Friends of the Arava Institute

I first learned about the Arava Institute when I attended a talk by Rabbi Michael Cohen. I was immediately drawn to the Institute's vision and impressed with the work that that its students and members are doing to address environmental concerns in the region. But what is even more inspiring is Arava's commitment to bringing Palestinian, Jordanian, and Jewish students together to work on common problems. Here's to clean water for all!

In 2008 I participated in the Israel Ride, and visited the Arava Institute, a unique educational and research institution. I remember wanting to go as a student, stay and learn there. Through the Friends of the Arava Institute, I can keep that enthusiasm alive. Besides being people with a passion for the work of the Institute, they are committed to spreading the word, providing a forum the people and ideas of the Institute outside of Israel. Friends of the Arava Institute functions as a bridge between my life here in US and the work of the Institute halfway around the world.

I can not recall how I learned about the Arava Institute, but since the moment I heard about it, I knew I wanted to be part of it in one way or another. The idea of such an institution, devoted to environmental studies, existing in Israel is an achievement in itself. However, above all, I applaud the institution for the way in which they carry out their mission that "nature knows no boarders". Having the heads of the institution, the staff and the students be Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians warms my heart. Coming together to work for a common goal is the way to go to bring the two nations closer to each other. This is holly work in so many levels.

Having heard testimonials from various students who had the opportunity to study at the Arava Institute I am pleased to write a positve review in favor of this Institution. From American Jewish students who had never interacted with Muslims before to a Palestinian from Gaza who told me recently that attending the Arava Institute changed his life completely - it is a "Great Non Profit". The staff and students are to be commended in their quest for peace in the Middle East.

When peace finally comes to the Israelis and Palestinians, it will be because of the unrelenting efforts of institutions like the Arava Institute. And the people responsible for fueling the energy and passion of the folks who run the institution are the dedicated members of the Friends Of The Arava Institute. They quietly and tirelessly work to make sure the visions of the leaders and students at the Institute have what they need to realize the dreams and goals so needed by the region and the world. The Institute not only works for and teaches peace, but also is dedicated to sustaining our environment locally, regionally, and globally. The Friends of The Arava institute rate a triple “A” PLUS in my book.

I visited the Arava Institute several times in my capacity as on-site coordinator for American college students in Israel. My first impression was "who would want to spend an extended period of time in such a distant, isolated place". As I learned about the program and met with the administrators and the students, I got the answer to my question. The Institute provides a creative, varied, meaningful setting for dealing with the most important elements of environmental awareness. Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians, and students from around the world work together to find solutions to shared concerns. As one of my students reported to me, the Arava Institute changed her life in the most meaningful way. It is a cutting edge undertaking that I am proud to support.

An extremely well run ideological institute that has succeeded in bringing together hands on action along with ideological fervor making a true mark on Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian society

along with the many thing i have gotten during my studies at the arava institute, the things i value most are the wonderful friends i made. they made it possible for me to see the conflict from their eyes and opened their hearts to me and my story. these kind of personal connections, in my opinion, are the only way to break the wall and understand that the other is not that different. the arava istitute gives hope by bringing people from all over the world, people who want to change things for the better. thank you!

The Arava Institute is involved in cutting edge research as well as in training a cadre of people who will be leading change in Israel and nearby countries. I learn something every time I read an Institute newsletter. It is inspiring to learn how the Institute is building bridges in the region.

I have followed Arava through our connection with Rabbi Michael Cohen. It is one of the most impressive ventures in Israel, combining a love of the land and a love of peace, with the prayer that Arabs and Jews can live together in the land in harmony.

The Institute represents something much more significant than simply an educational establishment. It was wonderful witnessing and experiencing a sense of togetherness with humans from both sides of the 'border' (whether that be within Israel or outside).

I've known of the Arava Institute's work for several years and it is the only organization that truly understands that environmental issues are not defined by maps or borders. Only by working together on a practical level, through EDUCATION, can Israelis and Palestinians work towards resolving environmental issues AND political issues. The many students I've met have been stellar and I applaud and support the work of the Arava Institute.

As an Arab and Jordanian student my main concern was to meet and introduce myself to another culture were i can find understanding to the peace process that been going around for years now but not clearly going as fast as i expected . so i decided to find a chance to help in this process not through politics but through the people themselves , but arava institute didnt cover that side only for me , as i learned that our similarities more than our differences and i also learned about environment , leadership, energy , and created a great and lovely friends from all over the world . its more than anyone expectations from one course , so i cant call it a course i can call it a life chance for developing my self , wishing you all the best in the future.

The efforts of the Arava Institute are inspiring! Methuselah is one of the most interesting projects in which they are involved (although likely not the most important). Nevertheless, the idea of restoring an ancient fruit is amazing.

Friends of the Arava Institute supports an incredibly visionary endeavor. Environmental research and education is needed everywhere, but perhaps noplace more than in the Middle East, where contention over scarce resources exacerbates all other regional tensions. On my visit to Israel several years ago, I participated in a hike/study session led by an Arava Institute educator, who integrated scientific insight, spiritual inspiration, and experiential education in a moving and effective way. I have followed their work, and support it, since that time, and have only grown more impressed with their international focus and their desire and ability to create dialogue and cooperation on important issues across national and ethnic borders. Highly recommended!

Volunteering at the Friends of the Arava Institute has changed the way I view the interplay between society and the environment. Gaining an appreciation for the caliber of the individuals, and the vision, behind the Institute has instilled in me a greater hope for the future. My lasting impression of interning at the Friends of The Arava Institute: the laughs I shared with students, co-workers and fellow interns.

i have friends who have worked for, and are related to this place. they have chosen it over other international options as it is one of if not the best place.

The students come to the Institute to learn, but it is the rest of us who have so much to learn from the students!

I attended the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in 2005-2006 with funding from Fulbright. My experience was challenging and fun, and, academically-speaking, a great transition into interdisciplinary pedagogy. Socially, it is a unique experience considering it includes a sub-section of conflicting parties in the region and actively includes activities for dealing with those issues constructively. In addition, the kibbutz, and of course, the desert life, are a fantastic view into how communities can live meaningfully in the margins.

The Institute represents a unique model in using the environment as a tool in enhancing peace and building trust between people in the Middle East. The Institute has opened the scientific door for students from Jordan, Israel, and West Bank and Gaza to learn more about the common environmental problems facing the region and more importantly how to approach them in an integrated way. Additionally, the Institute has been providing excellent lessons that can be transferred to the other regions around that peace needs actions and practical measures to sustain. I highly appreciate the role of the Institute in protecting the environment and promoting peace between people and believe that a place like Arava Institute deserves all support to continue spreading the message of hope for the whole region.

The strongest learning for me was the to understand the extraordinary hurdles that the participants had to clear to pusue their ideals. With the threat of isolation from their own families and friends they pursued the participation in the programme. This gives me hope in the uture for the region. this programme is fostering the foundations of the stability in the region. The fabric of the leaders of the future is being interwoven. There is clarity that more will be achieved through cooperation and mutual respect in this complex political and enirnmental regional crossroads.

Almost not too new to Arava. They are performing in a very positive direction with its candidates. I'll strongly recommend their programs to friends and foes.

it's sawsan.b from Jordan, i was a student in the Arava Institute for the year 2006/07. i consider that year as one of my greatest years i ever had. living in Arava was such a great experience, i learned and gained a lot in the institute. in a place like that where u can find Jordanians, Palestinians, Americans & Europeans living together for at least 4 months, sharing everything in their daily life become as one family going over all the barriers (politics, religion,etc) and become friends for life. where they also learning from each other and about each others' believes, country, thoughts, etc, strengthen their friendships. it is consider as a unique place with all the students' differences that becoming shallow later, studying and concerning for one important thing, our environment, having the logo of "nature knows no borders", hence nothing will stop this massage that we all believe in, and will always work to protect our shared environment and improve it. i'm glad for being an alumna from Arava Institute, i do appreciate the time i spent there and everything i learned, Machon Arava did change things in me, and for sure it was for good.

I have enjoyed meeting Jews and Muslims who have come to the U.S. and shared experiences that they have had studying at the Arava Institute. Their environmental work - across Middle Eastern borders is amazing and opens lines of communication that are often closed, with little hope for reconciliation. The Arava Institute offers hope and initiative, that positively influences our world - in an area of our world which is very volatile.

