Rosh Hashana 2008 Update – Part 2

Well temperatures did go down a little following Rosh Hashana but shot up over the weekend. I apologize for harping on the weather but as you know water is especially vital to an arid Middle East and we are all waiting and even some praying for the first serious rain.

This brings me to talk about the agricultural branches at Matzuva that have become the main income source contributing significantly towards lessening and shortening the debt to creditors (including members) since 2004. As we all know field crops and fruit orchards are always prone to the weather and fluctuations in the marketplace.

Agriculture Report by Eitan Shefer of the Miluot Regional Economic Organization

Thanks are due to Ori Samoushi who runs the chicken branch and to Johnny Adjami (from the Druze village of Yanuch) who manages the agricultural branch. Their devotion and expertise has been crowned with favourable results.

During the year between Rosh Hashana 2007 and now has been dominated by the weather – a year of less rain meaning a greater need for irrigation. On top of this reductions in water quotas brought in its wake a need to irrigate less. In January there were frosts that mainly affected avocado and banana plantations but on the positive side the main plantations hit hardest were those around the Matzuva plantations. Subsequently, we enjoyed better prices on the market for our main crops – bananas and avocado!

At the end of the season we found ourselves as the region’s leading avocado growers in yields, income and quality. The Matzuva branch proudly displays a certificate to this fact in the agricultural office.

The banana branch had a bumper year in tonnage and prices and we found ourselves with pleasing profits at the end of the season. We also invested in equipment in the banana branch and we one can see how the main plantations have developed during the last 5 years:

Year 2008	Year 2007	Year 2006	Year 2005	Year 2004	CROP AREA in Dunams
444	540	555	674	738	Bananas (open plantation)
365	245	195	76	28	Bananas (under netting)
809	785	750	750	766	Total Banana crop
406	294	292	261	174	Avocado
100	129	166	139	139	Mango
48	48	57	52	52	Persimmon
27	27	27	27	27	Lychee
10	10	10	50	50	Citrus
197	193	101	101	35	Pomegranates
1597	1486	1403	1380	1243	Total of Matzuva Agriculture Agriculture

(1 dunam = 0.222 acres or 900.012 square meters)

The variety of fruits demands professionalism, knowledge and stringent implementation of recommendations of the professional agricultural advisers.

Since the untimely passing of Yosele Goren (Zal) the management has passed over to Johnnie who is engaged mainly in the professional and operational fields. My job is to be very involved in the decision making. The directorate consists of 2 members of Matzuva, Noam the auditor, 2 external directors, Johnnie and myself.

Our plans for 2009 are to upgrade the irrigation piping system through the Asher reservoir, increase the crop under netting and to enlarge the persimmon branch.

Sport at Matzuva

Good news for tennis lovers. Both the courts next to the approach road to the circle have been completely renovated and we hope that they will be maintained in this state for many years to come. A tennis circle has been formed within the framework of the Mateh Asher Community Centre and a professional coach has already begun training youngsters. Fees are NIS.80 per month and sessions will take place every Wednesday for three age groups (5-8 years olds, 8 to 12 and 12-16 years). If there is enough interest there will be also an adult tennis circle.

The football (soccer) pitch has also undergone a complete renovation in preparation to defend the Mateh Asher Region football league championship won by Matzuva this year. It will also be a focal point for youngsters to let off steam and not engage in undesirable activities.

The lawn was aerated, treated against pests and new turf was placed at the centre of the pitch. Thanks are due to the gardening team who contributed hours in the renovation and to Noam who advised and helped in providing funds for the renovation. Within the next few weeks it will be possible to begin training on the pitch and hope it will serve us for many years to come.

Submitted by Ori Samoushi

Vatikim – Veteran Settlers

Dan Carmi reports:

The local Mateh Asher Regional Council organized a get-together of veteran settlers to the region within the framework of Israel’s 60^th Anniversary celebrations. Individual invitations were sent out and 26 Matzuva members boarded a yellow school bus to the Ne’eman auditorium just south of Akko. They were joined on the bus by members of Hanita, our neighbouring kibbutz to the north.

We received an orange tag and a small gift of a pen and notebook as well as printed matter from the Ministry for Senior Citizens Affairs – we learnt that the only equivalent of such a ministry is in Australia. The ministry acquires sheltered homes, provides occupational circles and assists seniors to attain benefits they are entitled to.

There were few speeches and the assembly was greeted by Yehuda Shavit, Head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council. Solo musicians and an ensemble contributed to the festive atmosphere and the star of the evening was Yehoram Gaon who sang nostalgic Israeli songs dating back to the birth of the Israeli state up to the present. Spontaneous folk-dancing followed his performance.

This evening saluting the veterans also marked those who are no longer with us – comrades who settled in our region before the U.N. Partition Plan and the birth of Israel. These settlers who settled in rural moshavim and kibbutzim attending this function remembered their former comrades and now have formed the veteran settlers association with tens and tens of members.

Matzuva Synagogue: Being a secular community the synagogue is not used regularly by members but it is important to every community to provide a place of worship to all that wish to. The call has gone out to revitalize the ad-hoc synagogue committee and to continue to provide the community with bar-mitzva / bat mitzvah ceremonies, the Jewish festivals, family events, etc. Unfortunately, the response to this call is sporadic but we hope that after Yom Kippur there will be a response from younger adults. The synagogue has no formal ties with any of the streams of Judaism and caters for the desires of each individual family. We do, however, have a loose connection with the Masorti Conservative Judaism movement in Israel. Over Yom Kippur we will host a young reader/cantor from Jerusalem, Carmiel Protokof.

Matzuva Mini-market

As mentioned in a previous upgrade, Uri Algarishi, a member of Matzuva, has taken over the mini-market along with a family partner and provides an essential service for members especially seniors and other members who do not have vehicles. The mini-market is clean and there is a good variety of products at reasonable prices considering the turnover is much smaller than that of a regular supermarket. This week Uri ran a draw for all purchasers during the last 2 months. Successful tickets drawn awarded their owners credit for future purchases equal to the amount spent on the tickets.

No births or deaths to report but looking forward to further additions to the Matzuva family of the former in the not too distant future.

Keep posted.

Regards

Baruch