Thursday, 15 January CAARI PROGRAM 2015 DAY 4
YOTVATAH KKL AGRITECH RESEARCH &  DEVRLOPMENT CENTER FOR THE SOUTHERN ARAVA AKA SARC
We departed close to 7:30 am to get to the R&D Center by 8:30am.
A special presentstion awaited us including food and drink.
Margerie "Gigi" Strom (originally from New Jersey) presentlyliving at Kibbutz Samar, presented a  multimedia presentation on the difficult conditions of the Arava from sutainability of  agriculture. Pictures below show the introdution she gave explaining what they do at this R & D Center

 

After a detailed explanation we went into the fields with Amnon Greenberg

 

 

Amnon demonstates how the new drip irrigation senses that the soil is dry, that the roots need water and activates a feedback and control system that uses a felt cloth as a sensor for dryness and moisture sensors that turn the drippers on and off according to the dryness.  These sensors are  10 inches 25 cm deep in the soil

 

 

Wild Asses control the weed problem between the palms

Below is a field of virus free garlic developed at Yotvatah SARDC

 

 

 

 

 DOLPHIN REEF VISIT

Next stop for Thursday 15 January was the Dolphin Reef there Mark Weiss and Barbara Kuhn received breifing before swimming with the dolphins

 

 

 

 

Wednesday January 14 CAARI 2015 DAY 3EILAT

CAARI EILAT EXPERIENCE : DAY 1 EILAT EXPERIENCE

 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015 

RED MOUNTAIN THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER AT KIBBUTZ GROFIT +KIBBUTZ KETURA WITH DR. ELAINE SOLLOWAY BOTANICAL EXPERIMENTS 

OUR FIRST STOP: KIBBUTZ GROFIT RED MOUNTAIN THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER - The Neti Steinman Tree: Most trees are planted in memory of some one or remembering a special event. This tree pictured below was planted a few years ago when  CAARI visited the Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center.  It is to honor and show appreciation for one particular CAARI former participant. This tree was planted (pictured below) at the Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center at Kibbutz Grofit as per a request of one or the CAARI senior participants Netti Steinman whose sharp mind and age caused the group to organize this special occasion. She helped plant this tree together with others.  This tree still stands to honor one of the CAARI program's most honorable and respected women participants from Montreal. We send this picture to her taken on Wednesday 14 January to honor her many years of faithful presence on the CAARI program that has been greatly appreciated by all who knew her. The tree is a Chinese Ornamental Orange and planted adjacent to the riding chorals.

The Riding center uses horses as a form or therapy to help and heal children and adults with mental and physical challenges. It receives funding from JNF of America

Tackle room at Red Mountain Riding Center Kibbutz Grofit as explained to us by our host Jill

SECOND STOP: KIBBUTZ KETURA DR. ELAINE SOLLOWAY BOTANICAL TOUR -
We met Elaine at the Methusaleh tree planted a few years ago from one of 8 seeds given to Dr. Solloway from Hadassah Medical Reserch Center that they received from the archaeological dig at Masada in 1963-1965.  It grew to be more than 5 foot so far but is male and although lives well in its own gated community it needs a girl friend to reproduce and make Judean dates that have not been produced in over 2000 years.The dates we eat and grow today are from Morrocco and Iraqand other countries mostly in the Arab world.

After viewing this remarkable tree, the only Judean Date palms on earth today, we went to Dr. Elaine's hothouse where we met some more friends of Methusalah also Judean dates: Judah, Eve, Jonah,, Jeremiah, Ruth and Boaz. They are dates from Qumran that may provide solutions to Methusalah's mating problems. They also date from the first Century CE.

 

Myrrh Frankincense and Balm of Gilead pictures below

 

 

Experimental orchards. We crossed the Arava road route 90 and passed a 110 Acre solar field that soon will generate close to 40 MW of power. This field is located adjacent to this experimental orchard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

      In the picture below one can see the Marula tree, The Blinitis tree or Zakon Mitra. (This may have been the insense burnt in the Temple) and the Neem tree and the Black Pomegranate tree.

 

 

 Large Desert Marula Tree

 

The Marula is from Morrocco and has no thorns like as most desert trees do. It loves heat and does not mind cold. It yields allot of fruit per tree.

 

After our tour of the many botanical experiments we ate lunch and toured the kibbutz with Mike Solloway pictured below speaking to the CAARI 2015 group on the JNF donated benches outside the dinning room

 

 

 

We arrived back to the Prima Music in time for dinner and enjoyed a special speaker Noam Harel whose book Dessert Views was given to all CAARI 2015 participants attending our first speaker in the framework of or 2015 Speakers's Forum.

 

 

Traveling down to Eilat January 13, 2015

Traveling to Eilat - The sun was shining, as CAARI boarded the bus for the beginning of the CAARI program.  Heading south, with the first stop Be'ersheva - Israel's unofficial southern capital.  Those who have not been to here for some time, were surprised at the growth of this city.  Be'er Sheva  goes back to time of Abraham, but the more 'modern' Be'ersheva was built by the Ottomans and today it is a thriving community with a major University, Ben Gurion University, and major medical center, Soroka Medical Center.  