My name is Elan Gerzon. I was originally born on a kibbutz in northern Israel, founded by my grandparents as refugees, and at a young age moved to the states. That being said, I have grown up exposed to several perspectives of cultures, often those cultures who seem to stay in conflict. But when I arrived back in Israel, to be a student at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, I actually learned that i knew very little about anything, regarding the history of the culture I come from, and that of those that so many Jews and Israelis regard as enemies, if not at the very least, strangers. I was forced to wrestled with the conundrum of having descended from a culture of refugees whose wounds reacted through creating another culture of refugees. I learned a great deal about the depth of my past, and no longer felt that the world of those "strangers," who identify themselves as either Arabs or as Palestinians, was as alienated from my life as before. I had to question a great deal of the education i was brought up with, while coming into an ever-deeper empathy and understanding of why the world may be the way it is today. My own Jewish identity has grown in such a sense that I could hardly imagine who I might have continued to become without the Arava Institute as a corner-stone in my own life's maturity. The lessons I learned regarding the inter-relationships between Israel and the Palestinian Authority's and the land they live on, have been invaluable. The questions raised as a student there always brought more questions than answers, which is quite an accomplishment. The connections and friendships I have with people of all ages from several otherwise conflicting backgrounds, are a rare occurence among young Israelis, let alone US. Americans. My work as a student with Dr. Elaine Solowey has ever since focused the rest of my life. The courses that the Arava Institute provides, and the intimate experience we cannot get away from so far south in the desert, gives every student a chance to find an intimate passion through so many inter-disciplinary fields of study, that their cohesion inevitably creates a kind of diversity, no other program in Israel, Jewish or otherwise, has yet even attempted, on such a scale. I am now and forever will be deeply indebted to all that the Arava Institute has taught me. Thank you Elan Gerzon AIES alumn 2004-05

Fantastic organization in the heart of Israel's Negev Desert, bringing together Palestinians and Jews to work on the environment. Common issues, different approaches. A bridge to peace, in the process.

The institute has been working, for over ten years, to do what is common sense - to recognize that environmental stress in the Eastern Mediterranean is a shared, and very serious issue. As a social scientist, I am interested in it as an organization that works hard to turn idealism into practice. When I was invited to do research on the institute and then to participate in some of the institute's regional research, I accepted. Often we study problems; this was a chance to study an ambitious project to make solutions. I later joined the advisory board because I was impressed by what I had learned. Both the environmental and the peacebuilding challenges in the region are immense. The institute is building relationships - between those who come as students and between regional experts and policy makers - to help those in the region work together on them.

My daughter studies in the institute for two terms in 2007-8. I have visited there few times. Its a wonderful and illuminating place. it has transformed her life as far as the environment is concern. The institute does a phenomenal work in developing relationship between Palestinians Jordanians and Israelis, a very valuable contribution to the area. In my opinion this place deserves a world recognition for its work in all its aspects.

I was a student at the Arava Institute for one semester, fall 2004. I thought it was a phenomenal place, engaged in very important work, with a wonderful culture and vision.

I visited the Institute on Kibbutz Ketura and participated in several programs. Their approach strikes me as one of the most organic, educational and experiential ways for the mix of students to deal with their political and life experience differences. The environmental issues they work on are critical to the future of the region.

My experience as a student at the Arava Institute last fall is truly indescribable. The interactions, conversations, courses, and friendships completely altered my vision of the world. I have never felt so many complex emotions in my life, let alone have the opportunity to discuss them and unwrap them with a group of devoted and caring individuals working at AIES. My experience has inspired me to continue interfaith, peace and environmental work in my own locale, and not to judge a country or situation until I have truly heard the many voices involved.

I was a student at the Arava Institute in the Spring of 2003 and Fall of 2004. It was a life changining experience that truely affected my life, and still does, on so many different levels. I have many friends from various backgrounds that I will have never considered possible before. The Arava Institute did not only help on a personal level, they also provided me with all the help possible to continue my graduate studies, and used all their resouces to help provide me with the best experience, and a well-rounded interaciton. It is a great place to grow to be a human and to get in touch with life.

I was a student at the Arava Institute in fall 2004 and spring 2005. The Institute is clearly groundbreaking, inspirational, significant, and successful. One of the many ways in which the Institute impacted me was by seeing the work ethic of the staff and professors. One cannot find such a high level of professors being so accessible at other institutions. Their work ethic is something I have tried to take with me as I move forward. Lastly, whether or not you think that co-existence is attainable on a macro-level, it is unequivocally necessary to have organizations like AIES try and succeed on a micro-level, and they should be supported.

Joining the Arava Institute was one of the most amazing experiences I ever had during the spring of 2008. Arava Institute brings me to a different world where I can see how some people in the other side can be my friends at the time I used to pre consider them to be my enemies. A desert hike with two Jewish and one Muslim friends without fears or conflicts is one of the things that Arava gave me the opportunity to experience it.

in my town the alumni of the Arava Institute came to teach our community all about environmental issues. They were exciting and got us all excited about the issues. While they were teaching us we also got to hear what it was like for North American, Israeli Jewish and Arab, and Palestinian students to study and live together in a tiny community. How they learned so much about each other. Without exception they talked about how the program transformed them. Now there are three students in our community who are applying to go study there. Great work. G-d's work. Meaningful for the earth and us people who live on it.

Friends of Arava Institute have travelled all over to tell people of the wonderful work done in the Institute. They bring alumni and researchers to talk about their experiences and make it possible for people in North America to feel it! To meet face to face people who's lives have been touched by studying or working on environmental issues in a peacebuilding and collaborative way for the better of all the people.

I spent about a year at the arave institute about 10 years ago (1999-2000). This year has been, by far, the most memreable year of my life and I have made two dgrees since, got married and had a child... The arave institute has been a magical place for me. Getting up every morning was exciting, people were beutiful, and activities and studies were more than just interesting. i learned a lot in that year, about people and about nature and about our world and in many ways, the year at the arava institiute shaped who I am today. this place is important for so many reasons but if to name just one it would be the understanding of how full life could be when you are in the right place. I was a student there for one year and I must say I have become less optimistic since I left this place but it certainly fills you up with spirit and will to make the world a better place

This is a wonderful organization that makes dreams possible and empowers young people, environmentalists and activists to change the world in a positive way. By supporting the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, Friends of Arava Institute helps to make it possible for people to work together on their shared environmental concerns, learn more about each other and the complexity of the Middle East and ask better questions. Keep up the good work

I am glad to have the oportunity to thank the Arava Institute which gave my and my friends Israeli, Palestinians,Jordenians and Americans an outstanding oportunity to live together, to know each other beyond the existing prejudice, the ideal of the A.I.E.S consists a great vision of peace, I wish there where more places like this for our sake and for the sake of the next generations. this is a great cause

What a great way to break down cultural and religious barriers in the Middle East and benefit the environment at the same time. The Arava is unique in its mission and methods.

Israel needs this organization because it needs help in protecting its environment. The Friends of Arava is in the forefront of this worthy endeavor and deserves your support in safeguarding Israel's environment for future generations.

I have taught environmental law several times at the Arava Institute. Teaching there is EXCITING and presents a challenge like no other, because of the diverse backgrounds and histories of the students. Without exception though, the students are engaged, and curious. They are there because they not only want to study cutting edge environmental issues, but also because they care most deeply about co-oexistence in the fragile Middle East. I am not aware of any place else in the world like the Arava Institute.

As an alumni of the Arava Institute I would like to express how much this organization means to me and to all those it reaches. The Institute is committed to creating lasting change through knowledge, understanding, acceptance, dedication, passion, perseverance, and love.

The Friends Of the Arava Institute keeps an idealistic, ambitious organization for young environmental leaders, and for cooperation across cultures and political divides, going. It supports students who don't have the financial means, it recruits new students, and it serves as an invaluable backbone for the Arava Institute.

I visited the Arava Institute on a number of occasions as my daughter was a student there. Everyone who comes into contact woth the people there comes away changed.

I had the opportunity to hear the executive director speak at a conference recently. The Institute is clearly breaking down stereotypes while making great advances within the enrironmental field.

I rode with the Arava last year. Myfirst long distance ride. The commraderie was great, and the enthusiam of the mult-ethnic support grtoup from Arava was contagious. I hope to repeat the trip next year. Ralph Rosenberg MD

The Arava Institute is an organization that really makes a difference for the environment and for peace and coexistence efforts in the Middle East. An inspiring and well-run organization!

Great way to travel and see the country from a totally different visual perspective, claiming the mountains out of the Dead Sea and riding through the dessert was a wonderful experience. The ride is not just about the bicycle but also about the many conservation challenges facing the region, The Arava Institute provided the riders with lasting long memories of a Israel spirituality, politics, environment, and its history

i have heard these young people speak and to learn from them the importance of contact between these two groups. their approach, their curriculum, the experiences they provide are unusual in this area of the world. we are blessed to have them at this time. they need, however, to extend their reach.

