CHABAD WA hosted a meet and greet as a promo for JNF WA’s main fund raising event which is on Sunday evening 9th November at 6pm at The Jewish Centre, Perth.
JNF WA has adopted and supports the Merchav Am community in the Negev.
In Conversation with … Allison Speiser at the Shul, Garson Court
on Thursday morning 6th November at 11am
About Allison Speiser
Allison Levine Speiser lives in Merchav Am, the southernmost religious yishuv in Israel (population: 60 families). Originally from Highland Park, NJ, she worked in the field of environmental science as well as in Jewish Education before moving to Israel in 2009. Professionally, Allison works at the Ben Gurion Heritage Institute part time, and her husband has a home office working in computer programming. She spends lots of time with her five very energetic kids, adjusting to caravan life, and trying to build a house. This past year she worked with Nefesh B’Nefesh’s “Go South” program as part of their Negev Leadership Circle. Allison feels strongly that the future of Israel is in the Negev, and she is thrilled that she’s able to play a small role in helping others find their way down south, working daily to make the desert bloom and see Ben Gurion’s dream become reality.
About Merchav Am
Merhav Am (Hebrew: מֶרְחָב עַם, lit. National Expanse) is a religious communal settlement in the Negev desert in Israel. Located between Yeruham and the kibbutz of Sde Boker, it is part of the Ramat HaNegev Regional Council.
History
It was founded by the Or Movement on 1 November 2001 and has a population of around 60 families, many of them living in caravans.
Naming
The original name for the settlement was intended to be Halukim due to its proximity to the Halukim Hills (the nearest road junction is called the Halukim Junction). However, after around a year it was renamed Merhav Am, inspired by the wide open area in which it was to be built, as well as in honour of Rehavam Ze’evi, a former Minister who was assassinated in 2001: In Hebrew Merhav (מרחב – MRHV) means “wide open spaces” whilst Rehavam is spelt using the last three letters of the word plus two more (רחבעם – RHVAM). Combining the two gives Merhav Am (MRHV+AM).
For more info visit:
http://www.nbn.org.il/gosouth/tag/merchav-am/
http://www.merhav-am.org.il/
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/Affordable-housing-will-not-magically-appear
Also
http://www.jnf.org/work-we-do/blueprint-negev/developing-new-communities.html
http://eng.negev-net.org.il/htmls/article.aspx?C2004=12701&BSP=12606
Merchav Am is 30 min from Mitzpe Ramon
Here are some of my photos from my trip to Mitzpe Ramon last year with Ronen, Racheli & Kalya
elirab 