You may think
you know JNF.
Over the past 106 years, Jewish National Fund has evolved from an organization
that was known for its blue boxes and tree planting into a worldwide
environmental leader that does so much more. The new JNF provides:
■ Water Projects: JNF continues building
reservoirs to provide viable solutions to Israel's
water shortage. Our 200 projects provide water
to 1.5 million Israelis every day.
■ Jewish Identity: JNF partners with
programs like the Alexander Muss High School
in Israel - a transformative experience that
promotes deep-rooted connections between
American teens and Israel.
■ Community Development: As part
JNF reservoirs provide much needed
water fox Israel's farmers.
of its 10-year, $600 million Blueprint
Negev campaign, JNF is building 25 new
communities in the desert, revitalizing
existing communities, and making great
strides towards transforming the city of Be'er
Sheva with our River Park project.
■ Sderot Indoor Playground: JNF is
developing a 20,000 square foot indoor
playground, exercise and recreation facility
to provide Sderot's youth with a place to have
fun, connect with friends, and be children,
beyond the conflict.
■ Heritage Site Restoration: JNF is
JNF develops security roads to allow
Israelis to travel safely.
committed to protecting more than 250
irreplaceable historic buildings and heritage
sites associated with Israel's rebirth and
history.
Join millions of contributors around the world
and help JNF continue its vital work in caring
for the land and people of Israel.
Get to know us!
Learn more about our work, volunteer,
or make a donation at:
1-888- JNF-0099
www.jnf.org
JNF is working with Israel's new
pioneers to develop the Negev.
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JNF, for
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FORESTRY • WATER • COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT • SECURITY
EDUCATION • RESEARCH • TOURISM & RECREATION • ECOLOGY
August 7 • 2008
iN
Sea from page A23
retreating groundwater washing
away salt deposits that had sup-
ported a surface layer of sand, the
sinkholes have decimated beaches,
nature reserves and agricultural
fields.
Future development along the
northern rim of the sea has been
suspended indefinitely, and the
sinkholes have taken a toll on the
area's roads. Route 90, the Israeli
highway that runs north-south
along the Dead Sea's western shore,
has had to be rebuilt several times
because of sinkholes opening up in
its path.
The shifting groundwater has
wreaked havoc with the natural
oases and springs near the sea.
Some natural habitats have been
destroyed, and with them the
feeding grounds of indigenous
wildlife. Ornithologists say the
annual migration of birds to this
area — the third-largest migra-
tion in the world — has begun to
taper off.
"There is an interest internation-
ally in saving the Dead Sea and this
could also help bring water to the
region that badly needs it;' said Uri
Schor, a spokesman for the Israeli
Water Authority.
Addressing environmentalists'
concerns, he added, "That is why
everything is being checked out
first."
"We need to check all the
options. If the project is deemed
unsuitable, then we won't do it. But
if there are no problems found,
then why shouldn't we pursue it?"
Holds Promise?
Some developers see the project,
dubbed the Red-Dead Canal, as a
potential boon.
Isaac Tshuva, the Israeli real
estate magnate, has answered
President Shimon Peres' vision for
a so-called Peace Valley to be built
along the canal — a corridor of
shimmering skyscrapers, casinos,
man-made lakes and 200,000 hotel
rooms. That's more hotel rooms
than currently exist in Israel.
The vision is for a new tourist
and industrial mecca that planners
hope would draw as many as 3 mil-
lion Israelis to live in the region.
The project, whose scale would
be unprecedented in Israel, has
been described as Las Vegas meets
Dubai in the Arava Desert. Its
detractors roundly condemn it as
an environmental nightmare.
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