W.S.U. B'NAI
in conjunction with
HILLEL-WINDSOR JEWISH STUDENTS' ORGANIZATION
presents
HAYRIDE & DANCE PARTY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13
PINEGROVE FARMS, ESSEX COUNTY
(Canada)
Bus transportation will leave from
the 10 Mile J.C.C. at 7:30 p.m.
Hot Dogs and Dessert Provided
Cash Bar
Non-Members — $11 Members — $10
$2 OFF with mention of this ad prior to Feb. 3rd
For Information Call W.S.U.-Hillel 577.3459
The yaez: A tasty cross between a goat and an ibex.
Matchmaking Scientists
End Up With A ‘Itaez'
LEORA FRUCHT
erusalem — Most farm
animals don't attract
television crews, scien-
tists and curious visitors from
the four corners of the earth.
But then the four-legged
creatures at Kibbutz Lahav
are not your everyday farm
animals.
In fact, this kibbutz in the
middle of the Negev desert is
the only place in the world
where one paricular breed of
farm animal can be found.
That is the yaez
a com-
bination of the ibex (or yael in
Hebrew) and the goat (or ez in
Hebrew). The yaez is found
only here, because it is a "pro-
duct" of the kibbutz.
For the last four years, the
Animal Research Institute of
Kibbutz Lahav, has been
breeding yaezim on a semi-
commercial basis with the in-
tention of eventually turning
this into a new Israel export
industry. "The yaez is a
neutral-tasting, low fat,
delicate meat," says Dan
Ratner, director of Kibbutz
Lahav's Animal Research In-
stitute. "It could in some ways
be compared to veal."
"In scientifically-conducted
taste tests, over 70 percent of
tasters preferred the yaez
meat to either goat or lamb
meat," says Ratner.
"The encouraging results of
this test (administered in
1983) convinced us to proceed
with the breeding on a larger
scale," he says.
Prior to 1983, the research
had been conducted only on
an experimental scale.
At Kibbutz Lahav it took 11
years of research, beginning
in 1972, to iron out many of
the problems inherent in
crossbreeding different
species of animals. But today,
—
the Kibbutz has a healthy
herd of 600 mother yaezim.
"It is very unusual — and
difficult — to crossbreed a
domestic animal with a wild
one," says Ratner.
As a commercially-bred
meat source, though, the yaez
has many advantages over
both the goat and the ibex.
"While goat meat is widely
eaten in North Africa, it is
not a popular dish in the West
because of its very distinct
taste — and smell," says
Ratner. "The meat of the yaez
is neutral in taste and lacks
the smell of goat meat, so that
it could be apealing in
Western countries."
As for the ibex, its meat is
tasty; but it cannot be bred
commercially because it is a
wild animal.
Today, the semi-commercial-
sized herd of 600 produces
aproximately 1,100 offspring
per year. That amounts to ten
to 20 tons of meat, most of
which is bought by local
butchers and delicatessens
which sell it as a gourmet
product.
"We would like to sell herds
of yaezim to other livestock
farmers in Israel, so that
eventually it becomes a large
scale national industry," says
Ratner. "We could either ex-
port the meat directly, as a
delicacy, or sell the breeding
material, in the form of frozen
semen. That would enable
livestock dealers in other
countries to breed their own
yaezim by artifically in-
seminating female goats with
the semen of our yaezim," he
says. "This would be especial-
ly beneficial to countries
which have large populations
of goats. Now, only the milk
of the goats can be sold com-
mercially. With our product,
the offspring of the goats
could be sold as meat.
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Call for Nominees
for
THE BERMAN AWARD
FOR OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
created by Mandell and Madeleine Berman
honoring a Jewish communal professional employed by the
Jewish Welfare Federation or a Federation beneficiary
Presentation Date:
Spring 1988, in conjunction with the
Annual Institute for Jewish Communal Professionals
Eligibility for Nominati,on:
All Jewish communal professionals employed by Federation, its agencies,
or its beneficiaries, who have been working in the Detroit Jewish commu-
nity a minimum of five years.
Criteria for Selection:
The recipient of the Berman Award must demonstrate the highest profes-
sional standards in his/her chosen field. That professional must have:
• made a contribution to the general good of the Jewish
community
• demonstrated leadership and innovation to his/her profession
• applied creativity, dedication, knowledge and care to providing
services to the Jewish community
Nomination Process:
Submit nominations by letter to the Selection Committee. Names of the
nominees shall remain confidential, and they may be renominated in subse-
quent years.
Send nominations, marked confidential, to Michael Berke at the Jewish
Welfare Federation, 163 Madison Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226.
Deadline for Nominations:
March 31, 1988
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
43