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The inherent nature of the "Galil" (Galilee) region of
northern Israel is far different from that of other areas of the
country. It is marked by sprawling, treed hills, and dotted with
small villages ("kfarim" and "mitzpim") inhabited
by Arabs, Druze, and Jews. Residents of these villages, especially
the Jewish ones, built private homes purposefully in the Galil to
escape the congestion of the cities, the high-rises and the concrete,
and to be close to nature, surrounded by green woods and clean air.
Above is a panoramic
view of "Giv'at HaOranim," a pine grove of about 70 acres
planted by the JNF
(Jewish National Fund) or, in Hebrew, KKL (Keren Kayemet LeYisrael),
in memory of members of the Jewish community of Leeds, England.
The pine grove
is adjacent to a wadi-like open space which also includes a scattering
of olive trees, tended by residents of the neighboring town of Tarshiha.
The area has served as a natural park located between three communi-
ties:
- Kfar Vradim
("Village of Roses"), a community
of single family private homes,
- the Yeffe-Nof
neighborhood of the City of Ma'alot, and
- Tarshiha,
a mixed Christian and Moslem town which is part of the municipality
of Ma'alot-Tarshiha.
Each of these
neighborhoods has a distinct, very different character.
The grove has
been harmoniously used throughout the year by all: classes of schoolchildren
are taken on hikes and taught about natural habitats (a rare salamander
breeding pool is tucked away in the center of the grove). In the
spring, mushrooms are hunted, dogs are walked,
and the grove turns red and yellow when
the wildflowers bloom. All year long, herds of goats, cows, and
sheep may be seen shepherded through the grove, the sound of their
bells and bleats echoing.
Since its inception in 1901, JNF/KKL has been acting as the "Caretaker
of the Land of Israel," acquiring land, planting trees and
overseeing the transformation of the Israeli desert into the land
of milk and honey. It administered the grove until 1995 when the
Local Council of Ma'alot-Tarshiha adopted a plan to annex this area
and create
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an urban community of four-to-seven story apartment buildings, a
commercial center, and replete with high-traffic access roads.
Needless
to say, the plan is an affront to the natural landscape and incongruous
with the surroundings. As a result of this plan, the widely-used
grove would be destroyed, as would the natural separation between
the existing communities which would become geographically contiguous
and indistinguishable. Should this plan be realized, it would mean
no less than the destruction of the quality of life and ambiance
that represent the essence of the Galil-natural green zones between
small communities of diverse character.

To oppose this brazen assault on what we call the
"Galil life style," residents from all neighborhoods surrounding
the grove have banded together to form "Chayim BaGalil (Society
for Life in the Galilee)," a public interest organization.
This Website is meant to make the public aware of the ever-present
urgent need for responsible and environment-aware community planning
and to mobilize support for our efforts to fight any attempts to
destroy this symbol of the Galil, as well as others.
Chayim BaGalil
P.O.Box 550
Kfar Vradim 25147
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