... may the New Year be one of joy, happiness and prosperity for all mankind Sour Grapes In The Desert? DAN GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS THE JEWISH NEWS STAFF And Their Families extend heartiest greetings to the entire Jewish Community ofMichigan with gratitude for the splendid cooperation that has enabled us to work together for good community spirit. Charles A. Buerger Arthur M. Horwitz Marianne Taylor Brian Lawrence Alan Hitsky Elizabeth Applebaum Phil Jacobs Jennifer Finer Glenn Triest Seymour Manello Illana Greenberg Gail Zimmerman Danny Raskin Rick Nessel Kathy Johnson Barbara Lopez Danny Samson Tobie Kuppe Betsy Leemon Lisa Marshall Art Shafer Dharlene Norris Marlene Miller Karen Indig Cheryl Grant Dena Jacobs Sylvia Stafford Marla Cooper Cathy Ciccone Curtis DeLoye Ralph Orme Gayle Baldi Debbie Schultz Jill Davidson Sklar Carla Jean Schwartz Burt Chassin Sharon Brown Linda McCarthy Ruth Littmann Kris Morgan Julie Edgar Mary McMahon Paula Smith Carolyn Stankiewicz Ann Abrams Patty McMurray Susan Brooks Robin Magness Robyn Katz Phil Smith Morris Bednarsh, Anthony Ferrari & Chris Schornack Extend 1.1.! C../) w Hearty Wishes To Our Customers and Friends For A Very Healthy and Happy NEW YEAR CC LU LU M.B. JEWELRY 22 DESIGN & MEG. LTD. Applegate Square Northwestern Hwy. at Inkster (810) 356-7007 olan, Gamla and Yarden are Israeli synonyms for good wine. In late March, an unusual experiment was launched by the Jewish Agency — a vineyard in the Negev desert irrigated with salt- water. Should it succeed, anoth- er name may be added to the fine wine list. The seven acres of vines were planted near Kibbutz Sde Boker on the Beersheva-Eilat highway as part of the Jewish Agency's Negev-Arava rural and develop- ment activities. The success of this experimental vineyard may lead to the planting of another 120 acres in nearby Ramat Ov- dah, at a cost of $18 million. It will create new jobs in the area and could also prompt the construction of a new "wine route" in the desert which would be integrated into both high-tech agriculture, tourism and indus- try. Yet, the most intriguing part of this project is that vines will be irrigated by salty water, pumped locally from the Qinoman Aquifer. 'The last grape growers in this region were the Nabateans (300 BCE to 100 BCE)," says Yi- gal Yerushalmi, director of the Negev region in the Rural and G al and Urban Development, claims otherwise. "The quality of the wine — most of which is slated for export — will depend on a combination of the height of the vines, the dif- ference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in the desert and the salinity of the wa- ter." Hall goes according to plan, she says, the results will come in the shape of vintage Chardonnet, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot — at three different degrees of salinity. Its success may also prompt the es- tablishment of a local winery with subsequent employment and tourism spin-offs. Still dubious? Well, according to Professor Serruya, several quality wineries have already ex- pressed interest in the first yields before planting has even com- menced. While the plan on paper seems far from dry, medium dry or even sweet, the wine in the glass will be a litmus test for the connoisseurs. El Haifa Team Studies Dolphins Haifa — More than 200 sightings of a pod of 900 dolphins off the Mediterranean coast of Israel have been reported to a Haifa University team studying these marine mammals over the past two years. This is the first time that facts and figures about "Is- raeli" dolphins have been pub- Urban Development Department lished. The team, led by Oz Goffman, of the Jewish Agency. "And no one has ever irrigated grapes a graduate student in the uni- with salty water. This will rep- versity's Department of Marine resent a major breakthrough in Civilizations, presented its find- agriculture and, particularly, in ings to a recent meeting of the Is- rael Zoological Society held in viticulture." The saltwater irrigation sys- Haifa. The survey of wild dol- tem, he claims, not only over- phins, including data on strand- comes the natural problem of the ed dolphins, has been carried out availability of sweet water in the since February 1993. The objective of the dolphin re- arid Negev desert, but also has other advantages. According to search is basic study. But Mr. experimental research, the salt- Goffman also wants to be able to water will actually enhance the save the stranded dolphins in the level of natural sugars in the fruit area in the future. Most of those and since it is pumped from a inspected were very thin and gen- depth of 1,000 meters, the salin- erally in an unhealthy state. The ization of adjacent sweet water team is setting up a safeguard reservoirs — where traces of salt- network based on volunteers. The information on the "Is- water were recently detected — raeli" dolphins was obtained will be prevented. If skepticism still glues your mostly from trawler fishermen lips together at the thought of a through the Israeli fisherman's throat full of salty wine, Profes- radio. Occasionally photographs sor Colette Serruya, director of were also transmitted. More de- research and development for the tailed information was obtained Negev-Arava region in the Jew- from encounters nearer the coast ish Agency's Department of Rur- as well as from the observation Turning salt into wine. .