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Public Officials Return from Federation's Mission to Israel
On December 8, a bi-partisan delegation of state lawmakers and members of Gov. Bill Owens’ Cabinet returned from Federation's Public Officials Mission to Israel. The Mission focused on Homeland Security and water conservation issues; two issues shared by both Israel and Colorado.

“We thought it important that the policy-makers in Colorado have the opportunity to see the great strides that Israel has made in Homeland Security and water issues,” said Shaul Amir, Director of Federation’s Israel Department. “We were pleased to see the mission participants learning new concepts and hope they will bring some of Israel’s best practices back to Colorado.”

One of the most similar issues faced by both Colorado and Israel is how to use and conserve water in dry and arid climates. Israeli scientists have pioneered water use and conservation technology; utilizing reverse osmosis, desalinization and other cutting-edge technologies to increase and conserve Israel’s water supply.

While visiting Ramat Negev, Federation’s Partnership 2000 Community, in the southern desert of Israel, the lawmakers had the opportunity to participate in a tour of the Water Institute and the Desert Research Institute at Midreshet Ben Gurion. While there they had the opportunity to see first-hand, experimental water preservation technologies and innovative desalinization techniques.

While visiting Ramat Negev, the lawmakers also saw Israeli ingenuity first-hand while learning how residents in the desert settlement of Pithat Nitzana adapted to limited water availability. Over time, these settlers have helped crops adapt to growing in brackish (salty) water. Participants saw crops normally dependent on fresh water: tomatoes, pomegranates and olives, adapted to flourish in brackish water – without genetic manipulation. Additionally, they were able to visit brackish water fish ponds containing only fresh water fish.

“It was truly an honor to share this Israeli industriousness with Colorado lawmakers,” said Federation President and CEO Doug Seserman. “Our experiences in Ramat Negev helped illustrate the common challenges faced by both Israel and Colorado, and helped our lawmakers learn about possible solutions that could be implemented in Colorado.”

The other focus of the mission was on Homeland Security issues, something all-too-familiar to Israelis. In fact, while visiting a hospital for a briefing on Israel’s contingency plan for chemical or biological weapons attack, the group learned that some of the victims from a suicide bombing in Netanya were being brought in.

“America and Israel share so much: common interests, common opportunities, common challenges and common threats,” said State Representative Josh Penry. “Our Mission to Israel gave Colorado officials a one-of-a-kind opportunity to exchange perspectives with leaders at the top levels of Israeli government on these critical matters.”

One such Israeli official that the lawmakers had the opportunity to meet with was former Prime Minister and current Deputy Prime Minister MK Shimon Peres. Peres primarily answered questions from the Colorado delegation about the current political situation in Israel, U.S. involvement in Iraq, Israeli security and counter-terrorism programs, the importance of military technology and the Colorado Jewish community’s investment in Ramat Negev.

“I know Colorado has invested heavily in the Negev and we are very grateful for it,” Peres told the officials.

The Colorado Officials also met with security expert Avi Melamed to discuss the Israel Security Fence. Although controversial, the fence has been tremendously successful in curbing the number of suicide attacks against Israel.

“According to the head of the Israeli police force with whom we met, before the fence there were about 300-600 bombings a year in Israel, now there are less than a dozen,” said State Senator Steve Johnson in a letter to the Fort Collins Coloradoan. “And in the few places where a ‘wall’ was built, it was because of gunfire that rained across the border on Israeli homes. Children in these neighborhoods deserve this protection, not from the majority who want peace, but from the radical minority who want to exterminate Israel.”

Another mission highlight was a visit to the headquarters of Magen David Adom (MDA, Israeli Red Cross), which only recently earned international recognition. Today, MDA is charged with the responsibility for providing auxiliary services to Israel’s army Medical Corps in wartime, including providing emergency medical care for the wounded and war refugees; providing civilian emergency medical and first-aid services and maintaining blood banks for civilian use. MDA has played a major role in providing vital, lifesaving services during times of conflict and times of peace.

“The Mission was a useful and powerful way to help bring technology and research pioneered in Israel back for the benefit of all Coloradoans,” said Elliott Husney, Chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Federation. “Federation and the JCRC are honored to have orchestrated this unique opportunity and hope that each of the participants will use the knowledge gained during the trip for the good of the entire state.”

The Public Officials Mission to Israel was sponsored by the Mizel Family Foundations and Gateway American Properties.

Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado is the umbrella fundraising, information and social organization for Colorado’s Jewish community. The Federation’s mission is to build and sustain Jewish life in Colorado, Israel and around the world.

Information: 303.316.6494

Mission participants visiting the Water Institute and Desert Research Institute in Ramat Negev, Israel.

  
State Senators with Shimon Peres: Left to Right: Brandon Shaffer, Shawn Mitchell, Joan Fitz-Gerald, Shimon Peres, Andy McElhany and Steve Johnson.


Mission participants visit the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Ken Heller, Shimon Peres, Doug Seserman, Janet Sherman, and Dorothy Gotlieb


Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald and Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany laying a wreath at David Ben-Gurion’s gravesite.
Federation’s Israel, National and Overseas (INO) Board Members and Ramat Negev Mayor Shmulik Rifman. Left to Right: Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Advocacy Committee Co-chair, Dorothy Gotlieb; Ramat Negev Mayor Shmulik Rifman; INO Mission’s Chair, Howard Boigon and JCRC Chair Elliott Husney.


Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald with Ramat Negev Mayor Shmulik Rifman
Colorado Public Officials Mission participants visit the building site of the Center for Human Dignity, Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, a project of the Simon Wiesenthal Center which is chaired by Larry A. Mizel.


Left to Right: Federation Missions Committee Chair, Howard Boigon; MK Ze’eve Boim and Andy McElhany