Southern Negev and reponse to my Class's Questions

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Last week we took a second trip to Kibbutz Ketura in the south of the Negev. The kibbutz is a community of people who live and work together like a family. They all do work for the kibbutz. Some people help with the cooking, others help with laundry and such. The kibbutz also teaches Jews, Arabs, and others about sustainability, alternative energy, peace making, and other subjects. The kibbutz is right across from Jordan, so the guests have to be careful not to cross the border. In the dining hall, they never serve meat and dairy in the same meal because lots of the students are kosher and it would be disrespectful. The kibbutz is a very respectful well run community. All the people there are very nice.
The next day we went to Hai Bar Biblical Nature Reserve. We saw many interesting and beautiful creatures who were unusually active. We saw colorful tropical birds eating blood oranges and energetic jackals prancing about. We even saw a leopard roaming around its cage. There was a special room, where you could see animals that only were active during the night. The room was pitch black, so the animals would always think there was no daylight. In that room, there were bats and owls. The reserve was filled with amazing things to see.


To everyone in my class back home:
Hi to everyone is Mrs. Morrison’s class! Sorry it takes me so long to respond. I sometimes have trouble with technology in Israel. It feels sort of chilly out sometimes, but compared to Maine, the temperatures are very nice- usually in the 70s. I don’t know exactly how long it took to carve the stairs in the cave, but I assume it took many, many years -since they did not have the same tools we have now. It would be cool if the donkey press was still in use, but I think, nowadays, pressing olives with an olive presser would go much faster with machines. (I added a photo to this entry). Melanie’s dream sounded funny. I had a dream about you guys that was really weird and complex. We were all having a party in a log cabin and going on laptops. A weird cartoon character was there, too, talking to us! I can’t wait to see you back in Maine. I miss you so much!

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Photos

The Nature Reserve
This ostrich pecked at our car window.

Nature reserve
We saw them release thiis bird (a buzzard)

Nature Reserve
Only one horn!

at Katura
Katura hosts the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. They are raising algea as organic food for fish farms

Olive Press
Here is a pic I meant to include. A donkey would be attached to the pole and walk around, turning the wheel that would grind up the olives.

Comments

[Cathy A]

I can't decide what information I like most... the cultural, about nature/animals, or the ancient sites. What's your favorite?

[Mrs. Morrison's Class]

Hi Abby!
Hi Abby - Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! We love your blog and especially the animal pics. The one-horned ibex looks like a unicorn/camel combo - a uni-camel:-) Anna thinks the lizard should be friends with senor. We're going to print his picture and hang it on senor's aquarium. We all laughed about the dream you had. Log cabins and laptops are a funny combination:-) Yesterday we went to Augusta - not quite the desert, but it'll have to do - we had a great time, and we think you would have loved it. It's finally getting warmer here in Maine. We're getting rain, but we have bid farewell to snow. Hopefully, for good! Take good care, Dear Abby. We love you and hope you are very very happy!