The Arava Institute's program provides a valuable prototype for Israelis and Arabs to coexist long term. There are too few safe places for people with shared priorities to build relationships, and share their individual perspectives. Having the bike ride experience last year to raise funds for the program, and assisting the US friends of the arava institute back home has been a wonderful experience. B'Shalom, Eric Metzman

Not only did the Arava Institute shape my fundamental views of the Israeli Palestinian conflict toward coexistence and peace, but I met my wife there. Blanketed by the desert and open skies of the Arava Valley, AIES continues to expand young minds and I hope it always will.

This young organization is tackling environmental and mid east peace issues and making PROGRESS. Engaging participants in environmental education, cultural outreach and mid east neighborhood tolerance has sparked a grassroots sparkle of hope for the area and its future.

I know friends of the Arava through my experience in the Arava Institute for Envrioenmental Studies. The effort that they did to find funds for me and other Jordanian and Palestian students, as well as Israelis made it possible for me to come and study about the enviornment and peace in the middle east. This life changing experience made me what i am today, an activists in my community in environmental and peace issues. I am so thankfull for the effort and the work that both; the Arava Institute and Friends of the Arava did to make that happen.

In 2006 I visited the Arava Institute with a team of bikers from Israel, Jordan the US and other countries. I have since followed the development of the Institute as a leader in environmental studies and a rare gem of cooperation between Arab and Jewish youth. The accomplishment of their mission to provide solutions to mutual problems is vital to all those who hope for a peace in the middle east.

I haven't visited The Arava Institute, but I attended an event this summer and learned about it. I was very favorably impressed when I heard about the fantastic work they're doing. Two former students of the Institute, a Palestinian student and a Jewish student, spoke to us about their experiences. It was moving and wonderful. I hope the Institute's funding will increase so they'll be able to expand their work and bring more students.

I first learned of the Arava Institute when I read about a fundraising bicycle ride in The Jerusalem Post in 2005, I decided then to participate in future rides and have done so each year since 2006. Friends of The Arava Institute provides great backup for the Ride and the monthly newsletter keeps me updated on the happenings of the Arava Institute and its alumni.

What a fantastic organization. Not only does the Institute seek to make the world a better place through teaching and research in environmental issues but at the same time it facilitates intercultural dialogue in a supportive environment that is hard to find anywhere else.

During my time at the Arava Institute I was blessed with the opportunity to work and learn with brave individuals who in spite of their conflicting identities and narratives were committed to giving each other a chance and working together to combat the environmental issues that threaten our planet. The Arava Institute and the seemingly unlikely friendships that I made there give me hope that we can one day build peace and respect each other and Nature. A specific example? Looking around while building mud and straw benches and realizing that I was doing something constructive with people who otherwise might not have ever met someone from the "other side". Amazing.

My experience with the Arava Institute has been extremely positive for the past two years that I have been involved--very professional and dedicated to the cause of peace, open-minded and evenhanded, in my long experience with non-profits, an extraordinary organization. I am proud to be associated with it. When I have spoken about the Institute in public meetings such as for Hadassah, people are always very impressed with its mission and its materials. When I hosted speakers from the organization at a colleague's home, all guests were impressed by the intelligence, sincerity and articulateness of the Institute's leaders.

the arava institute has changed my life and many others since it first opened its door to teach people about how the environment knows no borders and that we have to work together to keep our planet healthy. i have met many people from very different walks of life, countries, and religions that are now my friends. what an eye opening experience. I wish everyone could study there.

I was a student at the Arava Institute in 2005. The semester I spent at the Institute was by far the most meaningful in my educational journey. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to live, study and travel with such and inspiring group of students from Israel, Jordan, and the US. The Arava brought us together with the shared goal of improving our environment and supported us as we worked though our sometimes painful differences. Where else can an Israeli jew dress up as Santa Claus to surprise a Jordanian Christian on X-Mas eve, or can a group of Americans guide Arab and Israeli friends through thanksgiving preparations? The unique blend of academics, activism, reflection, and celebration at the Arava Institute should serve as a model for organizations around the world working on peace-building and co-existence.

The overseas director of the Arava Institute came to speak to our community about its activities. Everyone was very impressed about the nature of the program, the challenges its participants meet and the far reaching impact their relationships will have on the environment, ecology, natural resources and yes, even peace between peoples.

The mission of the Arava Institute and the effectiveness of its work give it great magnetism for me. I first learned about Arava through meeting an American rabbi who has taught there. We were at a conference on a completely different subject. His description of Arava was instantly compelling for me. The way it combines environmental education and peace-making in the Middle East relates strongly to my own career in other parts of the world. Natural systems recognize no political boundaries.

AIES provides a truly unique experience not only for those in the region but for students from all over the world.

My association with the Friends of the Arava Institute has been quite gratifying. The Institute promotes environmental responsibility by cooperation among nations and people in an area of the world all too used to conflict. By aiding it, the Friends of the Arava Institute truly help to make the world a better place

The Arava Institue if fulfilling a unique function in promoting peace through environmentalism, especially as the prospects for peace grow dimmer with every passing month. Preserving the fragile ecology of Israel and its neighbors through scientific research is a goal that should be lauded and supported in any way possible.

My visit to the Arava gave me hope that maybe there is a chance for peace in the Middle East. I have expressed my enthusiasm to many people in the United States about the Arava.

Arava Institute is a leader in building real and genuine connections between people who would otherwise be in conflict, and does this in relation to extremely significant environmental issues.

Friends of the Arava Institute is adept at supporting and building the Institute through communication and cross-cultural connectivity. I am impressed that AIES continually builds on the tripartite mission of increasing scholarship, building networks based on peace and understanding and being a positive contributor to environmental awareness and conservation.

I was a student in the Arava Institute on 2006, this experience had a big impact on my life. It gave me an inspiring learning anvironment, with high level teachers, and amazing mix of students. after living in Israel for almost 30 years, The Arava institue allowed me to meet and relate to palestinians the first time in my life. Today, I'm involved in forming environmenal socical networks in Ireland, and started growing an organic market garden, I can proudly say that the Arava Institute helped me sow the seeds of my present life. I recomand this institute for anyone.

I was on the Jerusalem/Eilat ride many years ago - in 2004 - before I moved to Israel. I later lived in the Arava (though at a different Kibbutz) and remained friendly and in touch with the Institute and a number of its students. I feel that the work of the institute is invaluable - both in its political openness and in its inherent honesty. The belief that our environment is a shared issue regardless of politics and borders is ingenious - and the relationships the institute foments between students (and even outsiders, like myself, who just supported by riding for five days and raising money) are invaluable. I also feel that the institute has helped many of its students to move forward in their careers in ways they could not do beforehand due to racial politics in this ridiculously confused and beloved country. Kol haKavod on the great work!

I participated in the Arava ride from Jerusalem to Eilat in May, 2008. I had an opportunity to meet and talk with a number of the staff and students at the Institute (they crewed the ride). I was very impressed by their dedication. The Arava Institute is accomplishing two amazing goals simultaneously -- training students who will support environmental efforts in the next generation, and changing the mindset of their participants about getting along with "the other side"

In Nov of 2008 I was fortunate enough to participate in in the Israel (Bike) Ride which is co-sponsored by the Institute. The ride itself was one of my lifetime highlights, never to be forgotten. But what I am writing about now was our overnight visit to the Arava Institute itself. Meeting the participating scholars and students convinced me that the important environmental work that is being done there is second in significance to the cross cultural relationships that are being formed there as well. I heartily recommend the Arava Institute for a Jewish Choice Award James Oser Philadelphia, PA, US

We became acquainted with the Arava Institute a year ago through our participation in their 2008 Fall Israeli Bike ride. it was a wonderful experience riding through Israel and visiting the Arava Institue and meeting the Israelis and Palestineans who work and learn together at the Institute. We were so impressed by this experience that we returned in the spring of 2009 for another bike ride and regret that family commitments keep us from attending the nov. 2009 ride. The dedication and professionalism of the individuals involved with the Arava Institute and the strides they are making with cooperation in working and dealing with their Arab neighbors deserve recognition. Many small steps to build understanding and to work for a common good to reclaim the land and make it more productive and produce a self sustaining way of life deserves to be commended.

I have been voluntarily helping the Friends of the Arava Institute to promote the the Arava Institute by speaking of my experiences as a student in this amazing program

The Arava Institute is one of the few programs in the world that blends idealism with pragmatism. How our earth allocates environmental resources for the current and future generations is so critical for the sustainability of life on Earth. And how mankind gets along is the genius to Arava. Arava is a microcosm of what our world can and should be. Possible adversaries and now allies in a challenge to sustain the environment for us and future generations. My bike ride through the Arava Valley in 2004 inspired me then and now to write these thoughts. We are indebted to the leaders of The Arava Institute; and so are the generations to come. I just can't say enough.

