By Debbie Green, Class of 2020
After being in Israel last summer on Birthright, I really wanted to get back so this winter break I went to Israel with the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Alternative Winter Break Green Bus. As a member of the Green bus we focused our volunteer efforts on sustainability and environmentally friendly projects. As a student studying Ocean Engineering with a focus in renewable energy, this trip gave me a greater insight into energy use in the desert.
Our first few days in Israel were spent in the Negev desert. While in the Negev we spent time at the Arava institute where we met with students from across the Middle East and World! The Arava Institute is in Kibbutz Ketura, which has the largest solar farm in the Negev. About 70% of the Arava is powered by solar energy. That’s pretty neat! We also did lots of volunteer work farming and composting. We volunteered on many different types of local farms including onion and fruit farms. The best part of the farm work was eating the foods we picked later!
The JNF Alternative Winter Break was not all work. We spent some time in Jerusalem exploring the Old City and visiting the Machane Yehuda Market.
If you are looking for a great and affordable Israel experience next winter break, I highly recommend the JNF trip. Registration for next year’s trip should open in the summer. Visit the JNF website for more information.
Our first few days in Israel were spent in the Negev desert. While in the Negev we spent time at the Arava institute where we met with students from across the Middle East and World! The Arava Institute is in Kibbutz Ketura, which has the largest solar farm in the Negev. About 70% of the Arava is powered by solar energy. That’s pretty neat! We also did lots of volunteer work farming and composting. We volunteered on many different types of local farms including onion and fruit farms. The best part of the farm work was eating the foods we picked later!
The JNF Alternative Winter Break was not all work. We spent some time in Jerusalem exploring the Old City and visiting the Machane Yehuda Market.
If you are looking for a great and affordable Israel experience next winter break, I highly recommend the JNF trip. Registration for next year’s trip should open in the summer. Visit the JNF website for more information.