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I was riding my mountain bike through my backyard and I took the time to appreciate my surroundings. My backyard happens to be one of the least developed areas of Israel: the Jezreel Valley.
I love it here. I love the fresh air, the rolling hills off in the distance, and most of all, I like to listen to the quiet. Its not your average, ordinary quite. It's the chirping of the crickets at night, the low, deep gurgle of the frogs by the streams, the leap of the otters into the water as I ride by, the gentle rustling of the windswept wheat fields, and the majestic view of the constant turning sunflowers throughout the day. From any point in the Jezreel Valley, you can see clear to the other side. Only a handful of six-story buildings crowded together in the town of Afula even dare to disturb the pioneer feeling of the land where the first Halutzim called home.
This, however, is about to change forever.
The State of Israel is building a racetrack in the Land of Israel. Yes, that's right, a racetrack. They are building this enormous, illuminated, concrete monolith not in Tel Aviv or the big city's outskirts, but far out into the country. The State of Israel, the UJC and the local Gilboa Regional Council have given the go-ahead for private contractors to carve up a pristine swath of the Jezreel Valley, owned by the Jewish people of the entire world through the JNF (Jewish National Fund), and pave hundreds of acres of Israel's greatest farmland and wildlife sanctuaries into parking lots and a mecca of gambling. It will be a prime draw for every Mafia boss, two-bit thug, pimp and hooker, and other assorted criminals, to set up shop.
They say that this monstrosity will create 8,000 jobs for the local residents. Are you kidding me? We can't get our own people to pick their own olives in the fields, so how exactly are we going to get them to shovel horse manure all day long? Yes it might create these jobs, but not for Jews. Probably for our lovely neighbors in Jenin. Or maybe we can import another 8,000 Thai workers.
But that's not all. No, there is more. Dani Atar, our wonderful mayor and Labor party member, in conjunction with Binyamin Netanyahu, the Minister of Finance and Likud member, want to take two of the Jewish people's most precious historical sites and turn them into Disneyland. That's right. No longer will Tel Yizrael just be a place for Jews from all over the world to explore the ruins, the mikves, mosaics, wine presses, ancient wells or the ruins of King Ahab's winter palace. No, it won't be enough to stand on the hill looking out over Navot's vineyards with a Bible in one hand, seeking out the spirituality of our ancient history in the exact spot where the Prophet Elijah went forth to do battle with the pagan priests. Soon, we will only see a huge hotel, restaurant and swimming pool on top of this tranquil hilltop.
That's not all. The crown jewel of the Jezreel Valley will also be encroached upon. That's right, the Gilboa Mountain range. No more will we be able to walk out onto 'Saul's Shoulder' with Bible in hand and relive the battle in which Saul and his son Jonathan fell at the hand of the Philistines. There will be another hotel and snack bar, probably with the latest Britney Spears single blasting out of the poolside speakers.
Just think of it! No more prancing gazelles to interrupt your quiet secluded picnic. No more green pastures covered with red, blue and purple wildflowers, and no more breathtaking views of the fields our forefathers created out of the malaria-infested swamps. Who needs it anyway? Do you?
If you do, I suggest that you contact your nearest UJA-UJC president and start yelling and screaming about the theft of your land, because it is your land and some guy with a few million dollars has no right to build an 800-room hotel on our national treasures just because it will be profitable. Shame on all those involved in this absurd endeavor.
I love it here. I love the fresh air, the rolling hills off in the distance, and most of all, I like to listen to the quiet. Its not your average, ordinary quite. It's the chirping of the crickets at night, the low, deep gurgle of the frogs by the streams, the leap of the otters into the water as I ride by, the gentle rustling of the windswept wheat fields, and the majestic view of the constant turning sunflowers throughout the day. From any point in the Jezreel Valley, you can see clear to the other side. Only a handful of six-story buildings crowded together in the town of Afula even dare to disturb the pioneer feeling of the land where the first Halutzim called home.
This, however, is about to change forever.
The State of Israel is building a racetrack in the Land of Israel. Yes, that's right, a racetrack. They are building this enormous, illuminated, concrete monolith not in Tel Aviv or the big city's outskirts, but far out into the country. The State of Israel, the UJC and the local Gilboa Regional Council have given the go-ahead for private contractors to carve up a pristine swath of the Jezreel Valley, owned by the Jewish people of the entire world through the JNF (Jewish National Fund), and pave hundreds of acres of Israel's greatest farmland and wildlife sanctuaries into parking lots and a mecca of gambling. It will be a prime draw for every Mafia boss, two-bit thug, pimp and hooker, and other assorted criminals, to set up shop.
They say that this monstrosity will create 8,000 jobs for the local residents. Are you kidding me? We can't get our own people to pick their own olives in the fields, so how exactly are we going to get them to shovel horse manure all day long? Yes it might create these jobs, but not for Jews. Probably for our lovely neighbors in Jenin. Or maybe we can import another 8,000 Thai workers.
But that's not all. No, there is more. Dani Atar, our wonderful mayor and Labor party member, in conjunction with Binyamin Netanyahu, the Minister of Finance and Likud member, want to take two of the Jewish people's most precious historical sites and turn them into Disneyland. That's right. No longer will Tel Yizrael just be a place for Jews from all over the world to explore the ruins, the mikves, mosaics, wine presses, ancient wells or the ruins of King Ahab's winter palace. No, it won't be enough to stand on the hill looking out over Navot's vineyards with a Bible in one hand, seeking out the spirituality of our ancient history in the exact spot where the Prophet Elijah went forth to do battle with the pagan priests. Soon, we will only see a huge hotel, restaurant and swimming pool on top of this tranquil hilltop.
That's not all. The crown jewel of the Jezreel Valley will also be encroached upon. That's right, the Gilboa Mountain range. No more will we be able to walk out onto 'Saul's Shoulder' with Bible in hand and relive the battle in which Saul and his son Jonathan fell at the hand of the Philistines. There will be another hotel and snack bar, probably with the latest Britney Spears single blasting out of the poolside speakers.
Just think of it! No more prancing gazelles to interrupt your quiet secluded picnic. No more green pastures covered with red, blue and purple wildflowers, and no more breathtaking views of the fields our forefathers created out of the malaria-infested swamps. Who needs it anyway? Do you?
If you do, I suggest that you contact your nearest UJA-UJC president and start yelling and screaming about the theft of your land, because it is your land and some guy with a few million dollars has no right to build an 800-room hotel on our national treasures just because it will be profitable. Shame on all those involved in this absurd endeavor.
