From Africa to China, How Israel Helps Quench the Developing World's Thirst

The untold story of Israeli hydrodiplomacy, from the 1950s until now.

Seth M. Siegel for Mosaic

In November 1898, Theodor Herzl arranged a meeting with the German emperor, Wilhelm II, to obtain help in creating a Jewish state in the land of Israel. In their conversation, the Kaiser praised the work of the Zionist pioneers, telling Herzl that, above all else, “water and shade trees” would restore the land to its ancient glory. Four years later, Herzl had a lead character in his political tract-cum-novel Altneuland (“Old-New Land”) say of Jewish settlement in Palestine: “This country needs nothing but water and shade to have a great future.” Another character predicts that the water engineers of the Jewish homeland will be its heroes.

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First Tree after Shmita Year Planted by Bavarian Agriculture Minister

By KKL-JNF for JPost.com

On September 16, the day after Rosh Hashanah, Bavarian Minister of Agriculture and Forest Management Mr. Helmut Brunner planted an olive tree near the Kennedy Memorial in the Judean Hills.

The tree was the first to be planted directly in the ground following the Jewish Year 5775, which was a fallow (shmita) year.

“This symbolic tree planting is not only in honor of cooperation between Israel and Germany in the past, but also a symbol of future cooperation between our two countries,” said Mr. Helmut Brunner, Minister of Agriculture and Forest Management of the State of Bavaria, before planting an olive tree in Peace Forest on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Minister Brunner was visiting Israel together with a delegation of about 20 members of parliament from all parties, researchers, economic experts and ministry officials. During their visit, the Bavarian delegation will be studying Israeli achievements in irrigating rural areas and eco/agri tourism, along with other fields of activity.

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New microbrew made from Boston river water — with Israeli tech

By Penny Schwartz for JTA

BOSTON (JTA) — An Israeli-founded water purification company has teamed up with Boston-based Harpoon Brewery to channel the once-famously polluted Charles River into a new beer.

Desalitech, which started in Israel seven years ago and then moved to Boston, is using its patented technology to provide water for Harpoon’s Charles River Pale Ale. The limited-edition beer is on tap this week at Boston’s HUBweek, a weeklong science and art festival.

Desalitech president Nadav Efraty said helping to produce the beer is part of his company’s mission to better the environment.

“Water scarcity is a global challenge that affects millions across the world – we are proud to be a Massachusetts company that is providing solutions and making an impact here in the U.S. and beyond,” he said in a statement.

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Jewish Eco Seminars

jewishecoseminars.com

Jewish Eco Seminars is proud to feature a wealth of new Jewish environmental teachings.
ShiloFrom food, energy and waste to consumerism, Shabbat and prayer, the materials cover eighteen topics on Judaism and ecology. Each of the 18 topics includes a short article (800 words) with a brief overview of the topic for blogs and articles; a long article (2000-2500 words) for in-depth study of the topic; a study guide with Hebrew/English sources and discussion questions for chavruta study or group learning, a podcast with a teaching on this topic; and a short video for sharing.

The materials were developed by Canfei Nesharim in partnership with Jewcology.com and released as a “Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment.”  The director of Jewish Eco Seminars, Rabbi Yonatan Neril, worked with Canfei Nesharim on a consulting basis in developing the materials on all eighteen topics.

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