Hello .. greet you all.. peace on you, Salam Alikom and Shalom lakhem Peace and coexistence, love and tolerance, wisdom and truth, and a lot more I shared people from all over the world (Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and even those who have their own belief but they still have values and virtues about life). My experience in Arava Institute has been always the best I ever had, the most powerful, amazing, interesting,great, marvelous, creative, diverse with many aspects and more. I studied one academic year at Arava Institute that I will never forgot, I never felt I am at school as we were not learning, but we were sharing love, respect, understanding, preserving the environment, live in peace and create peace of mind. Arava in the middle of the Negev desert challenged so much difficulties to bring conflicting people from Israel, Palestine, Jordan,and form other countries to interact and share our thoughts to come up with the useful ways to say NO to wars, hate, and say YES to peace and tolerance. I believe that Arava deserves to be on the top among others for its great aspects and pure purposes. I will never forget the support Ii got from my teachers there who they always dedicate themselves to help us to learn how to invest environment protection to make peace with the other. No more to say, because I feel unable to express the best of Arava. Arava will always be the best to cultivate love and peace in the middle of the hot desert. by Laila Salameh-Jordan

In November of 2008 I participated on the Jerusalem to Eilat bike trip. An inspirational and spiritual event. This program is essential for not only environmental reasons but for the incredible work it does to spread understanding of cultural, religious and social differences in the Middle East and the world at large. If you know what this program is all about there is no question the vital work it does should be not only maintained but expanded. If you do not know what it does then I suggest, no I implore you to find out first hand by speaking with the students themselves. They hold the key to the future of us all. SSS

I began to learn about the Arava Institute when I signed up for the Spring 2008 Israel Bike Ride. By the end of the ride, I was sold. The ride was beautifully organized, with care and consideration for the riders' physical, psychological and spiritual health. And the opportunity to learn more about the work of the Arava Institute and meet their current and former students was awe-inspiring. This small organization is making an impact on the environment of many countries in the middle east, and is a model of cross-cultural collaboration. Their influence exceeds their size, and they use their limited resources wisely. Amy Goldman

I was fortunate enough to be present for Kibbutz Ketura's one year birthday celebration in 1974 when I was a volunteer there. I am so impressed and proud of "my chevre" for what they have accomplished and for their vision for the future of the region. I plan to introduce the Arava Institute to my local Jewish community.

I went to a house party in support of the Arava Institute a few weeks back, and I was inspired by the work of this organization. I've since joined a host committee for their next local fundraiser.

Jordanians, Palestinians, Israelis, Americans and other students attend Arava Institute of Environmental Studies for undergraduate and graduate work. They continue working on environmental situations common to Middle East regions and other parts of the world. As a serious environmentalist, I see their work as important to their communities, regions and other areas. Their water problems remind me of our water problems in Northern Calif. I am proud to be a supporter of this fantastic group where "Nature knows no Borders." In addition to water, agricultural and other environmental problems the Arava students and graduates work on, I see Palestinians and Israelis working together giving HOPE for the future and Peace in the Middle East.

Friends, whose opinions I highly respect, introduced me to Arava by inviting me to participate in the 2007 Israel Bike Ride. I then participated in the Bike Ride and through that experience met the faculty, alumni, and students of the Arava Institute as well as visited their campus in Israel.These series of interactions were one of the most inspiring experiences I have ever had.They have a sincere commitment to protect the environment and to inspire understanding among people. And they are SUCCESSFUL in achieving these goals

I am impressed with the Friends of the Arava Institute for their making it possible for Israeli and Palestinean students to study, learn and implement what they learn together in peaceful and amicable relationship. I am further impressed by their environmental studies that will have positive effects on countries around the world, especially the study to have clean water available to all. This will be difficult, but highly important.

I have chaired the Friends of the Arava Israel Ride since its inception seven years ago The Friends has been a fantastic sponsoring organization -- always ready to help when needed And the cause we support is so special - it makes the time I spend fly by

I was first introduced to the Arava Institute and the Friends of the Arava Institute last year as a participant of the Israel Ride. I was totally blown away by the work the Institute does in the middle east to create an environment of peaceful cooperation and dialogue between young Israeli's, Jordanians and Palestinians. Of course, the work they do to promote environmental education and progress is unsurpassed, and the main focus of the campus. Friends of the Arava Institute make this work possible, and I can't say enough positive things about it!

My name is Liza Shtromberg, and I was a student at the Arava Institute for two semesters, Fall 2007 ans Spring 2008. I was attracted to AIES because it's environmental aspect as well as the co-existence component. As an Israeli student, who lived for many years in the US, I always longed for an opportunity for personal interaction with Palestinians. The program offered me the combination of two things I am passionate about. I found the academic component very engaging and rich with content and opportunity for learning, as well as hands on participation in projects, and on the ground interaction with parties involved in the subjects we I studied. I really enjoyed making friends and dialoging with Palestinians, and feel privileged to have had this opportunity thank to AIES. I met Academics, peace activists on both Jewish and Arab sides and feel that at AIES people who are truly interested in working towards a peaceful solution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict can find a forum and allies in this goal. I would highly recommend attending and supporting the Arava to anyone who is looking to be involved in something meaningful that is producing results, and contributing to a brighter future in the Middle East and the rest of the world.

As alumni of the Arava Institute I can say that the Arava Institute is much more then an academic institute for environmental studies. This body not only give the opportunity to meet and engage in a grass root level with the 'other side' but also help with scholarship for higher studies, help graduates to find a job when possible and serve as an important network for alumni all over.

Every contact I've had with Rabbi Michael Cohen and Arava has been positive and heart-warming. The people they train are exceptional.

Brings people together with the goal of protecting all from the environmental disasters facing the area. Nature knows no boundaries.

I rode on the Israel Ride twice--in May, 2007 and in November, 2008. Each ride was fantastic--wonderful people leading the ride and riding the ride, the land is gorgeous, I learned a lot about the geographical area-- the desert, I had the opportunity to make friends from all over the world, Jews and Arabs alike, and shabbat in the Negev was a wonderfully spiritual experience.

The Arava Institute is building possibilities for coexistence centered around shared environmental challenges that Arabs and Jews in Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Territories actually share. It is in all of the parties' interests to figure out how to share the same bioregion. The Arava Institute successfully trains environmental activists in the Middle East in an incredibly inhospitable political reality, and the participants get to know each other in the process across barriers of religion and war. It is an absolutely remarkable achievement.

I have visited the Arava Institute of Environmental Studies, watched Jordanians work with computer analysis of watersheds, and listened to discussions in their classes on the topic of water use and sharing. This kind of cooperative learning leads to positive interactions as students from different worlds come to grips with other points of view. It leads to mutual understanding of the environmental problems they all face. I can't think of another way to address this cross-border challenge other than long-term study together. I think living with each other day to day as students do at the Arava Institute holds the most promise for the long term.

The Arava Institute for Environmental and Peace Studies (AIES) is taking groundbreaking strides in the areas that truly need the most attention and resources: the environment and peace. The two go hand in hand. I was a student at the Arava institute for one year. During this time I learned so much by being immersed in the carefully structured and diverse curriculum, including sitting with a group of internationally diverse students and engaging in discussions that address many difficult issues. For me, the joint projects and collaborations between Arab and Israeli graduates of the Institute is the 'proof in the pudding'.

I have been blown away by the amazing work the institute is doing. The students graduating from the institute speak with such passion about how they were transformed by their experience at the Arava Institute. This organization is addressing at least two of the most important issues of our time...the environment and peace in the middle east.

I participated in the Arava Institute Israel ride several years ago and my experience when from participating in a bike ride to raise money for what I understood to be a good cause to something far more profound. Once I met the students and faculty of the Arava Institute I discovered what I believe to be one of the greatest examples of coexistance between Israelis and Palestinians. The existance of this organization is one of the greatest beacons of peace that exists today in the middle east.

participated in a fund raiser visited the institute spoke with its leadership toured its groves met with multinational students AMAZING PLACE - THAT COULD HELP SAVE THE PLANT AND IM NOT KIDDING

Studying at the Arava Institute has taught me how to consider the world around me. I have learned how to listen compassionately, act on my compassion for the world, and teach others how to do the same.

Our son studied at the Arava Institute in 2001. When we visited we were amazed by an atmosphere where Jews, Muslims and Christians lived and studied together in an environment where everyone was entitled to their own opinion.What a wonderful model for co-existence. The motto says it all " Nature Knows NO Borders"

Last year we hosted two graduates from the Arava Institute - Ilana Meallem and Mutassim Abu El Hawa. They were amazing. You can see them interviewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqExPvgI9HA We heard about their tremendous journey - and learned how these Arab and Jewish leaders are cooperating to solve the region’s environmental challenges. At the Arava Institute, 'nature knows no borders' is not just a slogan, it's a way of life. We encourage everyone who visits Israel from our community to visit the Arava Institute.

