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June 12, 2009
Biking in the Negev Desert
Riders raised money and awareness of environmental issues.
LARRY BARZELAI
Biking through the Israeli desert is an unforgettable experience. Miles upon miles of barren mountains, rocks of all shapes and sand literally everywhere. The silence is occasionally tempered by the unmistakable sound of an Israeli fighter-jet overhead. Kibbutzim and villages emerge as apparitions in the middle of the desert. Serving as oases, these pockets of refuge offer welcome relief.
Thirty-five of us participated in a bike-a-thon from Tel Aviv to Eilat to raise money for two environmental organizations, Arava and Hazon. Hazon, which is the Hebrew word for "vision," works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community, particularly in the growing, production and consumption of food.
Arava is an environmental studies institute based on Kibbutz Ketura, in the Negev. Arava specializes in the research of environmental issues involving the desert, including research into water conservation and sustainable agriculture. After graduating from the institute, students often choose to further their studies at Ben Gurion University in S'de Boker or Be'er Sheva.
One of the special aspects of the Arava Institute is that it educates students from around the Middle East, North Africa and around the world. At the time of the bike-a-thon, there were several Jordanian students studying at Arava and, in the past, there have been several students from the Palestinian territories, as well as from Tunisia. It is one of very few places in which Israeli and Arab students study together to deal with environmental issues that straddle political borders.
Graduates of the institute help administer the bike-a-thon and each evening our group spent time with the Israeli, Jordanian and North American graduates. It was especially interesting to make contact with the Jordanians, Suleiman, Osama and two female students both named Sawsan. They had graduated from the institute and were now studying at Ben Gurion University. Pleased as they are to be studying in Israel, they were discrete in telling friends and relatives where they were studying, for fear that their choice would not meet with approval.
To participate in the program, riders are expected to raise a minimum amount of money through fund-raising or direct contributions. The institute is funded in large measure from these contributions. This year, because of the economic downturn, there were fewer participants than in previous years. While this was not positive from a fund-raising perspective, it created a situation in which people could get to know all the other participants.
The participants ranged in age from 12 to 76. The 76-year-old was in particularly good shape and he consistently led the pack. Two recently bar mitzvahed teenagers rode with their parents and, in lieu of bar mitzvah presents, had asked for charitable donations to support their bike ride.
Each morning we would rise in time to be on the road by 6 or 6:30 a.m. The ride was often preceded by a long shofar blast. To prevent dehydration and fatigue, we were treated to regular rest stops in which we indulged in fruits, nuts, snack bars and drinks. (Riding with a Jewish group will not diminish your waistline!)
The terrain was challenging. There were some intense uphill climbs to Mitzpe Ramon and in the southern Negev. These were offset by a prolonged downhill ride into the crater (Machtesh Ramon) and an especially rewarding five-mile descent from the mountains surrounding Eilat down to the Red Sea.
During the ride, we were educated about the history and geography of the regions through which we travelled. "In front of you, there is an artificial lake which stores used water to be filtered and reused for agricultural purposes"; "On this hill lies the ruins of an ancient Nabatean village"; "Across the border, an Egyptian soldier lives in that guard post for two weeks until his relief comes." We also learned that the Arava Power Co. (no relation to the institute) is pursuing new ways to harness solar energy and is planning to build an 80 megawatt solar photovoltaic field which, when built, will be the largest solar panel field in the world.
To be with fellow Jewish bikers from around the world, to celebrate Shabbat among the desert ibex, to continually indulge in sumptuous Israeli buffets – at the same time as helping to foster good relations with Israel's neighbors and helping to promote the environment – what a high!
Anybody interested in riding in 2010?
Larry Barzelai is a Vancouver doctor who loves sports and travel.
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