Our first stop was the new amphitheater that was built with the assistance of the Jewish National Fund USA.  Shahar Hermelin, from JNF USA,  met us and  explained the development of the area that has taken place by JNF and other partners, from cleaning up to riverbed to constructing parks, and the vision for the future.  We were are impressed by what has been done and what is going to done.  The next site we saw was a museum about Abraham's Well which is the site of the well which was dug by Abraham in Genesis 21 . The story in Genesis tells of a well which Abraham dug and Abimelech's  servants seized. Abraham gave seven ewe lambs to Abimelech as witness that he dug the well himself. Abimelech accepted the lambs and the two men swore an oath in the place, named Be'erSheva. 

After lunch and a visit to Bell Park, the JNF Montreal Park, we continued south to a visit to David Ben Gurion's Hut, located on Sde Boker Kibbutz.   We saw a wonderful audio-visual presentation about David Ben Gurion's life in the Negev.  It was really excellent- in Ben Gurion's own words.  Our guide, Rachel explained the lives of Paula and the Prime Minister's days on the kibbutz and took us for a tour of their home, the hut! 
A stop for coffee before we continued our journey to Eilat, through passes, curvy roads,  and views of nature's sculptured rocks in the Ramon Crater.  We reached Eilat, checked into the hotel, dinner and a good nights sleep!  
Tomorrow we will be visiting 2 kibbutzim in the Arava.  Looking forward to another interesting day.  

Wishing all of you a good day.
CAARI 2015   

Welcome CAARI 2015 to Israel

CAARI 2015 ARRIVES IN ISRAEL - The first group for the CAARI 2015 arrived in Israel!  They brought sunshine and warmer temperatures.  Former participants arrived  -  happy to see each other and meet new participants from Florida, New Jersey, and Montreal. The pictures are of the orientation meeting.  Tuesday morning we leave for our adventure on the way to Eilat.  Yeah! 

''Tribute to Israel' poem by Brina Abrahams with pictures of tour

Tribute to Israel – Trip 3

By Brina Abrahams

We left our home for Israel

An adventure we did seek.

We joined a group called CAARI

Our curiosity they did peak.

There camaraderie and sense of purpose

Was truly what we found.

Together we traversed the land

And walked on holy ground.

While working in Israel’s forests

We helped clear the cherished land.

It  left us with a feeling that..

was absolutely grand. 

We developed an understanding

Of what it took to thrive.

And how much grit and determination it took

For our people to survive.

In schools we saw the children

with bright and smiling faces.

To Israel their families came

From strange exotic places. 

Tel Aviv is such a beautiful city

Bathed in sunshine we walked its’ shores.

It has a uniqueness like not other

This city we really do adore!

Each Shabbat morning

We joined a different group in prayer.

When granted and aliah, Ron felt…

We truly belonged here!

As we traveled from place to place

Each had it own story to tell.

And Neil our trusty guide

Knew the history oh so well.

Susan kept us organized

And counted us off, each and everyday.

Made sure that we found sheritim

And that no one went astray.

Jerusalem, the Holy City

With mosques, churches, and synagogues galore.

The Wall, Museums and Gardens

Did we explore. 

Visits to Gush Etzion and Yad VaShem

Always make me cry.

I don’t think I’ll really understand

Why so many had to die.

And so during this month of February

Throughout Israel did we roam.

We’re grateful to CAARI for the experience

But we’re ready to return to our home!

And so to Israel, my adopted homeland

To visit once again, I yearn.

Until then I’ll wait and pray and dream about

The day when I will return.

Memorials - from ashes to redemption - February 26

Today is our  last day of CAARI 2014 and to our surprise we began the day with chilly temperatures and  rain – yes rain…something we have not seen during the CAARI program this year.  It was the first time we had to use our umbrellas – but for only a short time as the sun did come out.  Our first stop was the beautiful memorial and forest, known as Yad Kennedy. This Memorial is dedicated to John F. Kennedy.  As the past year was the 50^th anniversary of assassination, it seemed an appropriate time to visit this unusual site.  We were met by Andy Michaelson, from JNF Israel (KKL World Head Quarters) who eloquently explained the memorial, the meaning and more important, how it is used by Israeli school children’s learning experience.  In fact, while we were there, two buses of children visited.  Inside the Memorial, each of us read a quote by President Kennedy, many so appropriate for today.  The forest area has many paths for hiking and bike riding and frequented by many.

Our next stop was a visit to Mount Herzl, Israel’s National Cemetery, to remember those who had the vision and dedicated themselves to building of the State of Israel.  We concluded the day with a visit to Yad Vashem.  Many of the group had not been to the renovated Museum.  This Museum is the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust as it safeguards the memory of the past and imparts its meaning for future generations.  As we solemnly walked through the exhibits we thought about those that have passed and those that have built this country those that continue make it a strong and viable nation.  That is the real testament to Yad Vashem – the strength and worth of Israel and its people!