I am most impressed with the Arava Insitiute´s program because it helps improve the ecological environment of the middle east with regard to water issues while simultaneously bringing together Israeli´s and Arabs in constructive dialog that is both personal and ecologically oriented. I attended a meeting where I met the director of the program and heard two alumni of the program tell of their personal experiences.

What the Arava Institute is doing in Israel is incredible. I was so amazed when I heard several students and professors speak about building peace through focusing on the shared environment in the Middle East, when they spoke at Hazon's New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride.

As a Muslim woman I have been working with the FAI for over 2 years and i am astounded that the reality of peace and co-existence between Jews and Muslims is being made in history through the Arava Institute. I commmend my colleagues and institute for such an extraordinary vision of peace.

Before I give you my musings, please listen to the personal story of Amer Sweiti. Amer was born and raised in Amman, Jordan where he earned his degree in Land and Water Management from the Hashemite University. Before joining the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (AIES) in 2007 he worked as a Soil Mechanic and Civil Survey supervisor in Amman. He has now started his Master's degree at the Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva. Amer embodies the reason why I participate in this Ride. He is a committed environmentalist and an idealistic young man dedicated to the pursuit of peace and coexistence in the Middle East. In deciding to join an institute of higher learning in Israel, Amer had to overcome many practical barriers and strong opposition, even ostracism from his own family and friends, but decided to plow ahead because (in his own words)..."I do believe that what I'm doing is the best for the coming generation". At AIES a diverse student body from various Arab countries, Palestine, the US, Europe and Israel, have the opportunity to live together, study together, struggle together to grapple with the environmental --and unavoidably political-- issues facing the region and become close friends in the process. Amer's personal story is truly inspiring. He has gone back to Jordan since joining AIES and has managed to overcome the opposition of many of his former detractors. Not only that, he has succeeded in recruiting additional students for AIES. In youngsters like Amer and through the work of AIES, Israel is finding partners to create valuable and lasting human and professional links with Palestinian and Arab folks. The AIES' mantra of using the "tool" of environmental cooperation as a way of building bridges across political borders and furthering the cause of peace, is a tangible and resounding success. They need and deserve our help.

Arava Institute brings together all kinds of Middle Eastern people for one cause. Environmental concerns in the Middle East. Christians, Jews and Muslims working together to COEXIST :)for the good of all.

Friends of Arava funds excellent research; has an excellent leadership academy for both Arab and Jewish leaders; promotes ecology and a green economy.

I met David Weisberg when he spoke twice to the World Culture Club of Central Pennsylvania. He told us about the exiciting workof the Friends of the Arava Institute. We were greatly impressed by their fine work, both in creating a civil, harmonious working environment for people with different backgrounds, but also in furthering efforts to make the environment more hospitable and able to support a quality life for the growing populations. The Friends of the Arava Institute have made enormous contributions to peace, the environment and cultural understanding.

Rode on a charity bike ride with staff and students. Superior people, trying to do a difficult job in difficult times. The aims of the institute are high level: promoting environmental concerns in the Middle East, and encouraging Arab/Isreali cocoperation.

I went on the Israel Ride in November of last year, and got to experience first hand what the Arava Institute has to offer. In terms of education about the environment the Arava Institute is leading the way, in Israel and abroad, for new ways to look at our relationship to the environment. Moreover, the Arava Institute is revolutionizing the way we interact with others in order to make our environmental goals a reality. Right now I am studying the environment at Carnegie Mellon University, and hope one day to participate in one of the many programs the Arava Institute has to offer.

I am a Palestinian that studied for two semesters at the Arava Institute then worked with them as Arab student’s recruiter. My experience with the ARAVA Institute was a unique one. It gave me the opportunity to meet new people that some of them became my best friends. I became sincerely concerned and involved in the environmental protection. I learned how to conduct scientific research in addition to strengthening my English language. The Institute staff and management are very professional, dedicated and helpful. They were able to maintain hope and hard work even through tough political atmospheres. As for me personally, the staff and management provided great help and support not only during my studies but even long time after I finished the two semesters. The people of Kibbutz Ketura (where the institute is located) were very warm and welcoming. My host family, Miriam, Bell and their children, were great and prepared the best food ever. I am very grateful to the Arava Institute for giving me a chance to be part of their students and always wish them more success and achievement s. Please support the ARAVA Institute and contribute to peace and love in the Middle East.

I was a student at the Arava Institute 10 years ago and have had many experiences with the organization, its professors, students and supporters since then. The institute helps create a safer, more secure and peaceful middle east. My experience, as a Jewish American, of living with Muslim students from Gaza and Jordan, was a transforming one. The Institute builds leaders in environmental policy, experts in environmental sciences, and passoniate advocates in environmental conservation. However, it is the joint love for our shared environment which brings Arab, Israeli, Jewish, Muslim, Christian students together. I can not say enough about the importance of the Arava Institute's work.

Visited the Arava Institute twice! Great organization with an important mission. Support peace and the environment throughout the Middle East. Students and Faculty are dedicated to working toward sustainable social and political goals.

For the past 6 years, I have been a member of Friends of the Arava's Board and it has been one of the most challenging and fulfilling experiences of my life. When my wife and I lived in Israel in 2002-2003, I taught a couple of environmental law classes at the Institute, met its diverse Jewish, Muslim, Christian and non-denominational students. I discovered an institutional model for the development of peace-building and reconciliation among Jews and Arabs in Israel and the Middle East, I found an antidote to cynicism and despair, and I met some of the most exciting and courageous young environmental science and policy students on the globe. In the face of governmental posturing and intransigence, the Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian researchers and academics who work at and with the Institute (which is supported by Friends of the Arava Institute) are working cooperatively and productively on transboundary water resource and air quality projects to make the possibility of international and regional environmental protection a reality. After 6 years, my excitement not only hasn't diminished; it's increased.

I am getting ready to ride in the Israel Ride, a bike ride across Israel that raises funds for the Arava Institute and Hazon. The more I hear about and read about the Arava Institute, the more excited I get about the work they are doing, in truly living and working with their motto that nature knows no borders. I am looking forward to meeting the people there and seeing first hand how they bring people together across lines of pain and anger and hurt, to heal the Earth.

I met some of these wonderful people who are doing more to aid the peace process than elected leaders. I hope my daughters will consider going to visit one day.

I had a great experience with Arava! Living and studying with students from diverse backgrounds was quite a privilege and I formed special friendships and bonds that continue to grow after all these years. Thank you to all from AIES for your remarkable program.

An amazing organization which deserves our support! We need more organizations helping Israelis, Palestinians and their neighbors to see that we are all part of this fragile world, and we need to work together if we are to survive.

The Arava Institute consistently creates positive outcomes (environmental professionals, positive programs and interactions, successful trans-boundary research) regardless of the political climate. When peace seems close, and when peace seems impossibly distant, the Insitute and its graduates continue to work together to solve common problems. Meeting the students, graduates, staff and faculty has been an inspiration to me, and supporting the institute through contributions allows me to feel that I am doing what I can to promote understanding and constructive enviromental solutions in the Middle East.

I have hosted many events for the arava institute over the past 6-7 years. The most enriching aspect has been to host students as they come through the bay area, some involved in internships related to their studies and others enriching their lives with post grad studies. The discussions we have had with these students have greatly widened our perspective of the middle east, our children have become different people because of their interactions and connections, we have made connections with Muslims, Christians, Jordanians, Palestinians that we otherwise would never have made. The dedication of these students has given us inspiration to feel that maybe the world, not just the middle east, can really become a better place. The graduates of this program continue to work constructively in their fields of study, they continue to work transborder, they communicate with one another, they have formed lifetime friendships and have already made significant contributions to the environmental world.

I am 84 and have been a contributor to the Arava Institute for as long as Michael Cohen has been a part of it. That's how long I have heard of the results of the friendships forged by this Institute.A Muslim girl in modest dress was frightened by an Israeli student returning from the Reserve, wearing Army garb. He too was alarmed. Later as they took classes together they became good friends. Another incident was Michael's response to a student who had to return to Gaza during the Israeli Occupation. He phoned Michael. His village was in desperate need of food and medicine.Michael and others loaded up trucks with food and medical supplies. Then both met at a mid point after convincing soldiers at checkpoints of the validity of their trips. They sat in the desert, had lunch, transferred the supplies and returned home.Students may later be part of their gov'ts and can be part of achieving a true Middle East peace.

