will be installed at a designated site. CTWM is working with the UNDP Program for the Assistance of the Palestinian People Gaza Office in choosing the appropriate site in Gaza for installation and operation of the system.  Submitted by Dr. Clive Lipchin, Director of CTWM

The impact of the conflict between Gaza and Israel on the Institute

Within the Academic Department, we have been - in deja-vu the past two weeks— another Gaza war, another test for the Arava Institute community; another round of anxiety, confusion, rage, blame–more people we care about being dragged into danger, on all sides of the divide.   One of our Israeli students received emergency orders to go to his tank unit on the border with Gaza.  Other students worried about their families and friends, both in Gaza and in Israeli communities in the South.  In order to support our students during this crisis, we organized 5 sessions in the Peace Building and Environmental Leadership Seminar (PELS) framework:

• Two Current Affairs focusing on Gaza: one in the beginning of the recent turmoil leading up to Operation Pillars of Defense, and one after the cease-fire was announced.
• One PELS session answered the need of the group for ventilation, sharing, solidarity, and a safe space to discuss the diverse viewpoints.
• Two student-run sessions:

1. Social Media, Interpretations, and Empowerment–focusing specifically on how different media outlets covered the bus bombing in Tel Aviv, and afterwards exploring how Facebook impacts our experiences individually and as a group living together.
2. Defending Our Nation: personal testimonies from students about their experiences in the military, and a discussion pertaining to Security, Resistance, and Personal Duty.

The Campus Life team offered activities that complimented the PELS Programming.   The students had a Village Council during this period, they screened a funny movie to offer tension relief, they made breakfast on the Campus together, and they had a hike up the mountain to watch the sunset together.  Submitted by Michelle Shachar, PELS Coordinator

I have just completed an 11-month Sabbatical from the Arava Institute on which I was able to make significant progress in my quest for my doctorate. I spent most of the year taking classes at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and developing a research proposal. I am a doctoral student in the Geography and Environmental Development Department. My research is on cost-efficiency in nature conservation in Israel.

My ability to take off the year would not have been possible if Miriam Sharton, the Institute’s associate director, had not stepped up to become the Acting Executive Director of the Institute with a great deal of support from Uri Nusinow, the Institute’s director of finance. Miriam, Uri, and the rest of the dedicated AIES staff met significant challenges this past year but guided the Institute along a path of growth and creativity.

I now proudly return to my position as Executive Director, while Miriam takes a well-deserved break and spends time in the US with her family. I am excited to come back to the Institute. AIES remains the premier trans-boundary environmental academic research center in the Middle East, training the regions future environmental leaders. Our unique and innovative approach to sustainability and cross border cooperation still attracts the best and the brightest scholars, students, researchers, and social activists from all over the world. I look forward to success as we strive towards our vision of a Middle East where nature knows no borders and I wish everyone a happy and sweet new year.

I hope you enjoy this month’s blog.

David Lehrer

—————–

In the last two weeks, senior staff members returned from jam-packed trips to North America, the Institute welcomed a group from the Arava Center for Sustainable Development, and our MASA students and two program associates (both AIES alumni) arrived.

I just returned from an exciting trip to North America, where I fundraised from major donors and met with prospects, strategized with the new vice-chair of our Israel Ride (who announced his goal to increase ridership to 200 bikers by 2015), met with two of our most important partner organizations, the Jewish National Fund and Hazon, and spoke (with AIES’s Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed) at First Narayever Synagogue in Toronto about the Arava Institute’s work. The highlight of the trip was the successful establishment of a Masters Degree Renewable Energy track with York University in Toronto, where Tareq and I traveled to meet with enthusiastic faculty. The university will sponsor one Palestinian student, one Israeli student, and one Jordanian student each year and grant them a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies with a renewable energy specialization based on two semesters at the Arava Institute, two semesters at York, and a research thesis. This exciting project exemplifies the innovative spirit and cross-border focus of the Arava Institute, and we look forward to bringing it to fruition.

