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Witnesses
TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY
Book Launch/Fundraiser - October 14, 2012
Jewish Book Fdir Presentdtion - November 18 2012
Fifty percent of profits go to Jewish Family Services
supporting Holocaust Survivors in need
For more information visit www.iiivirielilnesses.net
1779370
Opportunities Abound in
Israel's Negev Desert
In 2004, Jacob Max stood on a barren hillside in
Israel's Negev Desert trying to share the vision for
the future with his guest. Excitedly, he pointed out
the planned sites of the synagogue, community
center, and park for the new community of Givot
Bar. All his guest saw though, were 25 caravans
perched amid sand dunes, glistening in the harsh
desert sunlight.
Today, Jacob's vision is a reality.
David Ben Gurion, Israel's legendary
first prime minister, believed that the future of
the country depended on the development of the
Negev, a vast, under-populated region representing
60% of Israel's landmass. The Negev was Israel's
greatest asset, its cultivation crucial to long-term
security and prosperity:
Though Israel has developed rapidly,
much of the Negev has lagged behind. It houses
just 10% of the total population while central Israel
grows more
crowded and
expensive
each year.
Many view
this southern
region as
a dusty
backwater,
Children can now play in the 13e'er
far from the
Sheva
River Park, which was once
bustling streets
all
illegal
dumping ground
of Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem. Jewish National Fund (JNF) sees the
Negev as the future.
Through an initiative called Blueprint
Negev, JNF is working to breathe new life into the
dream, developing the Negev in a responsible and
sustainable manner while preserving its unique and
fragile desert ecosystem.
The goal of Blueprint Negev is to improve
quality of life in this Israeli desert and encourage a
population shift to the south. It involves building
new communities like Givot Bar; revitalizing
established cities and towns; creating employment
and education opportunities; promoting tourism;
building parks, playgrounds, schools and medical
facilities; and building water reservoirs and
agricultural infrastructure to bring economic
viability to newly developed areas.
The centerpiece of the campaign is the
transformation of Be'er Sheva, the Negev's largest
city, into a cultural and tourist hub and the true
capital of the Negev. JNF is developing a 1,300-acre
metropolitan park in heart of the city, providing
new leisure opportunities for residents and
changing Be'er Sheva's image into that of a green,
vibrant, modern city. The Be'er Sheva River Park
stretches along five miles of a rehabilitated riverbed
that was once an illegal dumping ground.
Today, landscaped promenades, green
spaces, and walking and bike trails line the
riverbank, and construction is underway on some
of the park's main attractions: a 23-acre man-made
lake; a 12,000-seat amphitheater, Israel's largest
open-air performance venue; and Abraham's Well,
a visitor center showcasing the life of the patriarch
TAT is building new communities in the Negev
Abraham. Plans are also being developed to fill
the dry riverbed with recycled water, creating
a sustainable water source for recreation and
irrigation.
"It feels great to see what's going on here:'
said Adi Ronen, a researcher and lecturer at Ben
Gurion University, who has lived in Be'er Sheva
since 1993. "Before all these changes took place, we
had to drive until we found parks and play spaces
for our kids. Now, not only is there stuff for us to
do here but many more young families are moving
in and it feels like a real vibrant city."
These are more than just projects;
together, they form a vision. And that is what
JNF is all about. Vision. A vision for a strong and
prosperous Israel for generations to come. The
Negev provides the greatest promise for the future.
JNF is privileged to help build that future today.
For information, call 888-JNF-0099 or visit jnf.org
JEWISH
NATIONAL Tow Voice itt Ism(
FUND
1781730
September 13 a 2012
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