(For Part I, submit a request for newsletter "On Assignment in Jerusalem" #101008, Part I, by writing to Abigail at uriyah@netvision.net.il)
Photos are of a recent public relations tour of the Jordan Valley. The goal of the journey was to create awareness of the lack of industry along the Jordan and awaken a dream to redeem lost opportunities since 1967. (2010)
During our recent tour of the Jordan Valley, we went to the high points of the eastern mountain range which makes for a strategic, defensible border with a view of the Jordan River below. (2010)
The first time I came to Israel was the summer of 1978. I had joined a team who was doing a documentary film of the prosperous dimensions of agriculture in Israel. It was said at the time that the small country of Israel could produce enough food to lift the world out of poverty and starvation. The only problem was that the majority of the world refused
to acknowledge Israel as an independent nation for the Jews. And those particular nations would rather let their population starve to death rather than politically recognize Israel’s right to exist.
With this in mind, the producers of the documentary attempted to significantly change pubic opinion among the nations. A huge goal for such little opportunists, but with Zionism alive and well in Israel, nothing was impossible during those early years of statehood.
The team traveled extensively from kibbutz to kibbutz covering the north, east, south and west. For that particular summer, memorable moments in my mind follow the major highway from Jerusalem to the Kinneret – Sea of Galilee. Highway 1 West from Jerusalem connected with Highway 90 North and wound north through Yericho, giving it the reputation of the ‘road to Jericho’. Upon arriving at the southern outskirts of Yericho, it took all of five minutes to pass through the village. Luscious fruit was sold by roadside Arab vendors who were always full of tales about ancient Yericho, and for some, we were drawn by the ancient ruins being excavated off the side of the road. Other ruins were more recent and a reminder of the evacuation of Arabs who fled the area prior to the Six Day War, having been warned by the Arab League to flee temporarily until they were able to remove the vile scum, the Jews, from ‘Palestine’ and ‘cast them into the sea.’ The Arabs citizens were promised by the Arab nations, such as Syria, Jordan, Egypt to name a few, that the war would not take long and then everyone could return to their homes. Yericho was only one such place where Arabs abandoned their homes.
Egged public buses were loaded with travelers and soldiers commuting to and from various locations along State Highway 90 now named the ‘Gandhi Road’ after MK Rechavam Ze’evi. Most of the time the buses were so crowded there was standing room only. International volunteers poured into the country during summer break to work in the fields and orchards. When they were on time out, they stood on the side of the road, in the heat, trying to hitch a ride to anywhere and everywhere in Israel. Only as a last resort they would spend money to ride the buses. And thousands of Christian pilgrims made their way every year to the Jordan River to be baptized.
There was a massive pit stop on the highway which was the only stop between major locations kilometers away. Rest rooms facilities, coffee & falafel, plus other shops were consistent with a mini-mall and well taken advantage of before continuing the arduous journey to other destinations.
But the most outstanding memories are of the agriculture throughout Biqat HaYarden – the Jordan Valley. The early kibbutzniks were farmers extremely dedicated to making the desert bloom like the rose. The Jordan Valley was no exception when it came to the necessity to develop new means to cope with the harsh reality of barren places in Israel which had an insufficient water supply.
At that time, there had to be extensive irrigation piped through the fields. During certain times of the day, sprinkler systems were turned on to water the vegetation. Later Israel developed a drip system which runs on the ground to each individual plant. This system proved to save from wasting water. Also, instead of open fields which were often hurt by the elements such as too much sun at one time and not enough at other times, kibbutzim began to cover fields and groves with plastic, even rows of vegetables which grow on the ground. Hot houses and plastic covering allowed the produce to mature and ripen more evenly.
No matter what plant was imported from whatever country in the world, it flourished in Israel. Due to the flourishing agriculture, the kibbutzim and moshavim became more and more recognized as a viable industry within Israel.
Yet, during those years Israel failed to develop the Biqat HaYarden with more agriculture, or invest in other industry and communities. The kibbutzim began to suffer as more and more concessions for peace were made. In the negotiations with Jordan, Israel agreed to no more digging for water along the Jordan Valley.
The Yarden Regional Council is now embarking on a mission to solicit the help of the public and entrepreneurs to recapture the missed opportunity of the years past and invest in opening a new frontier for industrial development, Biqat HaYarden.
No comments:
Post a Comment