We celebrate Tu B'Shevat, the 15th of Shevat on the Jewish calendar, on Shabbat, January 30, this year. Tu B'Shevat marks the beginning of a New Year for Trees. At this time, the earliest blooming trees in Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. In many ways, Tu B'Shevat is the "green" holiday, the environment- awareness holiday.
In Israel, the holiday is associated with tree planting. All over the country, schoolchildren plant young trees. Love, prayers, plenty of sunshine, and hope go into the process, but the one ingredient that a tree needs most-water-is lacking. The promised land is the land of milk and honey, not the land of water. We mention water in our prayers three times a day from the month of Heshvan through Pesach. Every Israeli traveling abroad can't get enough of the sight of the many rivers and lakes in other parts of the world. We can't believe that open drinking fountains are available for public use. I once tried to close a public tap in Italy because I was so concerned with the waste of free, flowing water! In Israel, every child is familiar with the need to save water. We are all used to minimizing our use of water when showering, washing dishes, or doing laundry.
A recent media campaign featuring beautiful Israeli women whose faces were covered with dry cracks had a significant effect on Israeli consumers. The campaign led to a decrease of 13.5 percent of water consumption, or 70 million cubic meters. But an advertising campaign is not enough. The Israeli government also decided to increase the cost of water. In January, prices will rise by 25 percent; in June, by another 16 percent; and at the beginning of 2011, by another two percent. The extra revenue will help to finance more desalination plants. Israel plans to have six desalination plants in operation by 2012 to supply 300 million cubic meters of water, nearly half the country's household water consumption.
As part of drought emergency measures, the Water Authority is also thinking about importing water, perhaps from Turkey, despite recent tensions between the two countries. The issue of importing water from Turkey has been on the agenda for several years now. Turkey has large water reserves flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, while Israel suffers from a serious water shortage.
Israel's main source of water, Lake Kinneret, will need about 140 rainstorms to return to full: the Kinneret is currently 18 feet short of being full. However, the water crisis has had one positive effect: when Rio de Janeiro was chosen as the host of the 2016 Olympics, the government started to worry that the millions of people expected to flood the country for the event would waste massive amounts of water. So Brazil sought out technological innovations in the field of conserving and recycling water. This led Brazil to Israel.
A popular English children's song asks: "Rain, rain, go away; come again another day."
In Hebrew, we sing: "Geshem Geshem bo!" Rain, rain, come! When every drop counts, getting wet is a blessing.
In Israel, the holiday is associated with tree planting. All over the country, schoolchildren plant young trees. Love, prayers, plenty of sunshine, and hope go into the process, but the one ingredient that a tree needs most-water-is lacking. The promised land is the land of milk and honey, not the land of water. We mention water in our prayers three times a day from the month of Heshvan through Pesach. Every Israeli traveling abroad can't get enough of the sight of the many rivers and lakes in other parts of the world. We can't believe that open drinking fountains are available for public use. I once tried to close a public tap in Italy because I was so concerned with the waste of free, flowing water! In Israel, every child is familiar with the need to save water. We are all used to minimizing our use of water when showering, washing dishes, or doing laundry.
A recent media campaign featuring beautiful Israeli women whose faces were covered with dry cracks had a significant effect on Israeli consumers. The campaign led to a decrease of 13.5 percent of water consumption, or 70 million cubic meters. But an advertising campaign is not enough. The Israeli government also decided to increase the cost of water. In January, prices will rise by 25 percent; in June, by another 16 percent; and at the beginning of 2011, by another two percent. The extra revenue will help to finance more desalination plants. Israel plans to have six desalination plants in operation by 2012 to supply 300 million cubic meters of water, nearly half the country's household water consumption.
As part of drought emergency measures, the Water Authority is also thinking about importing water, perhaps from Turkey, despite recent tensions between the two countries. The issue of importing water from Turkey has been on the agenda for several years now. Turkey has large water reserves flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, while Israel suffers from a serious water shortage.
Israel's main source of water, Lake Kinneret, will need about 140 rainstorms to return to full: the Kinneret is currently 18 feet short of being full. However, the water crisis has had one positive effect: when Rio de Janeiro was chosen as the host of the 2016 Olympics, the government started to worry that the millions of people expected to flood the country for the event would waste massive amounts of water. So Brazil sought out technological innovations in the field of conserving and recycling water. This led Brazil to Israel.
A popular English children's song asks: "Rain, rain, go away; come again another day."
In Hebrew, we sing: "Geshem Geshem bo!" Rain, rain, come! When every drop counts, getting wet is a blessing.
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Leah Garber
Director, Israel Office
Director, Israel Office