THE ARAVA

MY ISRAEL:

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE THE ARAVA:

Inspired by a recent Aliyah from South Africa by a Husband & Wife in their 60’s, I decided to write an article about the Arava. The couple in question were cattle farmers in the “old country” and re-rooted themselves in the Arava.

The Arava is a narrow dry valley 160 kilometers in length & extends from the southern tip of the Dead Sea to the shores of the Gulf of Eilat. It lies on the border between Israel in the west & Jordan to the east. From the southern tip of the Dead Sea at 430 meters below sea level, the terrain rises to 183 meters above sea level & then descends southwards to sea level, culminating at the city of Eilat. An arid region with an average annual rainfall of 25 to 50 milliliters and summer temperatures that can exceed 45 degrees Celsius. Additionally, cold winter nights can cause temperatures to drop below 0 degrees Celsius.

One of the driest regions in the world, the area is not conducive to farming. The surface runoff water captured in dams is high in salinity & used to water the produce. Yet despite the harsh environment, the 6 moshavim in the Arava, namely Idan, Hatzevah, Ein Yahav, Tsofar, Paran & the Sappir regional center, produce 78% of all Israel’s export vegetables & fruit as well as 25% of all flowers sold in Holland. The produce includes peppers, tomatoes, melons, eggplants, grapes, figs & dates. This success is due to innovative Israeli technologies such as drip irrigation, as well as an in-depth knowledge of which vegetables & fruit thrive on water high in salinity.

Interestingly, whenever countries decide to boycott Israel’s fruit and vegetables, the local population is able to buy the high quality produce intended for export, thus gaining some benefit from the boycotts.

Israeli innovation is not restricted to fruit & vegetables. Against all odds, namely a desert environment & government skepticism, kibbutz Yotvata, a settlement located in the southern part of the Arava created a very successful dairy farm in the early 1960’s. The initial aim was to provide fresh milk to the residents of Eilat. The success of the dairy farm was largely due to the mating of a Damascus bull with a Holstein cow. The Damascus bull is able to withstand a hot environment, is disease resistant and has a longer life span than many other breeds. As with the Damascus bull, the Holstein cow is adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions such as deserts, & has high milk production. Today the Yotvata dairy processes some 300,000 liters of milk per day, producing more than 40 different dairy products.

If in the area, I strongly recommend that you sample the yogurt.

Israel is also a major international player in the recovery & re-introduction of endangered species throughout the world, including the transfer of endangered species to Africa, such as the South African Cheetah. Additionally, Israel is also involved with the revival & re-introduction of locally extinct biblical animals to the region. Created for the aforementioned purposes, the Hai-Bar Nature Reserve is located in the southern Arava near Kibbutz Yotvata & covers an area of 12 square kilometers.

Following are a few examples of species bred at the reserve:

The Arabian Leopard: A native of the Arabian Peninsula & last observed in the northern Arava in 2010/2011. In 2006 it was estimated that fewer than 200 individuals existed in the wild. It is the smallest subspecies of leopard & most closely related to the African leopard.

The Arabian Oryx: Native to the desert and steppe areas of the Arabian Peninsula it is a medium sized antelope. Extinct in the wild by the early 1970’s, it still existed in zoos & private reserves. Reintroduced into the wild from the 1980’s onwards.

The striped hyena: A species of hyena native to North & East Africa, the Middle East, the Caucases, Central Asia & the Indian subcontinent. Listed as a near-threatened species and mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as Tzebua or Zevoa.

The Asian wild ass: Also known as the Onager, has been reintroduced to the Mahtesh Ramon crater in the Negev desert.

Animals who have made the Arava their home include the Oryx, Ostrich, Sand Cat, Gazelle & the Arabian Wolf, as well as birds of prey such as the Griffon Vulture.

In conclusion, I think it appropriate to mention that the Arava is home to numerous archaeological remains throughout history including remains from the biblical period, as evidenced by a fortress built by King Solomon (970 B.C.E – 930 B.C.E.). Recent remains include remnants of roads built by the British during the Mandate Period (1917 – 1948).

Ron Traub (Tour Guide & Architect). Website: rontraub-tours.com Photo: from the internet