The award was granted for the “Greywater Recycling Initiative“,an innovative, cross-sector collaboration of academia, government, business and third sector, aimed at making greywater recycling a reality in Israel’s urban areas.

Additional awards of excellence were granted for technological innovation, an educational environmental initative, an academic environmental program and a ‘green’ city.

The ceremony took place Tuesday evening, June 29 at The Israel Trade Fairs Center , Tel Aviv.

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Three years ago, Green Course formed a coalition of advocates, residents, the local municipality, the ISPNI and others, determined to restore Ein Zahav to its former glory. Thanks to the leadership of Green Course and the hard work of all those involved, the Water Authority has agreed to stop pumping mineral water and to give Ein Zahav back to the residents of Kiryat Shmona.

LOTEM, Integrated Nature Studies is a not-for-profit organization which offers educational activities in nature to people with special needs. LOTEM’s target population includes children and adults who are visually and hearing impaired, physically and intellectually challenged, and emotionally disturbed. It also includes women and children in danger of physical and emotional abuse.

Ruach Tova, or the Good Spirit Organization, was responsible for sending the volunteers to the farm as part of an initiative called Good Deeds Day. During the day, 70,000 participants took part in 1,000 different projects throughout the country. The 18 people working at LOTEM’s ecological farm consisted of a group of 9 special needs teenagers, 6 volunteers from QualiTest and 3 volunteers from Marvell Semiconductor Israel Ltd., which is located in Yokneam. In addition to its volunteer work, Marvell has been funding programs at LOTEM for the past three years.

Remaining in good spirits throughout the day, the volunteers planted flowers, painted buildings and helped to clean out hidden corners of the farm. All the necessary equipment was generously donated by Ruach Tova.

This was truly a day of special deeds – carried out by 18 very special people – for the benefit of thousands of children and adults with special needs.

Our thanks to all those who helped to make this day possible.

Implementation of the project began when Idan and the students put in two full days of work along with children who are active in the Ayalim sponsored community center. A few days later, the Deputy Director General of Amidar happened to be visiting the neighborhood, liked what he saw and made a financial contribution to the effort. The cooperation with Amidar is an ongoing effort, which involves the students, the long term residents of the neighborhood and Amidar, working together to improve the appearance of the neighborhood.

The program includes four outings – one during each season of the year. Through hikes and workshops, participants are exposed to the wondrous changes that occur in nature – the shedding of leaves in the autumn, the gushing waters of winter, the blossoming of flowers and plants every spring, and the nature that flourishes even in the heat of summer. Depending on the season of the year, participants have the opportunity to produce olive oil in LOTEM’s olive press, bake their own bread over an open fire, or make wine by treading on grapes in LOTEM’s accessible wine-press. Through active participation in both hikes and workshops, women and children are offered the opportunity to experience nature, while healing both their bodies and their souls.

Rachel Ziv, director of the Women’s Crisis Shelter in Haifa, wrote after the November outing, “I have no doubt that the women and children of our shelter gained much from their excursions with LOTEM, above and beyond what we originally thought they would gain. They gained mother-child quality time, familiarity and contact with nature – animal vegetable and mineral – the understanding that one may enjoy the world around them – trees, earth, water, air – which are free to all of us and that children love so much, and many positive experiences to refill their and their children’s drained batteries.”

On that last hike, one of the women closed her eyes, let the wind and the sun caress her face and said: “This is so good.” She kept that smile on her face the whole day, and took pictures of her children in every natural nook and cranny she could find, to save these moments of happiness for the rest of their lives.

An 11-year-old boy told me, every few minutes, “We should do this kind of stuff all the time!”, saying it from the bottom of his heart.

It is our belief that Mother Nature increases the quality of participants’ lives, providing mothers and children with the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company in the shelter that only nature can provide. Most of all, it helps mothers and children realize that the world around them, the source of fear and cynicism, can be a place of renewal, sustenance and trust.

President Peres praised the individuals and organizations awarded with the prize stating that such volunteers make him feel proud to be Israeli. “I am excited. Seeing the beautiful side of Israeli society which deserves much appreciation is not a common event. Being used to seeing unattractive sides of the Israeli reality, we forget our country has other, wonderful sides to it. You, the volunteers represent the light, the warm and sensitive heart beating at the center of Israeli society.”

Gil Ya’acov, Executive Director of Green Course: “Receiving the award is a great priviledge for Green Course, and indeed reflects the publics’ understanding regarding the deep significance of environmental issues; unfortunately, decision-makers are not fully there yet.”

