Report from Rosalie – Tuesday, January 27

Shalom All, 

Yesterday was what CAARI calls forest day, where we go to a JNF forest and do some work, helping the overworked foresters……our job was pruning lower branches of olive trees in Canada Park, to prevent the spread of forest fires, and then making a huge pile of the branches in a central area so that a truck can pick them up easily.  As in previous years, I was a schlepper….one who drags the cut braches to the central area……once a schlepper, always a schlepper!!

Had a picnic lunch and then to a new news radio station in Jaffa……i24News Radio…….one of the most exciting and interesting places we have visited.  It is just about a year and a half old….24 hours a day of news….in French, English, and Arabic……to combat Al Jazeera.  We heard from the head of the station, Frank Malul,  who told about himself and how the station got started.  He used to be a French diplomat and his story was fascinating.  While he was addressing us, two people came in and he then told us what the emergency was…… rockets from Syria landed in Israel….no Israelis killed…and the decision had to be made that minute whether to cut the scheduled programming….an hour program on the Holocaust…..or give the hour to this breaking news story….decision was to go with the breaking news.  Everything at the stations is so advanced….completely digital….the cameras are operated by remote control from the control booth…..Please get the app from I24News.com for your iphones….I think you will find it worthwhile.  The station cannot be on Israeli television because of some rules about conflict of interest……but everyone here has an iphone….so they can get it.

The CEO also told us that he has received communications from people in surrounding Arab countries, so he knows they are tuning in, too!!

After the tour, Diane and Barbara (from Peabody, MA) left the group to stay in Jaffa where we went to the Ilana Goor Museum and then ate an Arab restaurant in downtown Jaffa, (delicious, of course) before taking the bus home, and I felt so proud…..I remembered the bus stop and the # of bus we needed.

So good night all…….stay warm, and well!!!

much love,

rosalie

Enjoy the pictures