The building of a barrier threatens local wildlife
Ein Gedi nature reserve (which borders the eastern Judean Desert and the Dead Sea) - 6 March, 2008
1. Various Ibexes on mountain slope
2. Various of stone rabbits
Wadi Qelt, West Bank - 5 March, 2008
3. Wide of Wadi Qelt
4. Zoom in to waterfall
5. Various of birds near waterfall
6. Flowers blooming near river
7. Set up of Avraham Shaked standing next to colleague Roee Simon
8. Wide of Judean desert
9. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Avraham Shaked, regional coordinator in Jerusalem, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI)
It's the first time that a country that is one territory from the natural and ecological point of view - all the land that is between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean sea - is divided by a physical barrier that is supposed to be be impossible to cross, not only for the people and the terrorists, but also any animal bigger than a rat or a lizard. This thing (barrier) is hurting the main principle of the protection of nature, that is the connectivity, the possibility for organisms to move from place to place and to protect in that way the dispersion of the species and the diversification of the species.
Ein Gedi nature reserve - 6 March, 2008
10. Various of stone rabbits near fence
11. Close of Ibex
12. Wide of Ein Gedi nature reserve
Wadi Qelt, West Bank - 5 March 2008
13. Wide shot of Wadi Qelt
14. Zoom in to Wadi Qelt spring (stream)
15. Mid shot of plants with sun overhead
16. Wide of Wadi Qelt seen from mountains
Bethlehem, West Bank - 4 March, 2008
17. Various of West Bank barrier around Bethlehem with graffiti on it
18. Wide of Maale Adumim settlement with West Bank fence in foreground
19. Set up of Imad Atrash, executive director of the Palestine Wildlife Society
20. Wide of Maale Adumim settlement seen through fence
21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Imad Atrash, Executive Director Palestine Wildlife Society
There is some tragedy for the animals, they are trying to be away from the fence area. It's really very sad. That's what we are looking for as a wildlife rights.
Ein Gedi nature reserve, Southern Israel - 6 March 2008
22. Mid of stone rabbit
23. Pan down from Ibex horn to close-up Ibex
24. Close of stone rabbits in shade resting near waterfall
Bethlehem, West Bank - 4 March 2008
25. SOUNDBITE: (English) Imad Atrash, Executive Director Palestine Wildlife Society
One of the most important issue is that the habitat and the location of the animals need space and with this separation wall or fence there is not enough space for them to be. Like what you have seen now, the tracks of the animals, they dig a hole inside the fence because they are looking for food and for water and this fence will kill and limit the number of mammals and animals in the coming future. For sure, most of the largest size of the mammals above the rabbit or the hare, it's endangered species at the moment in Palestine and in Israel.
26. Pan from Maale Adumim to fence
Kfar Adumim settlement, West Bank - 4 March, 2008
27. Wide zoom out of Kfar Adumim
28. Set up of Israeli settler, Roee Simon looking at mountains
29. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Roee Simon, Local resident
I personally as resident, as backpacker, as citizen, I think that the barrier is a mistake from concept and there is also other possibilities. We are going like a herd after the barrier, while we didn't even look for alternatives, we didn't test every case as unique and in this specific case (Wadi Qelt) we have totally different alternatives, we have technological options that don't have to destroy all of this special area.
30. Pan from Kfar Adumim to near mountains
Ein Gedi nature reserve - 6 March, 2008
31. Wide of Dead Sea and Ein Gedi nature reserve
32. Various of Stone rabbit eating from Acacia tree
33. Zoom in to Ibex
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Middle East - Rockets fired at Israel / Israelis attack Gaza / West Bank settlements / Hamas leader
(10 Dec 2012)
Clashes between police and worshippers after prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque
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Jerusalem, 5 Oct 2012
1. Pan left from Israeli policeman throwing stun grenade towards worshipers, people running away, smoke rising (UPSOUND) stun grenade exploding
2. Tracking shot Israeli policemen storming Al-Aqsa Mosque complex
3. Zoom in shot showing police holding handcuffed man down on floor
Israeli airstrikes target Hamas members killing at least one person
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Beit Hanoun - 22 Oct 2012
4. Wide of area attacked by Israeli airstrike
Rockets fired into southern Israel after deadly airstrike in southern Gaza
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Nahal Oz, southern Israel - 24 Oct 2012
5. Various of Israelis going to shelters UPSOUND (Hebrew) Red Siren
6. Tilt down from hole in ceiling caused by rocket to damage in house
Locals run for cover as rockets from Gaza hit residential areas in the south
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Kfar Aza, southern Israel - 16 Nov 2012
7. Zoom in to damaged house, pull out to police officers telling people to get inside a shelter
8. Mid of damage done to house
Heavy smoke billowing above the rooftops in Gaza
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Gaza City - 18 Nov 2012
9. Wide high shot of black smoke billowing from headquarters of National Security Forces
10. destroyed buildings
Israel rocket a'math, minister tours site, Fabius visit, Gaza airstrike a'math
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Gaza City, Gaza Strip - 18 November 2012
11. Wide of building destroyed in airstrike, people look for survivors under piles of rubble
12. people looking though rubble
+GRAPHIC IMAGES+ Israeli airstrike destroys house in Gaza, at least 11 civilians killed
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Gaza City - 18 Nov 2012
13. Man carrying body of dead child out of rubble of destroyed building
Thousands mourn death of children killed in airstrike
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Gaza City - 19 Nov 2012
