Thursday, April 11, 2019: Foreign diplomats stationed in Israel embarked on a tour of some of KKL-JNF’s ecological projects in central Israel. Among the sites visited were the Kfar Saba Biofilter, the Ilanot Forest and Arboretum, and the Alexander River.
Group photo. Photo: Dennis Zinn
When asked what prompted him to join an eco-tour with KKL-JNF, Ethiopian Embassy Counsellor Nurhussen Mohamedsalih Neru responded: “I came to learn more about Israel and to gather information to pass on to our government. We know and appreciate that Israel is a hi-tech superpower and also a leader in water-related technology.” Mohamedsalih Neru was one of 18 foreign embassy officials who participated in the tour with KKL-JNF.
The diplomats’ first stop was at the Kfar Saba Biofilter, a state-of-the-art facility that uses biological processes to harvest and clean urban runoff. Dr. Haim Messing, Director of KKL-JNF’s Central Region, together with Tomer Yehezkel and Victoria Barkagan of KKL-JNF’s International Relations Division warmly welcomed the group on their arrival. After an initial introduction, Messing quickly got down to business. Standing in front of a large diagram of the biofilter, he gave an in-depth explanation of why the system is necessary and how it works.
“Our weather has become extreme, with long dry periods followed by short fierce rainfall. At the same time, our cities are expanding rapidly. The result of these two trends is that a great volume of water is produced that washes through our streets collecting pollutants and contaminating the surroundings. That was the situation up to a few years ago. Today we have the biofilter solution, which enables us to collect the runoff water and purify it using environmentally friendly processes. The clean water is brought to a potable level and then used for agricultural irrigation. It’s a win-win solution giving us more water and less pollution.”
Several of the diplomats recorded Messing’s explanation and took photographs of the facility on their mobile phones. Others were taking notes with pen and paper.
Korankyewa Anamoah Adja-Kwesi, First Secretary/Head of Chancery at the Ghanaian Embassy, said that she wanted to learn as much as possible about the system because she was sure that her government would warmly welcome the biofilter idea. “We have severe water shortages throughout our country”, Adja-Kwesi said, “not because of a lack of rainfall but because of poor water management. The construction of biofilters in our cities would do wonders for our water economy.”
Franciska Ancisca Kemi Omayuli, Minister Counsellor at the Nigerian Embassy, said that her country faces similar problems and could benefit from the system as well. “In fact,” she added, “the entire African continent is in crisis due to poor water management.”
The next stop on tour was the Ilanot Forest and Arboretum, situated just a short drive north of Kfar Saba. Tovit Shapira, manager of the Visitors’ Center at Ilanot, told them that the 750 species of trees that grow here were brought from all over the world in the 1950s, as part of research carried out by Ministry of Agriculture to see which species would acclimate to Israel. “However, over the years, the woodland fell into disrepair and in 2013 KKL-JNF adopted the site and restored it as a park and botanical garden. Today the Ilanot Forest and Arboretum is accessible to all, including visitors with physical limitations.”
Ilanot Botanical Garden director Sinai Paz-Tal and KKL-JNF guide Brian Shapiro led the group through the arboretum while stopping periodically along the way for further explanations. Paz-Tal demonstrated how visitors could look up any tree species growing here on their smartphones with the help of a signposted QR code. The group spent several minutes testing this out until the tour leaders ushered them onwards. Shapiro told the group that each tree in the forest receives personal attention when in need, including what he called “orthopedic intervention”. He pointed out one tree sporting steel cables to help heal a broken branch, and another tree propped up with a rubber-topped support stick.
At the Ilanot Forest and Arboretum Visitor’s Center, the guests watched a short film on humankind and ecology in a 3D surround screen cinema. Later they tried out the center’s other interactive displays. Many spent time at the world globe installation, which presents the diversity of forests through film. Others embarked on a virtual tour of the forest using stationary bikes and virtual reality glasses. Upon disembarking, Jorge Munoz, who is the first secretary at the Honduras Embassy, said with a smile, “It’s just like a real bike but even better.”
After lunch on the banks of the Alexander River, the participants met with KKL-JNF International Cooperation director Karin Bolton-Laor, who gave them a quick explanation of the role of KKL-JNF in Israel.
“Most of you probably come from countries with enormous natural forests, but that is not the case in Israel. In fact, almost every tree you see in the entire country was planted by hand under the auspices of KKL-JNF. Our organization was established some 117 years ago, and since then we have planted over a quarter of a billion trees in an enterprise that continues to this day. By the start of the 21st century, KKL-JNF had become Israel’s top green organization, a result of its changing priorities in line with society's environmental needs. Today water management and ecology preservation is at the top of our agenda.”
The KKL-JNF tour for Israel-stationed foreign diplomats was initiated by Orna Adelberg Kasher of the Government Press Office in Jerusalem several years ago. “This is one of the trips we carry out each year for foreign embassy staff, in order to show them different aspects of this country that they don’t usually get from the media. The KKL-JNF trip is one of the highlights of the program and we try to arrange it at least once a year because of the constant flow of new embassy staff into the country. We realized that many would come and then leave after two or three years in the country without even being aware of these places.”
The tour ended with a walk along the cultured green banks of the Alexander River. The 32-kilometer long stream is the largest watercourse in the Sharon region. Its tributaries start in the area of Nablus in Samaria. “Not too long ago it would have been very unpleasant for us to be so close to the water”, tour guide Brian explained, “Because the river was contaminated with polluted effluents. The smell was unbearable. Fish that once lived in these waters vanished and the river turned into a stinking sewer. All this has changed completely. In 1995, KKL-JNF established the Alexander River Restoration Administration, together with several other relevant organizations and residents of the area. The result of the ongoing work is evident by the clean water we see and the return of its traditional aquatic flora and fauna. The Alexander River Restoration Project won important prizes, including the prestigious Thiess International River Prize for river management and restoration.”
Before boarding the bus for the short ride back to Tel Aviv, Lada Curkovic, First Secretary of the Croatian Embassy, thanked all concerned for organizing the trip. Curkovic, who started her post in Israel just one month ago, said, “I had no idea that there were these wonderful natural spots so close to where I live. I am so happy that you brought me here. I am looking forward to the next invitation.”
Julita Answeto from the Guatemalan Embassy in Jerusalem said that she too was participating in her first Israel trip since arriving in the country 7 months ago. “I am amazed at what I saw today. I think that every country in the world should have an organization like KKL-JNF.”
While standing and watching the group boarding the bus, KKL-JNF’s Tomer Yehezkel noted, “It is important for KKL-JNF to expose Israel to foreign diplomats. There is no better way to strengthen the connection between us and the countries of the world. We show the nice, gentle side of Israel that the press prefers to ignore.”
In his parting message to the group, tour leader Brian Shapiro reminded all not to miss the 10 PM TV relay that evening of Israel’s attempt to land a rocket on the moon.