February 26 - Jordan River, Nazareth

Our journey today started with a 2 hour bus ride to the Jordan River.  Along the way, we saw agricultural fields producing a variety of crops, including oranges, avocados, tomatoes, grapes, wheat, zucchini/squash, dates, and bananas.

Our first stop was Yardenit at the Jordan River, the site where Jesus was baptized by John.  At the entrance of the site, we saw ancient water pipes made of volcanic basalt stone that were part of the Barenki Aqueduct that passed by here.  The aqueduct was built in the Byzantine time at the 4th century and was the water carrier from the source of Yavniel to Bet-Yerach and Tiberias.

We loaded the bus and headed out for our next location, Nazereth.  Before we arrived in Nazareth we stopped by Canaan and had lunch.  We enjoyed a local favorite; Shawarma and Falafel. When we arrived in Nazereth it was raining, we walked throughout the bazaar and collected a few last minute momentos.  We were then able to receive a very special private tour of the caves of Nazereth. These caves were the homes of the small community where Jesus was raised. The impact of this place silenced the class.  We walked into the Basilica of Annunciation, which is located near the caves.  It was here that the angel Gabriel appeared before Mary, saying: "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus."  We also received a private tour of the Museum of the Basilica.  The museum contained ancient artifacts found in the caves, along with ancient stones depicting pictures of crosses and a man with a bible.

 The last phase of our day was a two hour bus ride to the airport where we left behind Tel Aviv, Israel and landed in Istanbul, Turkey.  It was a late evening flight and we were all ready for bed when we arrived.

 - Yissel Barajas, Jeff Boldt, Mike Richardson

February 25 - Jericho, Dead Sea, West Bank

We left the hotel bright and early to get a jump on the day.  We headed off to Jericho.  We left our guide, Shimon, at the West Bank border.  As part of our journey through Israel, we have learned that while Israel is one state, very few of its residents can pass throughout it.  In fact, our bus driver grew up in a corner of Jerusalem where he has the rites of passage as an Israeli as well as a Palestinian.  For the rest of the Israelis, the Israeli government has told them not to go into Palestinian Authority (PA) territory, which includes two of our stops today, Jericho and Bethlehem.  Palestinians have to have special papers to pass into Israel.  When we returned from the Bethlehem, we had two soldiers with semi-automatic weapons board our bus to do a passport check.  Once again, we saw the multiple layers of issues between the Palestinians and Israelis.

 

Jericho is an oasis in the desert 500 feet below sea level.  Jericho is known for four significant stories in the Bible.  We started our quick stay in Jericho with a cable car ride up a steep mountain and arrived at Temptation Church.  This is the point in the New Testament where Jesus was tempted by the Devil.  On the spot of the temptation, a beautiful Greek Orthodox Church has been built.  After the church, we went to the ruins of Jericho, which included the old wall from the Old Testament story of Joshua, and the Battle of Jericho.  We crossed the street from the ruins and saw the spring that Elisha had purified.  On the way out of town, we saw a Sycamore tree depicting the tree from which Zacchaeus talked to Jesus.  In the town, we had a Palestinian tour guide.  He talked about how Christians and Arabs coexist well in Jericho.  He left us with the insight on all of Israel, “Remember our battles are between the governments and not between the people.”

 

           

After 13 days of intense learning and travel, Class 40 enjoyed a needed recreational swim in the Dead Sea.  The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth at ~1200 feet below sea level.  The Dead Sea is ten times saltier than the ocean.  The Jordan River, the primary source of water for the Dead Sea has been diverted for agriculture throughout Syria, Jordan and Israel.  As a result the Dead Sea is dropping at a rate of three feet per year; this beautiful resource is shrinking.  Even in our recreational stop, we were left to ask, “How should one prioritize the water rights on the Jordan River?”  The mud at the bottom of the Dead Sea is loaded with minerals and is renown for therapeutic qualities.  Also the concentration of salt makes it very easy to float.  Much of our class covered themselves in mud and floated for thirty minutes before we headed off for more learning.