The Arava institute was an amazing experience that truly changed my life. It opened my eyes to the world and first introduced me to solar energy, which is now how I make a living!

It is so beautiful to see the Palestianian students and Israeli students working together to solving the problems of living in the desert! Your work is remarkable!

FRIENDS OF THE ARAVA INSTITUTE IS DOING A JOB THAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. THE WORLD NEEDS MORE SELFLESS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE FRIENDS OF THE ARAVA INSTITUTE WHERE THEIR PURPOSE AND GOALS TRULY TAKE PRIORITY OVER ANY INDIVIDUAL OR POLITICAL AGENDAS.

I rode in the November 2008 Israel Bike Ride to raise funds for the Arava Institute. It was one of the great adventures of my life. Our crew for the ride were all alumni of the Institute, and we spent a night at the Institute in the Negev desert, meeting the current students and faculty. The work they are doing is at the highest levels, academically and spiritually. They are truly working to save the environment and improve understanding and cooperation in Israel and its surrounding region.

I was a student for one semester in the Arava Institue. It was a life changing experience that taught me a lot about myself and my environment, about my zionism and my world view. The place and the time in which the institue is placed is ideal. I think the desert make you think.

I participated in the Arava Institute 2008 Israel bike ride to help fund raise for Arava. I visited the Arava Institute and met with students and faculty. I was struck by the relevance of its mission and the passion and energy directed toward achieving hat mission. The Arava Institute is making an important contribution to its geographic and political region not only academically but by bringing the divergent student population together and fostering better understanding, respect and long term friendships that can transcend hostile political borders and barriers.

I was fortunate to have participated in the Israel Ride 2007, which I believe was the largest attendance in the brief history of that event. It was enlightening to meet current and former students of Arava Institute, as well as the incredibly capable staff. These kids are the backbone of what might someday be a region that lives peacefully with its neighbors. I hope to participate in the 2010 Israel Ride!!

Working with the Arava Institute has allowed me to participate in some ground breaking research in transboundary environmental management in close cooperation with Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian colleagues. There is no other Institute in Israel that allows for this kind of close cooperation among colleagues in the environment field.

As a student of the Arava Institute, I was granted the opportunity to be part of the most remarkable social and environmental movement in the region. Cohabitating, eating, learning, and working with people of varying (not to mention historically conflicted) geographic origin as well as religious preference taught me a great deal about cultural sensitivity and the importance of trust in this era of globalization. No place nor program has ever enabled me to grow so much and also contribute so much as the Arava Institute. I am so proud to have been a part of the program, and continue to spread the knowledge I gained as a student here with all people who cross my path.

As a professional in the non-profit world, I admire the professionalism with which the organization is run. It remains committed to its mission and focusesits energy to result in the greatest benefit for the environment and co-existence in the Middle East

I came to know about the (Friends of the) Arava Institute for Environmental Studies through individuals that work in professional Jewish non-profit organizations in NYC. I learned of the crucial environmental research that was being done in a cross cultural cooperative learning environment. I have been fundraising and working with the Friends of the AIES for the past few months in preparation for my first Israel bike ride in November '09. Their organizaion and support has been amazing and I am looking forward to seeing the program firsthand.

Although I haven't been fortunate enough to go to Israel and see first-hand all of the good work that the Friends of the Arava Institute does there and elsewhere, I enjoy receiving its newsletters; they are very informative and interesting. The Institute's mission of focusing on developing environment-friendly concepts is wonderful and one that I strongly endorse. And their efforts to work in cohesion with other Middle Eastern countries gives me confidence that peace in that region will someday prevail. Continued good luck to the Friends of the Arava Institute.

As a student at the Arava Institute, it was a life changing experience. It was an extraordinary opportunity to know and live with the "other". I had the chance to develop my leaderships skills, learn about Judaism, Environment, Palestinians, Jordanians, politics, and love. It is so unheard of to have these kind of experiences in the Middle East where people have so many biases and fears that stop them from knowing and loving people different from themselves, politically, religiously, and nationally. I also had the opportunity to work at the Institute for another academic year. Raising money for scholarships and getting internships where hardships at the time (10 years ago). Since then, the institute has grown in its impact and influence on the environmental and peace community world wide. Scholarships continue to be an essential component of providing local leaders the opportunity to live, study, and work together on issues that mutually concern them. If the institute had 10 million dollars it would be able to have world wide influence, prestige unrecognizable today!

Although I have never visited or participated in the Arava Institute, I think the concept is really great. The fact the people from all walks of life and many different religions can work together to make our world a better place to live, is remarkable. I would love the rest of the world to use the success of the Arava Institute as their prototype. Keep up the good work! I am looking forward to the day that I can visit and participate!

My friend Batshir had an amazingly educational experience on her bikeathon with Avara. This is importatnt education to bring our world together.

In the desert, students live, study environmental issues, and hear the "other" - many for the first time. The Arava Institute is an amazing place where these experiences lead to shared goals and actions for global healing and peace.

I visited the Arava Institute with my Palestinian partner in 2007 and had a first hand impression of the people and atmosphere there, as we held a talk with a group of dozens of Arava participants on the grass there. I especially remember a woman from Nablus, and some guys from Jordan. I happen to meet and greatly appreciate at least two alumni of Arava Institute, Rina Kedem and Ilana Moalem, and I cherish them both, and know how much they appreciate the Arava Institute. I meet other alumni from time to time, and only hear good things about the institute. Also, I think that the institute simply make a lot of sense, and if it didn't exist, it had to be invented! I also know the head of the institute through some people I work with, and really, all I hear is positive and appraising. So, 5 stars to Arava Instutute

I attended the Arava Institute in 1996-97 (in its first year of operation) and have followed its growth and evolution closely since then as a donor and periodic volunteer. I feel AIES fills a critical unmet need in the Middle East as a venue for addressing the region's challenges for environmental protection, resource management, and coexistence. In the time I attended AIES, there were almost no opportunities for Israeli Jews, Arabs (both from neighboring states and Israeli citizens), and students from elsewhere in the world to study together and explore regional environmental issues. Since that time, AIES, its researchers, and its alumni network have become important contributors to these issues - both in the Middle East and further afield in America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

In 2005 I was invited by a friend to join the Israel Bike Ride. During those wonderful days I learned about the Arava Institute and its effort to promote peace, environmental protection and education. I would describe that experience as a great human, cultural and natural discovery. I believe this organization deserves great attention and consideration because of the good causes it promotes and the efficient and well organized structure that has been developed since its foundation.

I studied for a full year at AIES and the experinces i had in that year will stay with me always. My fellow students are some of the most brave and intelligent people i've ever met, who inspired and challenged me almost daily. I've made friends who will be with me for a lifetime and i've learnt lessons that taught me patience and courage in the face of adversery. Most of the faculty there are encourging and incredibly knowledgeable in their field and i've always felt able to turn to them for support and advice even now as an Alumni. The PELS sessions were the most challenging aspect of the program but the one that has embedded itself deeply in my understanding of conflict and conflict resolution. My time at AIES inspired me to carry on with my environmental education and as well as completing my Permaculture design course i am now studying for a MSc in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry in the UK.

Dedicated group of people. Great organization. I got to hear about their cutting edge research and work to forge friendships and participation in worthwhile causes.

What a wonderful organization. Arava has a synthesized approach that addresses so many worthwhile causes. This is precisely the type of visionary thinking that this planet -- and the Middle East in particular -- needs. Arava is a model that will guide many other organizations worldwide.

My Name is Yara Dahdal, and i was a student for one semester in the Arava institute for environmental studies. Its a great place to be in the middle of the desert, also the experiences i gained their are priceless as Palestinians, Isrealies , Jordanians and people from all over the world learn how to leave with each other and over come all barriers.

Friends of Arava is an amazing group. Listening to the stories of their student who take the time to travel the US and share their experiences with us is captivating. I can't think of an organization which better integrates two of the most challenging issues facing our time - the environment and peace in the Middle East.

this organization is awesome. They do really great things for the environment of Israel and the world. They help people of all nationalities come together to work towards the cause of making a better world.

I participated in the Hazon Israel Ride in the Spring of '08. I had the amazing opportunity to meet many of the students and alumni of the Arava Institute, as well as spend a night at Kibbutz Ketura. It was a week that I won't soon forget. The deep connections that I was able to make with all the people associated with the Arava Institute is a testament to their amazing organization and the type spirit that they foster. I'm thankful for the Friends of the Arava Institute for their ongoing efforts in supporting such an amazing organization and bridging their mission to reach out to people like me.

