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August Activities

10.8: Neighborhood Festival in Yuvalim

16:30-17:30 Gardening and Face-painting

17:30-18:30 Show and arts and crafts

20:00-23:00 Creative Women's Evening

A meeting for the whole community with music and neighborhood stories.

Location: Tea-Atron Community Garden, Bustania.

For more details contact:
Esther 0546787098 

Update from our Community Gardens

• 4/6: Family gatherings as part of "Green Inside and Out". The event included activities for children, a story about the birth of the garden, a musical Shabbat reception and a community meal in the garden. Sponsored by the Jerusalem Green Fund and the community.

• 9/6: "Yuvalim Tsamid Festival" - a family event in urban nature. Singing and various activities for the whole family. Sponsored by Tsamid Yuvalim

• 17/6: "Night at the Museum" was performed by the Kettle Theater as part of Book Week. At the event we also held a Swap Sale of books, garden planting and a communal meal. Sponsored by the Young Neighbours in Kiryat Hayovel

• 20/6: "The Tractor in the Sandbox" - a performance of the composition "Flutes of Time". Sponsored by the Time Bank Kiryat Menachem

• 23/6: "Community Creates Space" - a workshop in recycled wood led by Amir Elron, to launch the work on the study space in the garden. Sponsored by the Grassroots Project - Jerusalem Community Gardens

• “Reshit Kindergarten” - a party for the kids that included planting personal flower pots for each child to celebrate the end of a year of weekly activity in the garden.

• Graduation party "Gan Gelber" - a festive meeting with music, food and activities in the garden with the participation of the parents to celebrate the end of a year of weekly activities in the garden.

Report from the Regional Climate Conference

In May-June, we produced the first regional climate conference led by the JGF, together with the Jerusalem Municipality and the Mateh Yehudah Regional Council.

During the conference, there were 3 zoom sessions that included expert lectures, responses from the authorities, presentation of projects from the field and round tables, and an outdoor event in 21 different centers.

Hundreds of people attended the conference, and about 2,000 people watched the conference on Facebook. The conference served as an opportunity for meetings and new collaborations on the critical environental issues, and also pushed for regulatory changes. The Jerusalem Municipality is now examining the possibility of including the food issue in its climate crisis assessment program, and the Mateh Yehuda regional council is starting to promote the issue of combined roofs, and this is just the beginning.

In addition, the regional partnership for the promotion of a biosphere reserve in the Jerusalem Hills decided that, following the conference it will  establish a regional food council, which will promote sustainable food policy and management in the area.

Romema

In June, 4 meetings were held with the children of the daycare center near the greenhouse.

They had hands-on learning about planting seeds, compost, and caring for plants. They also worked in the greenhouse and garden, where they saw how our vegetables and fruits grow. They also planted in the greenhouse, and received a tomato seedling that they could plant at home.

In addition, we continued to hold regular Monday meetings once every two weeks in the greenhouse.

Bustania 

The past month has been busy in the garden, with many work days and numerous fun-filled events. We also worked with the community on garden development, strengthened cooperation with the authorities, and lots of visitors and volunteers to help us in the garden.

Food Cycle 

The Food Cycle returned to work after a break, with a stand and gardening work as part of the "Food Cycle" project at the Taylor House.

We are currently working on refining the plans and finding a new project coordinator, who will work with us in collaboration with the Food Rescue project and under the auspices of the Shahaf Foundation.

Kiriyat Menachem

The "Planter for every windowsill" project, Reshit School.

The "Planter for every Windowsill" project, Reshit School. The last year and a half of primary school food planter classes have been challenging, but also particularly rewarding.

The structure of the lesson constantly changed with a mixture of zoom and in-school lessons, in small groups. The need of the students for a practical project that they could also do by hand at home, was greater than previous years because of the many computer hours due to on-line learning, and this led to serious groups of students who experimented and continued the activities at home more than in previous years. 

Together with some of the students in the program, we produced a video about our experience this year. Welcome to watch!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10i9nZCppkyC2wHLkHuRexNumnO0wBim3/view

Building the Godjo (Traditional Ethiopian Mud House)

Work on the Godjo continues with many volunteers. 

We have recently finished the first layer of mud, and we are starting to work on the second layer. Work continues throughout the summer, except for a brief break in the second half of August. Everyone is welcome to join the construction.

Sign up at the link:

https://forms.gle/mic6AjXRrsYYTDF9A

Hila Shapira

Hila has been an avid environmentalist since she was a young child. From going on hikes with her parents to being involved in the Scouts she was instilled with the values of protecting nature, taking responsibility for our environment and sustainability.

After studying for a Master on "Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability" in Sweden, Hila returned to Israel with a renewed passion to work in the environmental field. She has both managed and participated in many environmental and community projects, including promotion of the EU Oxid legislation, sustainability campaigns as part of local elections, community organizing, study and learning sessions in Jerusalem and membership of the B'Shuta cooperative. 

Six year ago she set up her own environmental consultancy "Ayana", together with Hagar Lidor. Their focus is strategic consulting, and aims to strengthen the connection between the business world and sustainability. Ayana is currently working with the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem developing a Green Vision and a work plan to implement changes. They have already added a vegan menu and changed the  Heating Pump system to be more energy efficient.

Hila has worked on local and national environmental campaigns in Israel and was very involved in the establishment of the Sustainable Jerusalem Lobby and the Green Business Forum, both initiated by the Jerusalem Green Fund. 

Hila proudly believes in the power of partnerships and collaborations between people and organisations to work towards sustainability. This is why she became a stakeholder in the JGF. She is excited at the opportunities available for change and sees Jerusalem, with the support of the municipality, as a leader and role model in showing the world what is possible in creating a more sustainable society and environment.