Dr. Elaine Soloway, director of our Center for Sustainable Agriculture, returned from a 15-day trip to the United States, where she visited with family and advanced two exciting projects. First, at the highly regarded Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Elaine met with department heads and toured their labs, which are part of an enormous research facility “like a city inside a city,” she said. The visit was the culmination of 12 years of attempts to set up a joint research project focusing on medicinal plants, a project now slated to begin next month. The study will focus on 50 desert plants every year. After dividing the 50 plants into five fractions ranging from most hydrophilic to most lipophilic, researchers will check the plants against four disease targets, giving them 1,000 chances to discover a therapeutic molecule that can be used to develop a new generation of medicines. Researchers hope to find treatments for infectious diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, or wound healing. Some of the plants are already domesticated, but “some are relatively unknown and have never been tested,” she said. The partnership with Tufts will generate funds for this pioneering project and for the Arava Institute’s work in general. Second, Elaine visited the Bronx Botanical Garden at the request of the head of the garden. The exchanged “wish lists” for plants and Elaine has been invited back to lecture there next year.

During United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson’s trip to Israel, Miriam Sharton and Dr. Clive Lipchin met with Ms. Jackson to present the Arava Institute’s work. In Holon, at one of the schools affiliated with the Youth Environmental Education Peace Initiative, Ms. Jackson met with principals of a Jewish school and an Arab school in the YEEPI program and with the students participating in it. Miriam presented the Arava Institute’s work in general and Clive presented about his transboundary water management project that receives funding from USAID. At left, Ms. Jackson shakes hands with the two school principals present at the meeting.

A team of professionals and volunteers preparing for a trip to Turkana, Kenya, where they will train formerly nomadic locals in sustainable agriculture techniques, visited the Arava Institute under the aegis of the Arava Center for Sustainable Development (ACSD). ACSD is a partnership of the Arava Institute, the Dead Sea & Arava Science Center, and the Southern Arava Agricultural Research & Development Station. The team included: Yoram Malkiman, the ACSD’s farm manager in Turkana; two volunteers, Tsachi Broyde and Yiftach Mazar; Milett Biberman, project manager at Brit Olam, a humanitarian/development organization working with ACSD in Turkana; and Motti Harrari, the group’s guide from the Southern Arava Agricultural R&D Station. In addition to lack of knowledge and necessary resources, difficulty accessing and efficiently utilizing water is a primary obstacle to agriculture in Turkana, so the desert is an appropriate place for the team to train and prepare.

Our 2012-13 program associates have arrived! Abra Berkowitz (a program participant in 2009-10) graduated from Lafayette College with a BA in literature and minor in environmental studies and is currently working on her Masters thesis for Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at its Sede Boqer campus. Her thesis evaluates a new Bedouin municipality in Israel, the Abu-Basma Regional Council, through the lens of recent Bedouin history in Israel and current urban planning trends. Abra says that she “couldn’t be happier to get others excited about this amazing program in the desert, and to start peacebuilding through playing basketball.”

Mustafa Ali, a student in fall 2011 and spring 2012, hails from Amman, Jordan, where he lived on Rainbow Street before moving to Kibbutz Ketura. He earned his BA in Chemistry from Al Albayt University in Mafarq, Jordan, and was attracted to the Institute by its renewable energy initiatives. During his year as a student, he conducted research with Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed on hydrogen production via metal hydrolosis. He plans to obtain his Masters in environmental science or renewable energy in the next few years.

Five students and interns on MASA grants arrived last week to start the Hebrew classes that are a condition of their scholarships. We’re excited to have new interns working under Dr. Elli Groner and Dr. Clive Lipchin, and the students are enjoying acclimating to kibbutz life in the weeks before their classmates arrive.

