resident "s Column by Eli A. Scher; KEREN KAYEMETH tEISRAEl declaration of peace between Israel and Jordan is a triumph made possible by agreement on many water-related issues. Israel, which consumes approximately one million cubic meters per day for home use, needs to protect and expand its water resources even as it helps Jordan. In August 1994, even before the treaty was finalized, Israel responded to a severe shortage of water in Jordan caused by a very warm winter. Israel transferred four million cubic meters of water from the Yarmuk River to Jordan to be used for drinking purposes in Irbid and Amman, Jordan's two main cities. The official fifteen-page treaty provides that Israel give Jordan 40 million cubic meters of Yarmuk River water annually. Ten million more will be provided through desalination of brackish sources near the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee). No water will be taken from, the Kinneret. The treaty also stated that beyond this 50 million meters, the two countries will construct two dams and a pumping station on the Yarmuk and Jordan Rivers. The dam on the Yarmuk will be built at Adasiyah. Israel will approach other countries to ask for financing. While Israel and Jordan have cemented their neighborly relationship into what Arab specialist Professor Dan Schueftan of Haifa University calls a "very warm" peace, reaching accord with Syria on issues of water will require overcoming many stub- born obstacles. Israel cannot use water as a bargaining chip in negotiating with Syria because Syria gets much of its water from the Eu- phrates and has no need for Israel's water. Instead Syria wants a return to pre-1967 conditions under which it controlled the east bank of the upper Jordan River and the northeast shore of the Kinneret. Israel must retain access to the tributaries which feed the upper Jordan and Lake Kinneret. Israel must also have guarantees that Syria will not pollute Israeli-bound water. Even so, buoyed by the success of the Israel-Jordon peace agreement, Israel and the world look for solutions to the Israel- Syria stalemate. Each of us has an opportunity to participate in the process that is taking those desert lands across which enemies have con- fronted each other for generations and turning them into vibrant, fertile, life-giving forces. We can assist the process that will bring together groups and ideas, that will turn old enemies into new friends, disunity into unity, discord into harmony, and war into peace. This truly is a goal worthy of a lifetime. NF Stresses 7-)pv4.47, 9rrient Of FR This year, the Negev will be the principal focus of JNF's work. Initiated jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Jew- ish Agency and JNF, a develop- ment program for the Negev has been formulated to include reclamation of thousands of acres of agricultural land in the Arava; planting thousands of acres of citrus groves in the northern Negev; constructing reservoirs and dams to expand the region's water economy; building hothouses for agricul- ture in the Arava; preparing fish breeding ponds; and develop- ing tourism sites and parks. Some $300 million will be in- vested in this program over the next four years. JNF Alleviates Unemployment 17100 West 10 Mile Road Southfield, MI 48075 Phone 557-6644 FAX: (313) 557-2412 The 1995 Israeli Budget marks the third consecutive year of this unique program which provides 3,500 temporary jobs for new immigrants and demo- bilized soldiers alike, sponsored by JNF jointly with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare. The project helps. reduce un- employment, which mush- roomed in the wake of the mass exodus from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia, and facili- tates accelerated development of rest and recreation sites in JNF forests. We mourn the loss of: MIRI- AM RHODES, HYMAN SABB- OTA, CLARA WEISBERG and ETTIE WEISMAN. JNF Maccabi.„., Sports Area Has Matching Funds Israel is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The desert covers 60 percent of the land of Israel. The area that can support a population is truly slender. The band bordered by Jerusalem in the east and Tel Aviv in the west has a particularly large concentration of people, and comprises the nation's largest metropolitan area. Because we wanted to give something to the people of Israel that would help families,. espe- cially children, and because we are so impressed with the extent and quality of the work done by the Jewish National Fund in Is- rael, we are sponsoring a special sports and recreation area - the Maccabiah Sports Area in the Ben Shemen Forest. Facilities will include jogging and walking paths, mountain bike trails, observation points, tourist centers, archaeological sites, forest sports centers, forest navigation routes, rope climbing stations, and exercise spots along the area's many hiking trails. Over two and a half million people visited this forest last year, nearly twice the number who live in the region. How is this possi- ble? Families come several times a year, and tourists visit as well. The park will be situated near the place where the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army of An- tochus Epiphanes nearly two thousand years ago. The reded- ication of the Temple of Jerusalem after the Maccabeean victory is celebrated during the festival of Chanukah. We are now rededicating ourselves to this pro- ject by establishing a matching fund to see it through to com- pletion. When you send a contribution for the Maccabiah Sports Area, we will match it! So your gift will be worth double the amount you send. By supporting this project you will help improve the quality of life for Israelis. Please send your contribution today, and help children, adults, citizens and tourists - all the peo- ple of Israel. Allen K. Fox Suzan Fox Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tu B`Shevat 575L, This year's Tu B'Shevat pro- gram throughout the schools is proving to be another successful year. The monies from the schools are still being counted. Watch for more details in our next JNF NEWS issue. JNF Extends A Speedy Recovery To: DR. FRED BLUM, BETTY ELLIAS, BEA FEIGELMAN, SADIE GOREN, BETTY NO- SANCHUK, MELVILLE RICH- MAN, JERRY SANFIELD and GRANT SILVERFARB. GoideL Subscry,.et. February 2 3, Gw Golden Book subscribers help the JNF continue land reclama- tion in Israel. We salute the fol- lowing contributors of Golden Books as of February 23: EDITH KOLODNEYJACK & MIRIAM SHENKMAN; IRVING & FLORENCE HERMELIN, DOREEN & DAVID B. HER- MELIN; FRANK & BETTY EL- LIAS. Garden Donors Enrolled As Of February 23, "I 995: We acknowledge with sincere appreciation the following gar- den donors who enrolled in the Michigan Garden Club as of Feb- ruary 23: BEA 8c JULIUS FEIGELMAN, ARNOLD FEIGELMAN, RAB- BI/CANTOR EDWARD & VIVI- ENNE FEIGELMAN and DR. MICHAEL & LINDA ELMAN; MR. & MRS. DAVID GILL. Questions Wanted Answe: cvnrie - . Mazel Toy To: MAX SOSIN on the birth of his Great Grandson. GREGG & SHELLY BRODSKY KEPES on the birth of their son, Samuel Brodsky Kepes. HUGHES & SHEILAH POTIKER on the birth of their Twin Grand- daughters, Danielle and Cara. Our congratulations and best wishes to all! Q. Is there an advantage to sending in a donation with my Membership form? A. Yes! Your first donation, mailed in with the membership form, earns you double points. Q. Can my company or orga- nization join Frequent Funder? A. No! Only individuals may sign up for the program.