Dear friends,
The recent fires in the Jerusalem hills highlight just how vulnerable Israel is to the devastating impacts of the climate crisis, and how seriously the Israeli government is failing to address the issue. Only recently, the Israeli Climate Forum warned the Prime Minister about the heightened risk of summer wildfires, but the warning was ignored. In response to the latest blaze, more than 20 environmental organizations, including Life and Environment, have called on the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Environmental Protection and National Security to urgently implement 12 critical measures to prevent future fires and better prepare for the climate crisis. This fire was not an unavoidable disaster. It was the foreseeable consequence of policy failure and a continued disregard for expert advice.
We’re excited to share the latest highlights from Life & Environment, including our Earth Day event at the Israeli Embassy, a successful webinar on reducing consumption, and an empowering peer learning workshop. Read on for a glimpse into our recent activities, collaborations, and the progress we’re making toward a sustainable and resilient future for Israel.
🌍Life & Environment Celebrates Earth Day at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.
On April 22, 2025, Life & Environment hosted a special event at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., to mark Earth Day.
Our Executive Director, Eran Ben Yemini, delivered a lecture covering a range of vital topics, including:
Israeli Environmental Organizations’ Main Issues
Middle East Climate Vulnerabilities
Israel’s Environmental Challenges
Rebuilding Israel’s Northern Region after the War with Hezbollah
Israel’s Energy-Tech Sector
Israel’s Alternative Protein Innovation Hub
At Life & Environment, we believe that strengthening cooperation with the United States is crucial for advancing shared environmental and climate goals. We are proud to build bridges that foster global solutions for a better future.
🌿 Webinar on Reducing Consumption: A Collaborative Success
This month, the Israeli Climate Forum, in partnership with "Imahot lo Ogrot" (Mothers don't Hoard), hosted an inspiring webinar focused on reducing consumption. The session addressed the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to a simpler, more sustainable, and mindful way of life, considering economic, social, and environmental perspectives.
The event featured an all-women panel and drew 140 participants, highlighting the growing interest in sustainable living across sectors.
🤝Sheli Fund Accelerator Workshop: Empowering Environmental Activism
This month we brought together Sheli Fund grantees from recent years for a shared learning session.
Over 15 different initiatives for protecting open spaces, restoring streams, and preventing pollution were represented.
We visited the Drezner Grove at Eco-Park Glilot and heard from Yoav Kramer about how, thanks to his efforts, a park and winter ponds now stand where a residential neighborhood was once planned.
Anat Nir taught us the most important principles for managing a social-environmental initiative, and Asaf Zanzuri explained the planning authorities and how we, even as people without a background in this field, can work with them.
Warm regards,
The Life & Environment Team