JNF combines with Triguboff to aid Bedouins
The Jewish National Fund of Australia is to join Sydney property billionaire’s Harry Triguboff’s initiative in investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Bedouin sector in Southern Israel.
JNF meets Triguboff Institute
Peter Smaller, president of JNF Australia, announced their participation during JNF’s delegation visit to Bedouin settlements in Southern Israel last Thursday. The organisation will join Harry Triguboff who has funded to provide advance vocational training and young leadership in the Bedouin sector in the Negev.
Peter Smaller toured Southern Israel accompanied by JNF’s Australia CEO, Dan Springer, and the senior staff of Sydney Australia based offices. The CEO of the Triguboff Institute, Shalom Norman, who leads and manages the projects, led the tour. The Australian JNF learning expedition focused on projects that were encapsulated and supported by Harry Triguboff as of spring 2016. Among those projects are: Vocational Training Centre in the Idan Ha’Negev industrial complex established in cooperation between the Bnei Shimon Regional Council and the Bedouin community of Rahat, which is to become one of the three largest industrial complexes in Israel; the Desert Stars leadership high school for Bedouin youth from all Bedouin communities in southern Israel; and professional training for school dropouts in the community center at the Bedouin village of Segev Shalom.
During the tour Peter Smaller met, among others, with Bedouin and Jewish leaders in the area including mayor of the Rahat Council Talal al-Karnawi, head of the Segev Shalom Council, Amer Abu Ma’amar, head of the Bnei Shimon Council, Sigal Moran, CEO of Idan Ha’Negev industrial complex, Moshe Paul, and the director of the Desert Stars high school, Achlam al-Sana.
Peter Smaller noted the importance of the visit and added that investment in the Bedouin sector, which constitutes one-third of the population in the Negev, is essential for the advancement of the region, and it serves to complete significant investments made by JNF Australia in projects throughout the Negev and the Arava regions.
Shalom Norman notes that “The involvement of JNF Australia is of the utmost importance in dealing with the challenge of integrating the Bedouin population in the Negev. It will have a direct impact on the future of the Negev and the Israeli society as a whole.” Norman added: ”We are now at a critical point in time – a combination of opportunity and a strong will that rises from the Bedouin leadership who is willing to cooperate.”
Efraim Halevy, chairman of the Triguboff Institute and former head of the Mossad, noted that the strategic importance of advancing the Bedouin population in the Negev cannot be underestimated, and he congratulated JNF Australia for joining the groundbreaking effort.
It is a good and humanitarian idea to help these Bedouin who support Israel. Some Bedouin are exploited by anti-Zionist Israelis and illegally occupy and and disregard Israel’s law against polygamy.
More to the point, the mission of the JNF (the JEWISH National Fund) which I have always supported is to help JEWS develop the land of our forebears.
Time to refocus guys!