14. Relatives climbing off back of vehicle, carrying bodies of young children killed in airstrike on Sunday, their bodies wrapped in Palestinian flags, but faces still visible
15. relatives carrying bodies of children through streets, followed by other mourners
Israeli airstrike hits media centre as violence continues
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Gaza City - 19 Nov 2012
16. Wide top shot of a media centre in Gaza City, hit by an Israeli airstrike, UPSOUND: Explosions
17. building housing a media centre on fire, seen from ground as smoke billows out of windows
18. car wreckage
Explosions in Gaza; government building housing 8 ministries targeted
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Gaza - 21 Nov 2012
++NIGHT SHOTS++
19. Wide high shot of skyline, flashes of light, AUDIO: explosions near government building, camera goes to black as it loses power
Damage after Israeli aircraft hit Gaza with at least 30 overnight strikes
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Gaza City - 21 Nov 2012
20. Smoke rising from debris in compound where government ministries were struck overnight
21. Mid of destroyed vehicle
22. Wide of damaged building
Bus blast near Israel's military HQ injures at least 10, Hamas reax, hospital
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Tel Aviv - 21 Nov 2012
23. Wide of bus and ambulance behind
24. Emergency services at scene
Israeli troops still present along Gaza border after ceasefire agreement
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Southern Israel - 23 Nov 2012
25. Various of soldiers and tanks
26. Soldiers gathering near bus
27. Soldiers entering bus
Israel speeds up building of settlements in West Bank
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Maaleh Adumim, West Bank - 1 Dec 2012
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Prime Minister's Questions: 17 October 2018
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons on Wednesday 17 October 2018.
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David Ha'ivri speaking about the Jewish Shepherd's Tent
The Jewish Shepherd's Tent
Click here to learn how you can support
Avraham Herzlich came to Israel many years ago, as a young man in search of his Jewish identity. After a long boat ride from America, he took off his shoes and walked the width and length of the Holy Land, barefoot. On his trek, he discovered Torah Judaism in the Yemenite community's traditions. He found his calling in herding small cattle, like the fathers of the nation of Israel - Avraham, Itzhak and Yaakov. He realized that a shepherd in the field, whose livelihood is truly reliant on the rains and seasons, can develop a sense of direct connection between himself - a simple Jew - and G-d and His blessings.
Avraham has been shepherding his flock of goats and sheep in the hills of Israel for over 40 years now - first in the Galil, and later in Shomron. He and his wife Aviva brought up their eleven children to value being close to the land and nature, and learning the ways of HaShem. Thirteen years ago, major tragedy struck Avraham's family when his daughter Talya and her husband Binyamin were killed in a roadside ambush by terrorists. Their six children were left orphans, to be raised by their extended family. And as if that were not enough, four years ago, his entire herd of 400 goats was stolen and transported into the Palestinian Authority, and lost forever.
With the small herd he has succeeded in gathering since, Avraham spends many hours every day out in the grazing lands near the town of Kfar Tapuach in Shomron. He walks many kilometers each day, moving his flock to fresh pastures, assisted by his faithful shepherd dogs and his grandchildren, who learn Torah and read Psalms with him, while enjoying the wonders of nature and the beautiful scenery of the hills of Samaria.
In short, Avraham has a unique life, and a story to tell.
The idea:
Avraham is not as young as he once was; his work is not getting any easier, and he has been through a lot. His daughter and son-in-law, Mollie and David Ha'ivri, came up with an idea that would help Avraham transform his life’s work into something that could be shared with people who wish to learn more about his ideals.
They have built a visitor's tent in the middle of his grazing land at Kfar Tapuach, and launched a Facebook page for the Jewish Shepherd. They have begun coordinating tour group visits with Avraham the Shepherd. The first season of this program was a big success. Tour groups included farmers from America, motorcycle clubs from Israel, new immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Chabad Hasidim from New York, and journalists from both BBC and Arabic-language Alhura TV.
In some very unusual weather this past winter, Israel experienced two heavy blizzards. The first one was preceded by very strong winds, which caused major damage to the Shepherd's visitors’ tent. Now that the winter is behind us, we need to rebuild and expand the site to facilitate the expected flow of visitors this coming spring, summer and fall.
We need your help to make this happen. We plan to rebuild and expand the visitors’ tent, build restrooms for guests, build a cooking area and a pita bread oven, clear an area for car and bus parking, set up a shooting range for bow and arrow archery activities, build a holding pen for the goats, near the tent, and fence in grazing lands nearby.
The overall budget to do all of these things is about $75,000. But as we are known for doing the best we can with what we can get, we are looking to raise at least $5000, to start. Feel free to contact us directly, if you are interested in sponsoring major parts of this project. Donations can be recognized for your taxes. (Just ask, if you need documentation for that.)
Please take advantage of our perks program for this crowdfunding campaign. We ask for your help now, not only through your own donation, but that you also share with your friends and urge them to support this project as well.
Thank you for your help, and thank you for your friendship.
Please do come to visit.
The Jewish Shepherd's Tent Team