 

           

Our next stop was Bethlehem.  After visiting many important religious sites, many in our class were excited to see the birthplace of Jesus.  As mentioned above, we once again had to change tour guides.  Salwa, our Palestinian Christian, toured us through Bethlehem and shared the perspective of being a Christian in a Palestinian controlled part of a Jewish state.  We also learned about how multiple different sects of the Christian church have had possession of the church of the Jesus’s birthplace.  Interestingly, the Ottoman Empire in the mid 19^th century decreed a plan on how the different sects share the birthplace of Jesus on December 24^th.  This decree is still used today to determine how to share this historic site on that significant day.  In the picture, the star indicates the spot of Jesus’s birth.  In a very tightly packed three hours, we experienced Bethlehem.  Many of us want to return one day to the town and to the cave (manger) where a baby was born.

 

After everyone successfully passed through the border crossing, we visited the LDS Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies.  Here we learned about an effort by the Mormon Church to help educate the world on Israeli and Palestinian relations.  We learned about their efforts to help reach out and build bridges throughout the country.  It was a nice scene to be able to see people trying to help the locals in “Finding Common Ground.”  

At the end of the night, we had a synthesis and our finale dinner.  In our synthesis, we grappled with our reactions to the current state of Israel and what we planned to follow closely in the news when we returned.  We had the dinner at the YMCA of Jerusalem.  It was a beautiful site.  Our class took the opportunity to reflect on what we learned on the trip and how we will behave differently when we return home as a result of this broadening experience.  For our loved ones who are reading this, we are looking forward to coming home and returning to see you.  Hopefully some of what we discussed will be obvious to you in the next few weeks and months.

 - Scott Beylik, Erik Jertberg, David Warter

February 24, 2011 - Consulate Visit and Sites of Jerusalem

This morning we traveled to the US Consulate office of Jerusalem, located in an active monastery where three monks still reside. The Deputy Political Chief Dr. Amanda Pilz, Economic Officer Sarah Beran and Senior Commercial Specialist Assad Barsoum briefed us.  Here we discussed political issues between Israelis and Palestinians.  We discussed slow economic development progress in the West Bank as well as the timeframe for Palestinian statehood, which has had a target date of September 2011.  There is much anticipation about what will happen this fall and what implications it may have on the region.

Next, we began a tour of the old city of Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives, which offered a panoramic view of the city and Jewish tombs.  We entered the city gates walking upon a road paved in large stone blocks worn by centuries of footstep including those of Jesus.  Our tour guide, Simone, walked us through the succession of temple construction and demolition that has occurred in this holy city for millennia.  We got to visit the Jerusalem Archeological Park, which reveals some of the most amazing discoveries from the second temple period at the foot of the southern temple wall.  Finally, we approached the Western Wall, which is the only structure remaining from the original temple.  Here the class was segregated in to men and women who joined others who were there to pray.

 

Next, we followed the Via Dolorosa, which contains several Stations of the Cross that mark points along Jesus’ path to crucifixion.  The incredibly rich history and religious significance of the city was awe-inspiring and you could not help but imagine the prophets and pilgrims from thousands of years ago feeling the same.

After a quick stop along one of the streets for an authentic lunch of falafel, we took the bus to the new section of Jerusalem and toured the Israel Museum to view the Shrine of the Book.  This exhibit displays several of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in Kumran in a cave that we passed yesterday along the Dead Sea.  These scrolls represent the oldest known copy of the Old Testament.  Outside of the museum we also viewed the model of the Second Temple.  It is an impressive 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem in AD 66.

Lastly, we packed in a two-hour tour of the Yad Vashen Holocaust History Museum.  Having recently toured the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, we were able to compare the two museums and further reflect on this shadow in our history.  The museum is a striking memorial to the 6 million Jews who were executed by the Nazis.

In summary, we had a fabulous educational day and saw many of the important sites in Jerusalem.  Our feet are tired, but we are eager for tomorrow when we venture into the West Bank.  Stayed tuned!

