KKL-JNF Mourns the Passing of Shimon Peres z"l
Shimon Peres developed a great love for the Arava and the Negev, inspired by exploring its pristine landscapes as a young man in the 1940s. As president and honored guest, for years Shimon Peres celebrated the fruits reaped through the partnership between KKL-JNF and the Yair Northern and Central Arava R&D Station at the annual Arava Agricultural Exhibition. The president was also a participant with KKL-JNF at the Sixth Negev Conference in Sderot in 2014. KKL-JNF, through funds donated by JNF Australia, was responsible for creating the garden and landscaping the environs of the Peres Center for Peace in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, which Peres founded in 1996 to further the vision of people in the Middle East working together to build peace through socio-economic cooperation and development. In partnership with the Peres Center, JNF Canada provided funds for research in olive grove soil and water management. Further research involved the application of nanotechnology in water desalination, part of a 5-year study carried out at the Negev and Arava R&D stations.n 2009, KKL-JNF restored the garden at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, which served as the deserving setting at which the president presented KKL-JNF with the Yakir and Magshimim Prizes in 2011 as well the coveted Beautiful Israel award in 2012, on which occasion Peres lauded KKL-JNF for championing the values of "creation, innovation and realization" in making a greener and more beautiful Israel. The garden, covering two-thirds of an acre, comprises flora representative of the land of Israel, including olive orchards and cypress and pine trees. Among other qualities, Peres embodied those of his namesake, the bearded vulture. Like the majestic bird, his life's work was distinguished by resourcefulness, keen vision and perspective, sharpened by time.
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