Starting September 6, the “It’s A Date” display at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem will feature the famous Methuselah tree that was sprouted by AIES’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture’s director Dr. Elaine Solowey. Noa Kremer, the Museum’s curatorial assistant, will be giving a lecture on Wednesday, September 12, about the Methuselah and its history.  The 2000-year-old date seed was found atop Masada, dating back to the time of King Herod. Methuselah is considered the oldest living tree in the world, even though the seed germinated only seven years ago.  See more at (http://blmj.org/en/display_new.php).

Manar Saria, an AIES alumna, recently began her PhD studies as a Fulbright Scholar in the field of Environmental Policy at Syracuse State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Manar was a student at AIES from 2009 to 2010, and then continued her studies at Sde Boker where she received her Master’s degree in June 2012. Her Master’s thesis focused on adopting solar water heaters in villages within the Nablus district in the West Bank. Manar was born in Haifa to a Palestinian family and has been fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, and English since she was young. “Being at the Arava totally brought a change to my life,” she said when asked to reflect on her time here. “This was the best gamble I ever took.” She also said that her relationship with the Arava is like a Catholic marriage; it will never end! She came as a student, later returned to teach Arabic and Hebrew, and is still doing some translation work for us. Best of luck to you in New York, Manar!

Amélie Joseph, last semester’s Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) intern, came to Israel hoping to work with organizations focused on environmental and agricultural issues, or on peace building and cooperation. Fortunately, she’s been able to work in both fields since she arrived in Israel, first with the LTER internship at the Arava Institute, and now at her current internship at Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME). At FoEME, she is investigating water-related issues in Israeli agriculture, particularly the potential of water markets, and writing for FoEME’s blog. Reflecting on her time at the Arava Institute, Amélie said:

“Not only did it allow me to do interesting work around environmental services, acacia trees, and to widely extend my knowledge about environmental issues in the Middle East, but it gave me a unique opportunity to deeply discuss peace, politics, sustainability, life with amazing people from Israel, Palestine, Jordan and all over the world. As a non-Jewish European girl who came to Israel almost by chance, this experience was priceless. And now that I am out of the “bubble”, I realize I gained confidence on my ability to be the change that I want to see in the world.”

Rabbi Michael M. Cohen, the Director of Development at the Friends of the Arava Institute, recently wrote an opinion article titled “The demolition of homes in the Palestinian village of Sussiya.” In the article, Michael mentions how Palestinian and Israeli alumni of the Arava Institute have been working together in Sussiya to raise the level of environmental awareness of both adults and children while also introducing the use of biogas technology to turn organic waste into a clean source of energy. Click here to read his Jerusalem Post article.

Congratulations to Amélie Joseph, Lindsey Zemler and Uriel Pinsky for winning the Arava Institute spring 2012 photo contest! Amelie, Lindsey and Uriel’s photos will be used in the new Arava Institute promotional material. Thanks to all the students and interns who submitted their photographs for the contest. We are always happy to receive photos from AIES Alumni, and of course if we choose to use your photos we will give credit to the photographer.

Brian Hoefgen, my esteemed intern since February, recently began a new Arava Institute internship with the Eco-Paths Department. One of Brian’s responsibilities will be to help organize and run the 2012 Arava Institute Hazon Israel Bike Ride. I will miss having Brian as my assistant, but I know that Brian will be an asset to the 2012 Israel Ride! The Israel Ride will take place from October 31 to November 6, and as of now 60 North Americans will be participating. It’s not too late to join! Learn more about the ride at http://www.hazon.org/programs/israel-ride/.

Thanks to Brian Hoefgen, who diligently helped me collect updates and photos all year for the monthly blog! Thanks to Manar Saria, Amélie Joseph, Lindsey Zemler and Michael M. Cohen for their photos.

Miriam Sharton

Acting Executive Director

A group of international students from the United World College’s Arava Valley of Peace visited Kibbutz Ketura during the week of July 23^rd. The students, ages 16 to 18, are from Israel, the West Bank, and all over Europe. The main focus of their three-week Israel trip is to learn about the Arava Valley, its geography, archaeology and ecology. As part of their stay, Sharón Benheim led some PELS type sessions, and Arava Institute intern Brian Hoefgen, led them on a hike up the mountain ridge directly behind the kibbutz. At the top of the ridge the students looked across at the Jordanian Mountains. What could be a better place to discuss the slogan of the Arava Institute, “Nature knows no borders”?