 - Randy Asadoor, Mica Heilmann, Kandi Manhart

February 23 - Dead Sea, Jerusalem

Our first stop was at a Moshav, a community of farmers who live together in the arid region. Yoel and Jenny Evans, who are members of the Moshav Noet Hakikal, greeted us. They are growers of, to name a few, dates, peppers, melons, and herbs (mainly sweet basil).  It was fascinating to see these farmers deal with the harsh conditions Mother Nature has provided them. They have found a way to have their plants thrive given the heat, salty ground, and saline water.  We got a glimpse inside a melon greenhouse where they are being grown up on vertical nets. This technique allowed the melons to get better color and shape while providing increased circulation. Due their improved methods, the amount of export-quality melons has gone from 50% up to 85%.

We also toured a pepper research greenhouse. Because the natural conditions are hard to replicate, the research must be done on site as opposed to off-site stations like we have in the US.  They were experimenting with hydroponics using shredded, recycled plastic bottles as a growing medium.  Yoel and Jenny were very proud to show us their basil growing operation and techniques as well.  They use water to dissolve and move the salts away from the root zone of the plants. Interestingly, when it rains, it actually pushes the salts back to the roots. To counteract this effect, the plants are irrigated during rainfall.

We toured a pepper packing house where the peppers were cleaned, mechanically sized, and packaged for export.  Most of the labor on this farm comes from immigrants from Thailand or native Bedouin tribe members, earning around 20 sheckles/hour ($5.50/hour).  Along the way we also stopped at the gallery of a local artist, JoJo, who made alternative metal furniture, vases, and colorful decor (www.jojo-art.com). His art is displayed all over the world.  Lastly, we were treated to a home-cooked lunch made with fresh produce from the farm.

After lunch, we took a short bus ride to our next destination, the Masada.  The Masada is a fortress built on a desert mountain plateau that rises straight up from the Dead Sea roughly 1,350 feet on all sides.  King Herod built the Masada between 20 and 10 B.C. to provide protection against his enemies.  After his death in 4 A.D., the fortress remained unoccupied until 70 A.D., when a group of Jewish soldiers, also known as Zealots, escaped to the Masada after the Romans conquered Jerusalem. Once the Romans tracked the Zealots to the Masada, they deployed 10,000 of their best soldiers to capture the 900 Jews (300 soldiers and their family members).

The Masada fortress was built to be able to sustain life for an indefinite period.  It had a highly sophisticated water system and the Zealots were able to grow vegetables, crops, and raise sheep on the small plateau.  The Zealots were able to hold off the Romans for three years until the Romans were able to build a large ramp to finally breach the fortress wall.  Rather than become a slaves to the Romans, the Zealots selected 10 brave soldiers to kill all of the women and children and then kill the remaining 9 soldiers, leaving the last soldier to fall to his own sword.  The Romans entered the Masada the next day to find all dead but one woman and child.

 

After the Masada, we hopped on the bus for our drive to Jerusalem.  On the way, we made a pit stop at a tourist trap where a number of our class fellows went for a spin on a camel.  It didn’t cost any money to ride the camel, but it was $5 to get off!

It was dark when we finally arrived in Jerusalem, but our tour guide took us to a vista point on Mt. Scopus for a view looking over the city and blessed us with a traditional Jewish prayer.  The city lights were spectacular and our class is looking forward to our tour of Jerusalem.

Bill Hammond, Doug Phillips, and Chris Amble

 

