The Australian Educators’ Study Tour spent its 8th day in Israel in the Arava, learning about the challenges and triumphs of building communities, growing crops and raising and educating children in this harsh desert region.
To truly understand the authentic pioneering spirit of Israel, a visit to
the Arava is a must. It is only after you meet people that have chosen to live in the desert, to make the wilderness flourish and blossom, and to make vegetables grow in the sand, that can you truly comprehend the miracle of the State of Israel.
On the eighth day of their study tour around Israel with KKL-JNF’s Overseas Education Department, a
delegation of Australian educators traveled to the Arava and learned about the challenges that confront residents that wish to farm in the desert, build communities and educate Israel's young generation.
Growing veggies in the desert
The delegation kicked off its tour with a visit to the Ben HaShitin Farm in Moshav Hatzeva, where visitors can experience agricultural work first hand and taste vegetables that were harvested directly from the fields.
"We would not have been able to build this farm without the help of the KKL-JNF", said
Michal Melzer, the farm's director.
"Growing vegetables in the Arava poses many challenges – it is hot, it is dry, and the
groundwater is salty," explained
Ido Bitran, a grower working on the farm.
But the teachers did not come to the Arava to just to hear lectures, they came to work and feel the soil and planted crops with their bare hands. They got ready, rolled up their sleeves, and become farmers for a few hours. The educators planted, picked and then cooked vegetables over a bonfire. There is no better meal than one prepared yourself from field to table.
"It's a real miracle to see plants growing here in the Arava", said
Eli Erez of Bialik College in Melbourne. "We got to plant our own vegetables and be part of this miracle". The last time he visited Israel was 30 years ago. "I feel as if I have returned home, because Israel is part of me".
The farm is operated by the Ben Hashitin Association, which was established by members of the second generation of farmers in the Arava, with the goal of strengthening settlement in the area and operating Zionist education programs for young people.
"Education is a key issue in our society", said
Avishay Berman, the Association's director. "Agricultural work by young people preserves the Israeli spirit".
On agriculture and geography
From the farm, the delegation continued on to the Vidor Center – a visitor’s centre that has established itself as a window into agriculture in the Arava. The Vidor Centre was established with the support of JNF Australia and KKL-JNF, in honor of Australian philanthropists Ervin and Lottie Vidor.
Members of the group enjoyed an immersive experience through the various interactive displays: a sand table with computerized projection system that illustrates topographical processes every time the sand is moved; information about agricultural crops at the touch of a button; and video recordings behind cabinets on families living in the Arava. The center also exhibits live cherry tomato and mini-pepper crops behind display cabinets, biological pest control, and even a beehive and fish tank.
During a tour of the
agricultural R&D center, the delegation learned how vegetable and flower varieties are developed especially for Arava growers.
Oded Keinan, Director of the Arava Children's Science Center, which was established with the support of JNF Australia and KKL-JNF, said: "Our goal is to mediate between scientific research, agriculture and education".
Israeli know-how goes global
The delegation's next stop was AICAT – the Arava International Center for Agricultural Training. Students from various countries in Africa and the Far East come to the center to study agriculture. At the end of their studies, they return to their countries of origin with knowledge and confidence that it is possible to farm successfully even under the harshest conditions. More than 1,000 students from 16 different countries study at the Center every year.
The training center, which was established in cooperation with KKL-JNF, is an example of how Israeli know-how can help developing countries. Presently, in an era in which desertification processes are encroaching into many parts of the world,
Israeli expertise has become more important than ever.
Noa Zer, Director of Resource Development at the Central Arava Regional Council, said: "After the students discover that it is indeed possible to make the desert bloom, they understand that with a lot of hard work and knowledge, nothing is impossible."
Kenneth, who heads the group of Kenyan students, said he finished his studies a year ago and has now returned to help new students study in Israel. "I was inspired here, and believe that every dream can be realized," he said.
The delegation stopped for some much-needed rest in the nearby
Sapir Park, a charming green oasis. Anyone who had never seen ducks gliding on a lake in the heart of the Arava desert had never witnessed a truly surreal scene.
On their way from the Arava to the Dead Sea, the group drove along the
Peace Road, a route that runs alongside the border between Jordan and Israel. They stopped to look at the view from the Peace Observatory, which also includes a center dedicated to friends of KKL-JNF who contributed to the development of the Arava. Naturally, the teachers felt proud to see their own schools listed among the Friends of the Arava.
Learning through dance
In the evening, all the members of the delegation participated in a workshop entitled "Man is like a Tree of the Field". The educators explored a dimension of learning through dance, as they used this medium to learn about the
trees of the Land of Israel, Bible stories and the history of the Jewish people.
"For me, this tour revealed new aspects of Israel that I did not know existed," said
Claire Morton of the King David School in Melbourne. "We saw nature, mountains, forests, animals and desert, met communities and learned a lot about the KKL-JNF's diverse activities."