I have met students from the Arava Institute and heard them speak about their life-changing experience studying there. The Institute's facilitation of personal interaction and relationships among Israelis and Palestinians is an extremely important grass-roots effort to bring people from the two cultures together as a step toward peace among the two groups. Some of the Arab students have gone on to hold positions in their governments where they will have real opportunity to guide policy. Giving them a personal connection to Israel and Isrealis through the Institute can have unmeasured positive impact on the choices they make in those positions.

This organization does a great service in its role in the middle east. We need more organizations that bring people together at the grass roots level.

As Executive Director of Camp Tawonga, I hired Arava Institute associate Rina Kedem to be director of our Peacemakers Camp. For five years, this project brought hundreds of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans (Jews, Christians and Moslems) together in the Sierra Mountains next to Yosemite. Rina was also an organizer and fundraiser for Friends of the Arava Institute. My many experiences with Rina and other members of FOAI impressed me immensely with their passion and professionalism. Today, as Executive Campus Liaison for Hillel (Schusterman International Center) I see the Arava as one of the most positive and visionary opportunities for college students to engage in the issues of the Middle East.

I studied at the Arava Instetute for Environmental Studies (AIES) and participated at few projects with the AIES mainly Environmental Education.

I attended the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies as a student there my junior year of college. The Institute is not only of a high academic caliber; not only does it engage incredible and motivated participants and coordinators; not only does it lead to research in sustainability and environmental cooperation; but most importantly the Institute is a place of peace. This is a value that every religion in the world shares and is demonstrated every day at the Arava Institue.

From the ease of using their website to accesibility to staff,, leadership and students, I have nothing but good things to say about Friends of the Arava INstitute -- and , of course, the critically important wirrk that they support: promoting peaceful coorperaion, higher education and envirmonental sustainiability in Israel and the Middle East. Living in Colorado, the organization has managed to cordidate a one-on-one meeting with me and the executive director, a well as bring a Jordanian student out here to speak to our congregation about the fabulous work we do. kol tuv! Rabbi Jamie Arnold Evergreen, CO

It is a great organization doing important work in the Middle East in both the environment and in peace building. The regions environmental issues can only be solved cooperatively by the countries and the peoples of the region. The Arava Institute is the only organization that is doing this. At the same time, the personal bonds being created between the Arab & Israeli, Christian, Jewish & Muslim students, are furthering the interests of peace.

I am honored to be a member of the Board of Trustees. The Arava Institute is truly unique in both environmental work and in bring young Palestinians, Jordanians, Israelis and North Americans together to address the Middle East's environmental and co-existance issues. As someone involved in fundraising and marketing on the volunteer level I have had the privilage of meeting many of the students, faculty and alumni and they are all driven by an unshaking commitment to a brighter, sustainable future for the Middle East.

My experience at the Arava Institute was truly life changing. In a region that hosts the World's most complicated conflict, I and my fellow students where able to discuss our differences but, most importantly unite in the common bond of humanity living on planet earth. The friendships that I made will be cherished for a lifetime and I truly thank the Arava Institute for introducing us. The spirit of the Arava Institute effects everyone with who it associates. Whether you are a student, a guest lecturer, or even a donor the Arava Institute will give you the strength you need to fight for whatever that may be.

We have been supporting the Arava Institute since shortly after it's creation in 1996. We have housed many students as they pass through Washignton, DC - Jordanians, Israelis, Palestinians, Canadians and Americans; Muslims, Christians and Jews. Our son studied at the Institute for a year. I sincerely believe that working with the younger generation is the best way to attain peace in the Middle East. Using the shared concern of the local environment as the anchor and starting point to develop relationships was a stroke of genius. Involvement in the Friends of the Arava Institute is an incredibly rewarding experience. I can actually see the benefit of our financial contributions as I meet students and alumni.

I had a really hard semester at the Arava Institute, I won't lie. I didn't really understand how real peace was possible at all between such different people. But I believed in the power of the environment and shared resources as the backdrop for a mutual understanding. My learning experience wound up being an awakening process I will never forget: I studied with some of the greatest lecturers I have ever come across. But above all I came to deeply understand, through intense workshops and daily life, that peace is possible - as different as we all are. This is the gift I received from the Arava Institute.

Arava Institute gives me hope for the future! This is the ONLY place for all people who realize that the only way to advance the quality of life for ALL in the Middle East is to find issues of mutual need and dependence. We all can either learn to live together or we will disappear in a cloud of toxic dust. Arava Institute recognizes there are differences and yet celebrates that we have more to gain from each other than in investing in hate and pollution of the environment. The warmth and cameradie of the personal relationships overcome the somewhat spartan conditions. Friendship and learning are there to endure for a life-changing experience. If only there were more opportunities like this in other places in a region filled with so much enmity.

I ride every year to raise money for an extraordinary institution, the Arava Institute, that started as an environmental organization but soon learned that it does little good to stop polluting on your side of the river if the Arab village upstream is still putting waste into the water. From here began an experiment of Israelis and other Jews working with Palestinians and other Arabs. The efforts have been difficult but rewarding as the Arava Institute has provided an example of how to learn to work with enemies and become friends with your enemies as you learn to work on common goals.

My daughter (an American) was involved with the Arava Institute a few years ago on a fundrasing bicycle ride for the environment in Israel. She related how extroidinary it was to be riding with an Israeli on one side of her and an Arab on the other side and how well they got along.

This is an amzaing enterprise. Not only does it promote basic research and education, but also promotes peace in a troubled area of the globe.

I had an absolutely amazing experience studying at the Arava Institute in the Spring of 2009. The knowledge I accrued through my relationships and classes were life-changing; after just one semester, I knew I wanted to spend my life helping the environment and personally working towards peace in the Middle East. I enjoyed the program so much as a student that I stayed half the summer as an alumni intern, and am already plotting my return! In the meantime, I have been inspired to pursue my Masters in environmental studies in the US, and put to use what I learned in Israel to raise awareness here about vital issues in the Middle East.

My family spent five days at Kibbutz Ketura and had the opportunity to see the work being done by the Arava Institute. It was truly inspiring to see young people from many differnt cultures, countries and religions working together to solve their mutual problems and help overcome prejudices in the process

I studied at the Arava from 1999-2000. The program provided me with a cutting edge environmental education from the top experts in the field in the Middle East. Most importantly, through group study projects, dialogue activities and community living arrangements, the venue provided an unparalleled opportunity to build networks and environmental partnerships across the region...a network that thrives even when the political outlook is dismal.

The year I spent at the Arava Institute profoundly changed the way I look at Israel. It both strengthened and challenged my Jewish Zionist values by introducing the unique perspectives of diverse sectors of Israeli society (and the entire Middle East). In addition, I gained the practical tools needed to become active in Israel's environmental movement. My experience at AIES continues to inspire me to help create a sustainable future for the land and people of Israel.

The FAI is a unique organization that merges environmental issues and middle east peace making all in one. It has a wonderful and creative executive director and a dedicated board working tirelessly for funds to support the Arava Institute.

As a former student and staff member of the Arava Institue I can say that it is an absolutely amazing institution. I learned so much during my time there and met people from other cultures that I am still in touch with today. As a current resident of Toronto, I have made use of my connections with other Arava Institute alumni to continue to do multifaith work here in Toronto.

I know the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (AIES) since 2003. I was student in this wonderful institution for two years and their i started my Masters in the joint program with Ben Gurion University. in 2003, after my undergraduate studies at the Technion, I was looking for educational body that has long-term activities in Arab-Jewish interaction. AIES was the only one doing this, and, i guess, still the only one that does that in the best way. despite living in Israel, the Israeli university system prevented, or at least did not encourage, such dialogs. as an Arab-Israeli, I find this strategy shameful and irresponsible. AIES builds understanding between Jewish, Arabs, and more. it builds comprehensive, productive network of environmental-related scientists and community leaders who play an active role back in their communities and countries based on the principle AIES introduced to them. and i am one of many who keep doing this. right now I am studying towards my PhD in the US based on the idea i developed back in AIES.

I first learned of the Arava Institute about seven years ago via the Friends of the Arava Institute. The "Friends" are relentless in getting out the word of the Institite's mission of saving the environment and establishing understanding between Israel and its neighbors through environmental concerns. The Friends have created a window in the U.S. into this very impressive institute. Without their outreach, informational, and fund-raising efforts, I'm not sure if the Arava Institute would have the where-with-all to carry out its truely vital work for both the environment and coexistence in the Middle East. The Friends keep me informed and constantly stimulate my interest in and concern for the Arava Institute.

I studied at the Arava Institute in the Spring of 2005. Since my semester there, I can't seem to get away from the Middle East. Now I live in Jerusalem and work in economic development in the West Bank, and not a day goes by without me thinking of my Arava experiences or where my colleagues are. A great institution training the future leaders (both environmental and other) of tomorrow!