Miriam Meyers, an Arava Alumna from spring semester 2012 came back to visit the Institute for a few days at the end of July. Miriam reflected on her time at the Arava Institute:

“One strength of this program is that it creates a really unique group of individuals. We lived in a dynamic group of people who agreed on a lot of things, yet there were moments where I felt challenged, hurt or maybe even a bit worried about what people said. It is really amazing that we can all sit in the same room and be challenged by each other, but at the end of the day we are all classmates, co-workers, roommates and good friends. I came out of this program seeing things more closely from different perspectives. Through this program I met people and heard personal experiences and narratives across the political spectrum.”

Miriam grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in Potomac, Maryland. After finishing her B.S. in Soil Science at the University of Maryland, Miriam decided to do environmental work in Israel. Last spring semester Miriam worked with Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed in the Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC). Knowing that the desert has a lot of sunshine and sand, Miriam worked on a project that applies soil conservation techniques in order to reduce dust collection on photovoltaic solar panels and improve their efficiency. She is now traveling in Israel and looking for new opportunities while remaining involved with her project here in the Arava.

Don’t forget to take a look at the most recent article written by David Lehrer and Dr. Clive Lipchin entitled “Israelis, Palestinians must cooperate now on the environment.” The article discusses the importance of trans-boundary resource management between Israel and the West Bank. Read the full article at +972 magazine: http://972mag.com/israelis-and-palestinians-must-cooperate-now-on-the-environment/52322/

We are happy to announce that a MERC (Middle East Regional Cooperation) proposal called Valuing Ecosystem Services Through a Multi-National, Multi-Cultural Lens has been approved and will commence in the coming months. In addition to being part of the Long Term Socio-Ecological Research platforms of Israel and Jordan, this interdisciplinary project combines ecology, sociology and economics. The goal of this project is to use ecosystem service assessment as a platform to integrate local stakeholders into land use policy making. The objective is to research whether people’s perceptions of ecosystem service provision mirror actual conditions in the field. The project will be managed by a Jordanian coordinator, and it will include three masters students in Israel and four research assistants in Jordan. The institute is currently accepting applicants for these positions.

AIES Alumna Tami Fishel got married at Bustan Abu Ghosh in the Jerusalem Hills on Wednesday August 8th! What a beautiful day it was! Ten AIES Alumni attended the ceremony and everybody enjoyed seeing their close friend shine on her wedding day. Both Tami and her husband Gily specialize in the field of Geology, so it seemed appropriate that there were many rock jokes throughout the evening. Congratulations to Tami and Gily!

On Tuesday August 14th our research intern Shmuel Willner met with Russell Robinson, the CEO of the JNF USA. They met in Tel Aviv to discuss the Negev Blueprint development plan and how it is estimated that 500,000 more people will be living in the Negev desert within the next decade. Shmuel Willner is Dr. Clive Lipchin’s intern and he is doing research with the Center for Trans-boundary Water Management. His research entails a detailed impact analysis of the proposed Med-Dead water conveyance project. The aim of this project is to transport water from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea in order to restore decreasing levels of the Dead Sea, while also generating hydro-electricity and freshwater via desalination for regional development.

The Arava Institute research department is now accepting applications for internships for this fall.  For more information or to apply for an internship, please contact Cathie Granit at cathie.granit@arava.org or check out: http://www.arava.org/cat.asp?catid=13&subcatid=95.

Thanks to Sarit Maagan-Rosenfeld, Miriam Meyers, Shmuel Willner and Brian Hoefgen for their pictures.

