Negev Challenge
Halutzit
Visit the desert sands of the Negev and you can see the future of Israel emerging. JNF is supporting a remarkable community of pioneers at Halutzit in the Northern Negev. They have seen their communities dismantled twice in the name of peace, first at Yamit in Sinai, and then at Atzmona, Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip. Now they are building again from nothing, for a third time. In plastic greenhouses they are growing superb sweet peppers and lettuces that you can find on the shelves of top-quality supermarkets and stores in the UK. They are reclaiming the desert sands metre by metre, miraculously growing carrots, artichokes and new potatoes. It is an impressive achievement. The people of Halutzit are dedicating their lives to making the reclaiming of the Negev a reality.
JNF UK is supporting Halutzit by developing the infrastructure these communities need in order to grow and develop. This has included the building of security roads in order to protect the new communities. The current project is the building of a dormitory for the boys’ school, known as the Shamash School for Boys. Currently the children stay in pre-fabricated huts which are hot, cramped and only offer the very basic equipment. This new dormitory will transform the living experience for the boys and make Halutzit a more attractive place for new families to come and live. The dormitory and school will help Halutzit become an educational hub, providing the an educational focus for the surrounding area. This, in turn, will attract new families to move into the communities because of the opportunities available
Case Studies
Sderot Playground
The unusual nature of these happy, normal park scenes is that they are taking place in Sderot, an Israeli town on the border with Gaza. Over an eight year period, more than 10,000 rockets rained down on the town. When the ‘Code Red’ warning sounded, as it would do several times a day, you had 15 seconds to get to a shelter. 15 seconds is not very long. Some people died, many were injured, all were affected psychologically. In the year since Operation Cast Lead, there has been a lull in the rocket attacks.
The people of Sderot have been attempting to reclaim a sense of normality in their lives. In 2009 and 2010, your support raised the funds to build a beautiful park, which is playing an important part in the new life of the town.
The second phase of our commitment to Sderot, to create a striking entrance to the town with a tree-lined boulevard leading to the JNF Park is almost complete. We have also begun to build a wonderful new playground and skateboard park for the young people of the town to enjoy. With 85% of children suffering from Post Traumatic Stress, this latest stage of the project will make a huge difference to their lives.
Will you help the children of Sderot? To support the appeal, you can give online here.
Neot Semedar
In the southern part of the Negev, some 40 miles from Eilat, an unusual community has set up its home. The members try to live their lives in a way that leaves the least impact on the land. Their economy is based largely on agriculture, with fish farming and vegetables complementing 150 dunams of organically cultivated olive orchards. All members and their children join in harvesting the olives manually. Olive oil is produced in a cold press and has been given the highest grade by Israel’s Olive Council.
Members have built an Arts Center with 14 workshops in fields such as Stained glass, ceramics, textile, wood and metals. The unique “desert-facility” is insulated with mud bricks and features a desert cooling tower for “air conditioning”.
By planting trees around the kibbutz, JNF was able to fulfil two of its goals; to continue to make Israel a greener place and to bring life to the Negev Desert. In 2009, a forest at the Kibbutz was dedicated to the memory of the late Emanuel Rosengarten. Seeing trees thrive in this arid area is miraculous and brings an appreciation of how modern technology is benefitting nature.
If you would like to know more about this project or visit it, click here to email us now.
To donate online, please click here.
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