I attended the Arava Institute and it changed my life. I went from being a sheltered American college student with an ego-centric outlook on the world to having a broad perspective on environmental politics and the all the grey that colors in between black and white political stances. During the program, I witnessed people from "different sides of the track" working together, playing together and learning together. Among my cohert, there were people from Jordan and Egypt, Palestine and Israel, America and Europe. Whereas there are other groups out there that bring people of these great lands together to dialogue, most of them fall short in that the participants can always get up and walk away from the discussion when it gets too hard or they bring people together at too young an age to really put their words and collective projects into play. The Arava Institute always encouraged us to look beyond the racial, religious and cultural differences that might otherwise stand as road blocks to peace and see the common factors that impact all of us regardless of family history-our environment. Today, I have the opportunity to share what I learned at the Arava Institute about tolerance, keeping a open mind and celebrating diversity with the many young Jewish children I work with in the capacity of teaching 2nd-5th grade Sunday School and serving as the advisor to a wonderful Jewish Teen Group, called Shorashim, in Northern California. I am happy whenever I get a copy of the e-newsletter from Friends of the Arava to see all the good work the Arava Institute continues to do.

My daughter and I went on a bike ride to support the Arava Institute this past May. We had the opportunity to meet some of the alums from the Arava as well as had a chance to visit the Institute. We could not have been more impressed. We met people, who had life changing experiences because of the Institute. Their understanding of other cultures increased exponentially. The educational experience to work together to optimize the resources in the Middle East makes so much sense. I can only hope that more people from a variety of cultures take advantaage of the opportunities available to learn more about this wonderful resource/ institute located in a part of the world that needs to be appreciated more than it already is.

Because the mission of the Arava Institute and by extension, the Friends of the Arava Institute, is so important to the cause of peaceful and collaborative co-existence, I believe that support of FAI will continue to grow exponentially as people learn about the Institute. FAI is an organization full of people who are dedicated and passionate about its success. It's an honor to be associated with FAI.

I have followed the Arava Institute on its website, having been referred, or linked, by my membership in Hadassah. From the first encounter I was struck by the brilliance of a global membership working toward a global solution to the effects of climate change. This year I lost two very dear friends and was able to memorialize them with donations to the Arava Institute. The nature of these memorials are that they are an investment in the future of mankind, and I could think of no more appropriate way to honor great friends who have faded into the past. When I recently read about the involvement of a Palestinian in the Arava program, my heart responded with the longing felt by many Jews and Muslims, for the friendship of each other. With the goal that healing the environment can heal the wounds of nationalism, I have dedicated my limited philanthropic ability to Arava Institute.

The FOAI and AIES are two of the most wonderful organizations I've participated in. They are working together to build a cohort of leaders across cultural, religious, and national boundaries that recognize one another as fellow humans with the same needs and wants.

My experience of the Arava Institute is as a participant in their annual fundraising bike ride in November 2008. In addition to an incredibly well organized event, the experience introduced me to current students and alumni of the institute (my fiance studied there several years ago as well). I was profoundly touched not only by the top-notch scholarly activities of the Institute, but by their wonderful grass-roots peacemaking efforts. Face to face interactions, and working side by side appears to be the most effective way to build the bridge of peace between people in the region. It's slow, costly and requires a great deal of patience and courage. with an expanded budget, this small program could evolve into something incredible.

The Arava Institute was one of the most profound & meaningful experiences in my life. I gained so much from my time learning at the institute. The broad spectrum of traditional academic in classroom learning & adventurous hands on out in the world learning opened my mind to a multitude of possibilities. It inspired & continues to invigorate my work every day as Jewish Educator & Movement Therapist. The institute served as a gateway & catalyst in my creation of NefeshBliss, a system of Yoga & Dance Therapy rooted in Torah which I teach to all ages all over the world. Thank you Arava Institute!

I've had the opportunity to see the relationships that developed between Arab and Israeli students, when we had a Palestinian and an Israeli student from the Arava Institute staying at our home. Their closeness and level of cooperation was truly amazing. It revived my feelings of hope for the future of the Middle East. Since then I have had the opportunity to meet numerous students and alumni and made a visit to the Arava Institute. They are truly an inspiration. After 11 years of struggle just to survive, there are now enough alumni of the program to see the impact they are beginning to have in their own communities and governments. The Arava Institute's is all about transborder cooperation and the building of personal relationship and trust that advance both the effect on the environment and progress towards peace.

I am an alumnus of the Arava Institute and a passionate supporter of it. Arava helped to shape my views, beliefs, and professional experience as an environmental health specialist. The Machon is always close to my heart and I continue to support the mission of Arava in my personal and professional life. The concept that nature has no borders is a simple and essential tool in helping to bring together environmental experts to solve the environmental issues of the Middle East. This concept is functional and factual and I have seen it in practice with my own eyes. Arava's work is essential to the future of our natural world and a real world path towards reconciliation in the Middle East.

I first visited the Arava Institute four years ago and have been back several times since. As an environmental educator and funder of grassroots environmental projects in the U.S. and Israel, I find the work that the Institute is extraordinary on every level --- their absolute dedication to peace through environmental understanding and sustainability; a dedicated faculty and integrated student body of Israelis, Palestinians,Jordanians and North Americans and a fully transparent accountability of their activities.

I have had the good fortune to visit the Institute and meet with its staff and students. I was very impressed with the work they are doing and the commitment of the all of those invovled with the Institute and the Friends of the Institute to its goal of peace through the environment. I have been a contributed to the Institute in the past and will certainly do so again.

Friend of the Arava Institute supports work that gives us hope - working on the idea that nature has no borders and that people bond over common goals, creating a new generation of Middle East environmental problem solvers will help bring peace as well as a healthier earth.

As a member for several years, I have been overwhelmed by the value of this organization, both substantively and symbolically. It is a model for peace in the region. I have been most impressed with all involved.

This will be my sixth visit to the Arava Institute in as many years. The Institute is an oasis of reason and communication in tne middle of a desert in conflict. I strongly support their mission. Perhaps it isn't as complicated as we all think. Communication can go a long way towards peace

I attended the Arava Institute in 2000 as an undergraduate student, and was forever changed by the open dialogue and frank discussions that took place about the Middle East, cultural differences, peace, environmental issues, and the ways we can all work together toward common goals. Since my semester-long experience, I've kept in touch with folks I met there through the alumni network, and my current workplace hosted an intern from Jordan through an Arava connection.

The arava institute serves a mission to make the middle east a more cooperative and environmentally sustainable place throughout collaboration and education.

It's the noise! When I attended the Arava Institute's first big meeting in the US at the Rayburn Senate Offices in DC, the room was filled with current and former students: Palestinians, Jordanians, Israelis, Israeli-Arabs...a gamut representaton of the Mideast. Here were "enemies" who had been freed of the shackles of learned hatred, and had learned instead - through the urgency of environmental challenges - the roots of their common humanity. The noise? It was the joyful collective cacaphony of young people talking about anything, sharing their thoughts and feelings with each other, REVELING IN THEIR COMPANY; but - most importantly - shaking off the silence of despair and mistrust. I've been around, and I have never heard such a beautiful noise before or since!

The goaols and aims of the Arava Institue are ideas that I strongly believe on: cooperative efforts bewteen Israelies and Arabs for environmental studies AND for cooperative grassroot efforts to bring mutual understanding to the individuals who must live together in the region. The ARAVA Insttue has taken these goals and practices the means to get to the end.. I have supported the organization for 4 years and hope to be able to continue that support in the future.

Friends of the Arava Institute is very conscious of making sure that they money it raises gets to the institute that it supports. Because the Arava Institute has such universal appeal, it is a cause behind which not only Jews, but also non-Jews can really around.

Yes, I am prejudiced: I have the honor of serving on the board of the Friends of the Arava Institute, but I would not be on this board, or sing its praises, if I didn't believe that what the Arava Institute does is worthy of my support. Here's why: The Arava Institute is a place where peace and coexistence are no mere buzz words. The people and the programs walk the talk of peace. It's not just about "hugs and hummus meetings." The students, staff, alumni, faculty, are building bridges of peace through long-term, enduring relationships with each other and with projects that benefit the air we breathe, the land we walk on and the water we drink and need for survival. The organization's motto, "Nature Knows No Borders" is one we all need to recognize and remember if our precious children and this precious planet are to survive.

This is a worthwhile organization both for its environmental mission of awareness and in building bridges among Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians. There are few organizations willing to take the risks and engage in edgy, creative activities to help people from diverse and potential hostile groups interact. The personal interactions with speakers, high level political persona and topical experts make this a very important entity to pay attention to and support!