Miriam Sharton

Executive Director

As an intern at the Arava Institute, Harry worked on two projects.  One project involves using passive air cooling to boost the efficiency of photovoltaic solar panels.  Another project deals with dust collecting on the panels, which can significantly decrease electrical efficiency.  As part of this project Harry finished construction of an environmental chamber which will test an experimental device called an electro-dynamic screen, which uses static electricity to clear off dust particles. Testing of the system will begin in the coming weeks.

After adjusting to the climate difference between a fishing village in Maine and the southern Arava valley of Israel, Harry enjoyed biking and hiking in the desert. Harry was grateful for Tareq’s supervision while working in the peaceful summer desert environment. According to Harry, interns must be self-motivated, as well as wear generous amounts of sun screen. In one word, Harry would describe the Arava Institute as ‘Vibrant.’

On July 16^th, Mark Horenstein, an Electrical Engineering professor at Boston University, visited the Arava Institute. For the past year, Professor Horenstein has been working with Tareq Abu Hamed on a joint project with the Arava Institute, Boston University and Tel Aviv University examining the use of Electro Dynamic Screens (EDS) to clean dust off photovoltaic solar panels. We were delighted to host Professor Horenstein, as well as Mark’s brother Stephen Horenstein, who teaches Music Theory at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and share with them many of the renewable energy projects in the area.

The new JNF dormitories are still under way, and it is estimated that the project will be completed around October.  We are looking forward to housing our fall semester students in the new dorms.

AIES Alumni in Georgetown (except for man on left)

The US State Department Across Borders Chesapeake Bay Program with Dickinson College is well underway. This four week program for emerging environmental professionals from Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority is designed to foster an understanding of how environmental, economic, social and political factors converge to influence policy and practice in the management of trans-boundary environmental resources. We are happy to report that many of the participants on the program, based at Dickinson College in Carlyle Penn., are Arava alumni.  This program is the second component of the Across Borders program.  The first component, that brought young environmental professionals from the US to the Middle East, took place last summer and was hosted by the Arava institute. Find out more about the program at: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/acrossborders/

On Thursday July 19^th, interns Brian Hoefgen and Harry Podolsky and staff member Judy Bar-Lev attended the MASA / Taglit Birthright Fair in Jerusalem at the Bible Lands Museum. There were over one thousand young North-American students who were looking for opportunities to study or volunteer in Israel. Even though the event took place outside the museum during a summer heat wave, our AIES crew enjoyed spreading the word about the Arava Institute and introducing our program to future potential students. We hope to see some of these new faces at the Arava Institute in the coming years.

This week, we were delighted to host 21 young leaders from the JNFutures group. The group was traveling to Israel to learn more about environmentalism and community development in Israel. During their visit, the group heard about establishment of Kibbutz Ketura in 1973 and the founding of the Arava Institute in 1996, as well as the trans-boundary environmental issues in Israel and the region, AIES research departments, our academic program, and the Arava Power Company.  We were pleased to have the opportunity to host the JNFuture group – the gateway for the next generation of the Jewish National Fund.

In just a few weeks, two Arava Institute alumni, Anna Bar-Or and Tamer Jumah, will be spending six weeks in Chicago as part of the JNF Keep Chicago Beautiful (KCB) summer internship program www.kcb.org . For the past several years, in partnership with the Arava Institute and the Chicago JNF, KCB has been hosting two Arava Alumni every summer, one Israeli intern and one Arab intern, to learn about environmental challenges in an urban environment. Interns spend time examining issues related to environmental policy, water management, sanitation, environmental education, recycling, and more, while getting to know the city of Chicago.  We are grateful to the KCB organization and the Chicago JNF for generously opening their homes and sharing their knowledge with our alumni. We are proud to report that many of our KCB interns have used the tools and practical experience gained from the internship to implement programs in their own community, after returning to their home in the Middle East.

We are currently in the process of accepting applications for this fall semester 2012. If you are interested in applying, or know someone who might be interested, please e-mail info@arava.org or check out our website- http://www.arava.org.

Thanks to Branwen Cale, Brian Hoefgen and JNFuture USA for the photos.

Miriam Sharton

Executive Director