An idea without action is a seed without soil.
At this special time of year, as we celebrate Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah, and International Peace Day, we are reminded that building harmony with our earth and with each other requires not only good intention but positive action.
May the coming days bring each of us renewed inspiration to protect and preserve the world that we share.
From the Board and Staff of Friends of the Arava Institute
and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
Dear Roseanne,
This month brings each of us the opportunity for renewed inspiration to build harmony with the earth on which we live and those with whom we share it.
At the Arava Institute, that inspiration will soon arrive in the form of the students attending the fall semester – Jews, Muslims, and Christians from Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, and beyond that have made the courageous choice to live, study, and build trust with others with whom they would never have otherwise had the opportunity to meet.
These are the heroes of the Arava Institute story, and twelve years since the Institute’s inception, those heroes are making a difference not only on our campus but in their home communities, home countries, and throughout the world.
Our alumni network has become the first self-governing membership organization in the Middle East that includes Israelis and Arabs. In the past year, our alumni have been invited to make presentations at the United Nations, on CNN International, and at conferences from the United States to Jordan to Australia. Their heroism has been lauded by luminaries including Prince Albert II of Monaco, Elie Wiesel, Shimon Peres, and King Abudallah II of Jordan.
But while the Arava Institute students are heroes, our ability to provide the necessary support to enable their work, through scholarships, faculty, research, and facilities, relies on the generosity of the many supporters, like you, who understand and support the Institute’s vital mission. Two-thirds of the Arava Institute’s students would not be able to attend without significant scholarship assistance, and that is only possible with support from our Friends.
In this month of renewed inspiration, please consider making a tax deductible contribution by clicking here to assist in enabling the work of these heroes. Should you prefer to make a contribution by mail, you can do so by sending a check made out to “Friends of the Arava Institute” to FAI, 2041 Herr Street, Harrisburg, PA 17103.
Thank you.
Best Always,
Seth Morrison, Chairman David I. Weisberg, Executive Director
