by Alex Cicelsky
Founder, Kibbutz Lotan

The recent President's Conference in Jerusalem opened with a video that showcased innovative research and development in the Negev and highlighted Reform Kibbutz Lotan's ecology center. To see this work for himself, the President of Israel, Shimon Peres, visited the Eilot Region in Israel's southern Arava Valley. Peres's visit focused on initiatives the region is taking in environmental education and renewable energy.

Kibbutz Lotan, which has achieved national prominence for its ecological projects, was Peres's final stop. After being greeted by a delegation of kibbutz children, Peres and the kibbutz general director Mark Naveh (a graduate of NETZER Australia) toured the Center for Creative Ecology's facilities. The President met the young Israelis doing a year of service after high school who demonstrated the art of making mud bricks. He also learned about assembling a geodesic dome with palm branches from American college students participating in the Center's Peace, Justice & the Environment semester program (affiliated with Living Routes, the University of Massachusetts and MASA).

Peres met with kibbutz members in the Center's solar tea house reception area. One of Lotan's founders, Mike Nitzan, related the history of the Kibbutz and its Reform Zionist vision. Michael Livni, the first shaliah (emissary) to the Reform Movement of North America in the 1970's, presented Peres with a copy of his book, "The Reform Option: Another Zionism". The President expressed his appreciation for Lotan's pioneering role in ecological innovation and also noted the significance of the affiliation with the Reform movement - the largest stream of Judaism in the Diaspora.

Peres was particularly impressed with the sustainable technologies incorporated in the Center including organic gardening, solar ovens, strawbale construction and sewage treatment using a constructed wetland. The visit ended with the President making a personal evaluation of the waterless toilets, an important tool for eliminating pollution and conserving precious resources.

Pictures are below the jump, or visit KibbutzLotan.com for more.

President Shimon Peres receives a Captain Compost Superhero t-shirt from the children of Kibbutz Lotan during his visit to the community's educational EcoPark.

President

Shimon Peres poses with the elementary school aged children of Kibbutz Lotan and education staff at the entrance to the Center for Creative Ecology's EcoPark.

One of the many skills learned on Lotan's creative ecology programs is alternative building. Here, students from the Peace, Justice and the Environment college semester demonstrate to President Shimon Peres how to build a geodesic dome from recycled palm branches.