Spring is in the air!
The weather is warming up and Israel's residents are flocking to river and coastal shorelines across the country.
For Zalul, this is the time that our fight for clean water takes on even greater importance: In which we demand that the Israeli government hold themselves accountable for the health of their residents and their quality of life.
We thank you for supporting us as we continue this battle!
Ashdod residents express their support for the Lachish River
 Ashdod residents have overwhelmingly expressed their support for the Lachish River during Zalul's polling activities.
In the polling done by Zalul during the past month in Ashdod shopping malls, 100% of voters called for the rescue of the Lachish River!
In the last month, Zalul has held activities around the Ashdod area to promote the protection of the Lachish River. During these activities, mock elections were held across the city.
 The results are a testament to the position of Ashdod residents and their support for the protection of the Lachish River from the heavy pollution that has been dumped into it in recent years.
Click here to read more about Zalul's campaign for the Lachish River.
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Zalul to Haifa Mayor: You are a partner in the pollution of Haifa Bay!
 In preparation for Zalul's newest campaign for the Kishon River and the Haifa Bay, Zalul addressed Haifa Mayor Yonah Yahav in a public letter saying, "Enough manipulation of Haifa and Krayot residents! Your agreement to build a bypass pipe for the Kishon is making you a partner in the plan to pollute Haifa Bay with the effluent of the factories."
Click here to read more about Zalul's campaign for the Kishon River and Haifa Bay. Back to top
Zalul leads beach clean-ups along the Mediterranean coast!
With the weather warming, everyone is gearing up for beach season and here at Zalul we've been getting ready with a little tikkun olam.
 On March 14th, Zalul partnered with Billabong to hold a public beach clean up that also included over 50 high school students from the NFTY High School in Israel program.
Together we collected over 150 bags full of garbage from the beach where the Lachish River meets the sea as well as the southern beach of Ashdod near the ruins of Metzuda.
Billabong rewarded the high school students with stickers and sports bags for their hard work.
On Sunday, March 23rd, we were joined by students from the Alexander Muss High School in Israel on the Sidna-Ali beach in Herzliya.
 The group of 40 students did a fantastic job of cleaning up the enormous amount of trash along the shore, despite the heat wave that pushed temperatures up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit)! With no trash left to pick up, we took a chance to cool off by dipping our feet into the cool, blue Mediterranean water. It was a great morning.
Overall, 80 bags of garbage were filled and left for the Herzliya Municipality to pick up and truck away. So far, that's a sum total of 230 bags of garbage removed from Israel's beaches!
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Join the Blue Watch!
Zalul invites you to join the Blue Watch and help protect and defend Israel's coastal waters and shorelines.
The Blue Watch and Zalul - working together to protect and defend Israel's coastal waters and shorelines- invite fishermen, boaters, and yachtsmen to take part in a special recruitment event for the Blue Watch to learn about how you can get involved in cleaning operations at the Tel Aviv Marina and beaches.
The event will take place on Friday, April 11, 2008 at the Tel Aviv Marina from 10:00 to 11:30 am.
For more information, please contact Gital - mailto:gital@zalul.org.il?subject=Blue%20Watch or Micki - mailto:migot1@012.net.il?subject=Blue%20Watch.
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The Herzliya Municipality is responsible for closing Tel Aviv's Tzook Beach!
On March 19, 2008, Zalul Environmental Association exclaimed in a letter to the Mayor of Herzliya, Yael German, "Herzilya's sewage treatment plant, by discharging their effluent to the sea, is responsible for the pollution that has closed Tel Aviv's Tzook Beach."
In his letter, lawyer Shahar Brinenberg from Zalul explained that Tzook Beach, one of the only open beaches to the public during the winter, was forbidden for bathing by the Ministry of Health for over three months as a result of heavy pollution.
Based on Zalul's investigation, it appears that the Ministry of Health has ordered the beach to be closed for the entire winter bathing season due to the large number of samples taken that showed high concentrations of fecal coliforms coming from the sewage treatment plant in Herzliya located next to the Herzliya marina.
Read the full article here.
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In this Issue...
Earth Hour in Tel Aviv
Tel-Aviv will be the lead city in Israel participating in Earth Hour and will be the kick off city world wide as we will be turning off lights on Thursday March 27, between 20:00-21:00.
As part of the event, an unplugged concert will be happening in Tel-Aviv’s major square. All energy supplied to the stage and minimal lighting required for safety will come from renewed and alternative energy sources - including cyclists who will be cycling next to the stage.
We hope to see you there!
Connect to Zalul Online:
Read our blog, Clear, at http://zalul.wordpress.com/ .
Join Zalul's Facebook group for event announcements!
And, of course, visit our homepage for the latest news on Zalul's campaigns.
Join Zalul for a beach clean during your next trip to Israel!
Planning a trip to Israel with a tour group or mission? Would you like to learn more about Israel's environmental history? Or maybe take an afternoon to help with a beach clean-up?
Zalul wants to hear from you!
Donating to Zalul is now tax-deductible!
Our vision of clean, clear water is only as strong as the people who support it. With your donation to Zalul you are helping to
protect Israel's most precious natural
resource – water.
Your support will make all the difference.
Donating to Zalul can now be done in two easy steps:
In the United States:
Mail your U.S. tax deductible contribution of at least $25 made payable to:
P.E.F. Israel Endowment Funds, Inc.
317 Madison Avenue, Suite 607
New York, NY 10017
Please include a recommendation that it be used for Zalul Environmental Association.
In Canada and the United Kingdom:
Tax-exempt donations can be made to Zalul from Canada and the UK via the New Israel Fund (NIF).
To donate via the NIF, please mark contributions as donor-advised to Zalul Environmental Association and send to:
Canada:
New Israel Fund of Canada
801 Eglinton Ave.
W. #041
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5N 1E3
T:  416-781-4322
United Kingdom:
New Israel Fund G.B.
26 Enford Street
LondonW1H 2DD
Great Britain
T: 207-724-2266
F: 207-724-2299
What is Zalul's Blue Watch?
The "Blue Watch" is an initiative of Zalul and volunteers who are boat or yacht owners. Together they work to protect the marine environment which has a significant effect on the quality of their lives. The Blue Watch's activities include monitoring and reporting any and all incidents of sea pollution, be it land based or sea based. As well organizing activities in local marinas, protesting pollution, and more.
Contact Gital - mailto:gital@zalul.org.il?subject=Blue%20Watch or Micki - mailto:migot1@012.net.il?subject=Blue%20Watch.
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