JNF kicks off speaking tour to raise awareness on agriculture devastation
As widespread agricultural and ecological damage due to flaming projectiles hurled across the border fail to make the news in the United States, Jewish National Fund USA is hoping to rectify that by launching a comprehensive speaking tour across the country to educate the public about the psychological and economical damage the fires have caused.
During the month of August, Gaza envelope residents will share their personal stories of living along the Gaza border where hundreds of incendiary kites, balloons and rockets have steadily rained down on them for months, destroying thousands of acres of crops and forest – and the ecosystems and wildlife they contain.
Speakers will include Michal Uziyahu, director of community centers in the Eshkol Region, which shares some 30 miles of border with Gaza; Sarit Khanoukaev, a 21-year-old at-riskyouth counselor who lives and works in Sderot; and Yedidya Harush, JNF’s representative of Halutza communities (Nave, Bnei Netzarim, and Shlomit) and the entire Gaza envelope region.
“Unfortunately, as the danger increased over the last threeand-a-half months, the Gaza envelope residents watched their region become largely reduced to an ecological disaster area,” said Betsy Fischer, chair of the Gaza envelope Task Force. “They are running to bomb shelters and safe rooms as rocket alerts blare... it’s evident that the work of our Task Force is more important than ever. We are glad that Jewish National Fund-USA is taking on the bold move to bring residents from the region who will cross the country and share their stories about what life on the border with Gaza is like during this most difficult time.”