The President Award follows Green Course’s recieving the Transparency Label from Midot, a Joint Meitav Investment House and Joint Distribution Committee initiative in April this year.

Earlier this year, Green Course underwent an evaluation process through Midot, a corporation assessing and rating non profit organizations in Israel. After examining the professionality, credibility and other in -depth aspects of the organization, Green Course received the very good A- mark.

Concern regarding Israel’s ability to provide adequate levels of potable water is high on the national agenda. Dwindling resources coupled with growing and ongoing demand have led to Israel’s current water shortage crisis.

Israel recycles black waters (sewage water) at unprecedented levels, which service the agricultural sector. The recycling of greywater, the relatively clean waste water from baths, sinks, washing machines and the like within the public and private sectors in Israel has not been permitted or promoted on a broad scale. This has been largely due to the concern by the Ministry of Health regarding its ability to control the level of water purity, which, if unsuccessfully managed, could have grave implications for public health.

The mikveh, typically an institution which is a small to moderate consumer of water, serves as a pilot site which will set precedents for both small and large consumers of water. The objective of the pilot is to successfully meet all predefined targets set by the Ministry of Health for levels of water purification and thus, be eligible to receive authorization from the Ministry of Health to advance from the pilot phase to that of implementation. Once this has been achieved, the recycled waters will be designated for reuse in the flushing of toilets and irrigation of open spaces, which, in a full-scale recycling operation, entails a potential savings of 40% of potable water consumption.

This precedent of an authorized greywater recycling project will facilitate future, decentralized initiatives within the public and business sectors – to incorporate greywater recycling into their existing or planned facilities.

The day’s activities were organized by LOTEM’s leadership team, which is specifically trained to work with special needs populations. It began with a hike along LOTEM’s accessible nature trail in Nachal Hashofet and on suitable paths in Emek Hashalom. Throughout the hike, LOTEM’s guides spoke about the natural beauty of the land of Israel, as well as about the rights and obligations of Israeli citizenship, in a language suitable to the children’s special needs.

The ceremony itself took place at LOTEM’s ecological farm in Emek Hashalom. The children, who were dressed in blue and white, participated in the ceremony through readings, songs and dances. “It is important to give to one’s country rather than remain a burden to it,” a mentally challenged teenager read. This is truly a lesson for citizens everywhere in the world

The ceremony concluded with the Prayer for Peace.

Warm home for youth at risk – 35-50 youths will live at Desert Shanti at any given time, from all of society’s strata and from all socio-economic levels, forced to leave their homes as a result of family difficulties, violence, abuse, neglect, etc.
These boys and girls need an immediate roof over their heads and replacement family. They come from all over the country, but special emphasis will be given to locating and admitting youths from the south. The village will be both a temporary and long-term shelter and will help return youths to the circle of normative society – studies, work and army service.

Located on ground belonging to the Ramat Negev Local Council, near Route 40 and covering an area of 540 dunams, 150 of which are used for building, the village will operate 365 days a year, 24 hours a day and will be a warm home and supporting framework to more than 1,000 youths each year. The village will place emphasis on environmental protection by using retrieved and reclaimed materials, recycled water and rubbish, and the possibility of using solar energy.

Youths are welcomed at any time and can stay any length of time, from a few days to a few years. Bed and board and all personal needs are provided. After a thorough assessment of the new resident’s situation by the multidisciplinary team, the youth is accepted in one of the schools in the area for regular studies, according to skills and abilities. Participation in household chores is compulsory. All residents must respect the basic house rules: No drugs, no alcohol and no violence. For many the village will serve as last salvation before the descent into life on the streets.

In the new facility, on-going therapy groups and workshops on non-conventional medicine will be part of the curriculum, as well as music, hikes in the desert, biblical studies and other therapeutic arts activities. Intensive drug prevention programs will be offered, along with workshops on the values of tolerance and developing interpersonal skills in an integrated multi-cultural atmosphere.

Animal and Agriculture Therapies have proved to be vital and effective treatment tools for such youth. In addition a stable will be operated for therapeutic riding.

A Hospitality Center will be established, within the campus to welcome youth groups from all over Israel and from abroad, for overnight stays in the peace and tranquility of the desert. This facility will allow the largest possible number of adolescents to experience their own uniqueness on personal, social and educative levels, as well as their differences towards others and their environment. Anger and rage management workshops provide opportunities to learn how to deal with life without violence and workshops for preventing drug and alcohol abuse, such as the 12 Steps, will be held.