Shear Family Foundation Supports Greater Sustainability in Israel
Chicago, Il., August 24, 2021 — Every year, Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) helps tens of thousands of Israelis with disabilities. From supporting world-class rehabilitation centers to enabling people with disabilities to access animal therapy, JNF-USA is there. The organization is also making nature and the land of Israel accessible to people with disabilities, and thanks to a generous donation from the Shear Family Foundation in Chicago, the second Shear Eco Roof at LOTEM’s Emek HaShalom (Valley of Peace) Park has been completed.
The new Eco Roof marks another step in creating an off-grid and eco-friendly compound as JNF-USA continues to support infrastructure development throughout the park.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with LOTEM, which does such wonderful work to ensure that children and adults with disabilities can experience nature in an accessible and inclusive way,” said John Shear. “We are thrilled that the second ecological roof has been installed and hope that it will allow the park to store water, produce solar energy, and protect an important campus area from sun and rain.”
The Eco Roof is a part of the Water Harvesting plan in the name of conserving water and using it for agriculture as well as local use. It also serves as an added educational tool in the Green Education given to the visitors and participants of LOTEM’s programming.
JNF-USA’s LOTEM is the leading organization in Israel offering accessible hikes and educational nature activities around the country to children and adults with special needs. These include individuals with visual and hearing impairments, physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges, as well as children on the autism spectrum. With one center on an ecological farm in the picturesque Emek HaShalom (Valley of Peace) Nature Park near Yokneam And two more in Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva, LOTEM enables more than 40,000 participants to take part in nature activities every year.
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Joseph Krebs
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About Jewish National Fund-USA
JNF-USA is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation building activities in Israel’s north and south. Through its One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade, JNF-USA is developing new communities in the Galilee and Negev, connecting the next generation to Israel, and creating infrastructure and programs that support ecology, individuals with special needs, and heritage site preservation.