by Sherri W. Morr I mean to travel light; I just cannot seem to pull it off. When going to Israel for example, I start with several pair of khakis, jeans, sun dresses, and around 20 tee shirts (the requisite 2 for each day). But then all my insecurities come out and things get thrown in … fancy dress or two in case of unanticipated upscale event, jackets in case of extreme cold, rain wear because you never know, an assortment of shoes that would bowl over any security guard, and of course beach attire, because well, its Israel and who knows, I may get to the beach. That’s just the clothes. It’s the emotions that take up the most room when I travel to Israel. This past week along with the Carmel Forest fires raging, my own emotions have flared. After all, these are our trees that … Continue Reading
Rules of Engagement: Greening Jewish Institutions
by Ezra S. Shanken "When God created the first human beings, God led them around the Garden of Eden and said: ‘Look at my works! See how beautiful they are - how excellent! For your sake I created them all. See to it that you do not spoil and destroy My world; for if you do, there will be no one else to repair it’.” (Midrash Kohelet Rabbah, 1 on Ecclesiastes 7:13). With a start like this, one cannot help but believe that the Jewish community must be at the forefront of the green revolution - but are we? Here are thoughts about the Jewish environmental movement, and what all Jewish institutions can do if they wish to go from lagging to leading in this global endeavor, from three people leading the green charge. Scott Cassel is the executive director of the Product Stewardship Institute … Continue Reading
Assessing and Rebuilding in Israel’s North
The worst fire in the history of the State of Israel has been brought under control and the process of assessing needs and rebuilding has begun. According to the JNF, "At least 42 people have died, 25,000 were evacuated, homes were lost and more than 12,500 acres of forests destroyed. JNF foresters estimate over 5 million trees were burned and initial estimates put the total cost of damage to the region at about $75 million. The extent of the burnt area is comparable in size to 40% of Jerusalem or no less than 7,142 football fields." With residents slowly returning to their homes, the dismantling of the emergency command headquarters at the University of Haifa, the immediate crisis has passed. As the needs assessment begins, by both the Government and individual organizations, here are a … Continue Reading
Ministry of Tourism and JNF Work Together on Forest Restoration
In a special emergency meeting held today, the Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with representatives of the KKL-JNF USA, decided to embark on a wide-ranging joint operation to raise funds among both the American Jewish community and the thousands of American Evangelical Christian communities for the rehabilitation of the Carmel forest region, destroyed during the fire that has raged in recent days. Fundraising campaigns aimed at forest restoration will begin this week in both communities with a view to planting trees to rehabilitate the Carmel forest area during Tu Bishvat, which falls next on January 20, 2011. The Tourism Ministry and KKL-JNF USA have recently begun to cooperate promoting incoming environmental tourism and religious tourism - Jewish and Evangelical Christian, which includes … Continue Reading
Fundraising Efforts Launched in Response to Israel Forest Fires
While the fire in Israel's north continues to burn out of control, there is optimism that with the arrival of fire-fighting helicopters from Greece, Turkey and the U.K., along with a contingent of 100 Bulgarian firefighters, the fire will shortly be contained. An aircraft from Russia is also en-route. Many other countries, including Egypt, Azerbaijan, Spain, Croatia, France and Jordan are providing various types of assistance. 15,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes including the religious settlement of Nir Etzion and Druze villages on the Carmel. Many of the evacuees have found their own solutions. The Jewish Agency can immediately provide housing for 2000, if needed. Both the Jewish Agency and JDC have activated emergency networks and are in close contact with the various … Continue Reading
Ramah as an Incubator for New Ideas
Philanthropic Dollars a Sign of Confidence in the Ramah Model of Jewish Camping and Staff, leadership Development by H. Glenn Rosenkrantz When the newest Ramah camp opened this past summer, it was watched closely by those in the funding world who had put considerable dollars behind it. Ramah Outdoor Adventure, at Ramah in the Rockies, was designed and marketed as the first-ever overnight, Kosher, shomer Shabbat camp with an intense wilderness experience element. Not quite Outward Bound, but close. The first season attracted 120 campers from 17 states and all regions of the country - plus Canada and Israel - to a remote and dramatically set 360-acre ranch nestled in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, 90 minutes from Denver. There, extreme adventure and environmental education … Continue Reading
A Strong, Involved – and Misdiagnosed – Generation
by Gabrielle Carlin and Andy Ashwal Much has been written about the future of the Jewish people hood; specifically, today’s leaders are concerned with the erosion of the next generation’s involvement in the traditional philanthropic Jewish community. Summarily, the concerns range from a lack of a sense of collective responsibility on the part of Americans Jews under the age of 35 to despair that today’s young Jews are increasingly disconnected from the State of Israel. Such is not the case. We have truly been misdiagnosed as a generation more concerned with ourselves than our people hood. Having only heard today’s leaders speak about tomorrow’s generation, it is time for us - the generation under scrutiny - to weigh in. As the Campaign Executive for Jewish National Fund’s JNFuture … Continue Reading
J Street, Elections and the WZO
Forty-five minutes late and with an auditorium 3/4 empty, the 36th Zionist Congress came to order in Jerusalem yesterday morning. And, as to be expected from an organization where 30% of the seats are held by member's of the Knesset, the day was filled with political infighting and threats of walk-outs. Warring political factions and scheming local politicians were united with one overriding goal - easy jobs. The Congress, considered irrelevant by most, though might ultimately make history in some unexpected ways. While the media, including eJewsih Philanthropy, has been focused on the entry of Shas, the Sephardi haredi party, into the organization, the fact that J Street also now has a seat at the table sets up the possibility of some fascinating dialogue in the future. For the World Zionist … Continue Reading
Who Will Head KKL-JNF?
One month to go until the next meeting of the World Zionist Congress and the fighting for 'plum appointments' is in high gear. from The Jerusalem Post: Barak must hold vote for JNF head The Labor Party's Executive Committee will hold what is expected to be a stormy meeting at the Land Of Israel Museum in Tel Aviv Sunday night after an internal party court ruled that Labor chairman Ehud Barak cannot appoint his ally, Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon, as world chairman of KKL-JNF. ... Labor officials said it was premature to deal with the KKL-JNF chairmanship when it is still unclear whether Labor will even be given the post in coalition talks in the World Zionist Congress that will not begin before next month. … Continue Reading
JNF Responds to Conflict Charges
JNF has responded, through Haaretz, to an article in an Israeli business publication, about the investment in the Arava Power Company. JNF sheds light on solar deal Keren Kayemet L'Israel-Jewish National Fund slammed a report this month in Globes that slammed its contract with a local solar energy company. Calling it "one of the strangest deals in its 110-year history," the Israeli business paper Globes last month described alleged problems in KKL-JNF's $3 million investment in APC, a company located in Kibbutz Ketura that builds photovoltaic solar farms in the country's south. The report lists factors that turned the deal "from exceptional to almost mysterious." For example KKL-JNF never issued a tender before making the investment; its management never brought the deal before the board of … Continue Reading
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