JNF Parsons Water Fund Update
One of the three drilling sites in the Upper Galilee
Water purification system at the Ramon Air Force Base
bacteria requires three months to grow to an effective mass and will be ready by November 2011.
Stanley M. Chesley I have been involved in the philanthropic world for most of my adult life so I feel com-
fortable saying that most non-profits have vision. They have a goal, a reason for existing, a campaign for which to fundraise. But I have also been in the philanthropic world long enough to know that it is not vision that makes a non-profit vital, it is the realization of that vision that gives it legs and breathes life into its being. JNF’s vision is the real thing. Ideas here don’t just take up space on paper or end in the board room. They are debated, researched, put to the fiscal responsibility test, and finally, actualized. They give life to Zionism, to the land and people of Israel and to you, our cherished and valued donors. Many are your ideas and in this issue of B’Yachad you will see how they have come to life. JNF CEO Russell Robinson likes to say that in Jewish philanthropy, there has always been an expectation that the organization determines the objectives. And the organization is usually defined by small groups of people that make up a board of directors or executive officers. Not so at JNF. This is the most open, donor-directed, donor-friendly organization I have ever come across. And just look at how much it has accomplished. Drought has become the headline of late across the world, but more than 10 years ago JNF began to address the issue of water. Our 220 reservoirs and counting are already contributing 12% to Israel’s water economy, putting food on the tables of Israel’s residents. Our R&D stations help the Arava’s farmers stay competitive in the global markets and they are responsible for 60% of Israel’s produce exports. Our Sderot Indoor Recreation Center has given Sderot’s children a safe place to play away from the terror of rocket attacks. And our Blueprint Negev campaign, a grand campaign deemed impossible by some, is making a vast difference in the quality of life of the Negev’s residents and paving the way for 60% of Israel’s land mass to be known for its wondrous wealth of spirit, openness, creative ability, and potential – now and in the future. Some say it takes a village; I say it takes a partnership. With fantastic people at the helm of this organization and you, our trusted donors, we have done and will continue to do wonderful things with our other partners – the land and people of Israel. With my very best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year. The production capacity of the constructed wetlands is 23.3 million gallons of useable water. The Ramon Air Force Base needs 1.6 million gallons to maintain JNF’s Essence of Life Park and satisfy all of its other irrigation needs. The remainder will be used for nearby agriculture. Farming is the main industry in the region, so water is a major commodity. The
constructed wetlands will produce water in an area that doesn’t have any. The Air Force Base plans to provide the water to Kibbutz Sde Boker and other neighboring communities. This will require building a pipeline through which to funnel the water. For more information, contact Pnina Dor at 212-879-9305 x262 or pdor@jnf.org.
3 JNF.org
The Shamir Drill The Shamir Drill project, which accesses water from a one-mile deep underground aquifer in northern Israel, has been critical in adding to Israel’s water economy. The total production capacity of Shamir is 6.6 billion gallons of water per year; in comparison, a large JNF reservoir provides approximately 265 million to 800 million gallons per year. The Shamir Drill will satisfy over 1% of Israel’s total annual water needs, every year. Two drills are already operational, and a third will be completed by December 2011. The multi-million dollar initiative was made possible by a generous donation from the Gruss Lipper Family Foundation. The population of northern Israel is not large enough for a viable waste water recycling program, so farmers in the region currently have limited alternatives to using fresh water from the Jordan River for irrigation, which in turn decreases the amount of water that flows to the Kinneret. The water from the Shamir Drill – which still needs to be treated in order to be used for irrigation – will be a lifeline for hundreds of agricultural families in the Western Galilee and the Golan Heights, Israel’s “Bread Basket.” To reach the Golan Heights, a piping system that can overcome an elevation difference of 2,400 feet between the drill sites and the Golan must be built. The farmers’ allocation of water will now come from the Shamir Drill, free-
Ramon Air Force Base Constructed Wetlands Israel’s military bases – many of which are in remote areas and not connected to the main sewage system – dump raw sewage with minimal to no treatment. This is harmful to the environment, contaminating the underground water aquifers and affecting water that can be used in the future. The Ramon Air Force Base Constructed Wetlands, a large-scale pilot project, is designed to provide water for irrigation of the air force base’s Essence of Life Park, built by JNF, and provide a safe disposal of effluents. The project is nearly completed; the treatment facility is there. To irrigate crops safely, the water must be purified to the tertiary level, accomplished by adding bacteria and specialized aquatic plants in gravel ponds to the water. The
A MEssage from Our President Jewish National Fund
ing up the water from the Jordan River to flow to the Kinneret, and raising its water level. The Shamir Drill also offers a great economic opportunity: the Upper Galilee Regional Council intends to build a spa that will utilize water from the Shamir Drill, as it is hot and rich in minerals.