The Green and the Blue26.01.2009 The Center for Healthy Living in Tzfat [Amutat Halevav] has initiated the Food and Water Project to promote ecological awareness and environmental activities. Shmuel Ofansky heads this project, working together with his wife Allison, also a staff member of Halevav. Both of them are longtime environmental activists and experienced practitioners and teachers of organic and community gardening. The project includes
Halevav intends to use rainwater collected in cisterns to water the fruit trees and vines. Not all of the cisterns have been located yet and there are questions of ownership connected to the cisterns that have been located.
Compost boxes, constructed out of recycled wood have been set up at Steven's Garden in the Old City and near the Sculpture Garden in the Artists' Quarter. Local residents throw organic kitchen waste—fruit and vegetable peels, egg shells, etc. in the boxes and scatter leaves and pine needles over the stuff. With heat, time and bacterial activity the garbage turns into compost, a rich source of natural, healthy fertilizer for gardening vegetables, bushes and trees.
Right after the holidays, Shmuel and Allison facilitated a class with a group of Old City kids at Steven's Garden. For the first gardening session after the Shmita year of 2007-2008 Allison guided the children in removing unwanted plants, digging up the soil and digging into the soil the rich compost, created from the table scraps of Tzfat, and planting perennials and herbs.
In previous years, Allison guided the kids in planting vegetables at Steven's Gardens, but now concentrates on growing perennials, herbs and flowers. Steven's Garden, initiated by his mother, Shirel, is a living memorial to Steven Levine. Shmuel and Alison were asked to create and maintain this unique garden soon after their arrival in Tzfat in 1996. Trees, bushes, flowers and herbs and a bench create a green oasis pocket park in a tiny spot once filled with plastic bags, dust, rubble and other waste.
Local children learn about ecology and nature at Steven's Garden. Activities this Shmita year like the last Shmita centered on ecological learning through arts and crafts. Some learning and arts and crafts activities: the children learned about storks and made a stork mobile, created an eco-village with play-do, learned about water conservation, learned about the source of many everyday materials such as paper,made paper, carded wool and created butterfly mobiles, created a coloring book with themes such as recognizing edible wild plants, learning about snails and swallows and learning to identify tree seeds.
At the end of October 2008 two new gardening and ecological learning projects for kids were started at the Matnas on Har Canaan. Shmuel and Halevav staff madricha Ainav facilitate and teach the kids in this project. A load of soil has been delivered and holes dug for trees. The kids planted some of the trees already. Recycled wood will be used to create raised beds to hold the soil. The children will learn about compost as they plant peas, garlic and potatoes.
A hose will conduct rain water from the roof of the Matnas to a large holding tank. From there drip irrigation hoses will water the tree saplings and the growing garden.
Shmuel states: "We don't believe in fences to keep kids out. When we first started creating Steven's Garden, the local kids tore up plants and littered. The children soon became proud of their garden and did not destroy. We hope for the same response in the new gardens at the Matnas on Har Canaan and at the Meor Chaim apartment building
During days of cold and rain Allison will also guide indoor learning and arts and crafts projects related to ecology and the environment
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