February 22, 2011 - Tel Aviv, Israel

Our day began with meeting US Embassy personnel. As we have seen so far, US representatives from our Embassy are very impressive people.  We are all proud to have these people representing us.  We were fortunate to have six representatives discuss the political, economic and security issues during a time of fast paced change in the Middle East. We were graced with the Minister of Economic Affairs, General Console, Israeli attaché to the USDA, Chief of Economic Affairs, Security attaché, and the Deputy Political Counselor. The insights to not just Israel but the entire region afforded us a glimpse into a culture and country in transition.  They were also frank that the pace of the change in the region has even surprised them. The Security attaché illuminated us into the current states of Gaza, the West Bank, and the surrounding nations influences in this volatile and tumultuous area.  When he described the Gaza strip as a “maximum security prison with guards on both sides,” he painted a vivid picture of a corner of a world that we may never have the opportunity to see.  We also learned that in this area the goal of the people seems to be to manage the issues and not to solve them because many of the issues are viewed as insolvable.  The Political attaché opined about Egypt, Tunisia and how the revolts are changing these countries’ regional alliances. There is great opportunity for industry within the nation of Israel, especially in agriculture where they are currently importing seventy percent of their pistachios and great deal of their fruit from California. There is further growth potential for us to increase the market share for many of our commodities, as the Israeli citizens are willing to pay a premium for high-quality agricultural products.

 

We traveled to Mekorot Water Company for an afternoon presentation on water reclaim systems, desalination, rain enhancement, and other water technologies for the nation of Israel. Mekorot provides 70% of the overall water consumed in Israel. They are using a number of high-technology techniques to enhance their water quality, capture, and efficiency.  Israel, similarly to California, is experiencing a water shortage.  Most of the land is classified as a desert.  In response they have built water reclaim systems that allow for 75% of their water to be reused; they have a new goal of 90% reuse.  They have also focused on water source diversification.  While they use the water from the Sea of Galilee and groundwater in the northern regions as fresh water sources, they have built 30 desalination plants and have plans to build two more large seawater desalination plants in order to ensure that the country’s overall water balance is neutral.  This diversification has also allowed for greater security.  They are online testing all of the sources for potential contaminants and have the ability to shut down any one leg at any given time.  Overall, we learned that many of our CA municipalities have more advanced wastewater digesters than Mekorot; however, Mekorot has created a holistic water strategy plan for their nation.  By executing this plan through innovative techniques and the technologies Mekorot is securing Israel’s future in water.

 

On our return trip from Mekorot, Shimon, our tour guide, showed us more of the wonderful city of Tel Aviv. On the north side of the city, near the university, we had a beautiful view of the modern city of Tel Aviv from a hilltop. As we traveled towards the hotel, we stopped and visited the memorial for Yitzhak Rabin, the Prime Minister of Israel who was assassinated in November of 1995. Yitzhak was the embodiment of the ideal Israeli male: a military man who became a politician and gave everything to the state of Israel. The people of Israel equate this tragic event to the JFK assassination, and we feel privileged to have visited the sight and hear details about this great individual.

 

We ended our day with a very special discussion on Israel, it’s people and politics with Aluf Benn.  Aluf is the Editor in Chief of the Haaretz newspaper and a frequent contributor to the NY Times, Washington Post, WSJ and Newsweek.  We learned from Aluf that Israelis are great at going through red tape, cutting corners, not waiting in line and just doing the job.  While this has led to them being the Start-Up Nation and resulted in numerous military successes, this has also the lack of many well run large companies.  It has also driven Israeli politics, which he described as a “loser take all” system.  As a member of the media, Aluf discussed the Israeli reaction to media stories.  He said that stories that are negative about Israeli policies frequently are viewed as not being truthful while the same reporter the next day could run a similar story on China and all would trust all his reporting.  In our question and answer session, Aluf enlightened us on how US Israeli relations and US Middle East relations have changed over the last few years based both on US policy changes as well as changes in policy by key countries such as Turkey.  He said that most countries in the region would likely take a “grocery store” stance to super powers.  There are now enough super powers that you shop around with the super powers and show you are willing to switch alliances frequently in order to arrange the best deal.  After having spent time in Turkey, we were able to synthesize his opinion into our collective views on the world.

 

-Kyle Goehring, Jim Peterson, and David Warter



February 21 - Tel Aviv

No bus accidents!

We had breakfast and took walks around the kibbutz.  Some of the class took a tour of the ball-valve plant, owned and operated by the kibbutz.  We loaded the bus and saw the Negev Desert for the first time in daylight.  On one side of the road we noticed Israeli military conducting military operations.  On the other side we saw a Bedouin community.  Their temporary dwellings used to be tents and are now metal sheds with some permanent structures.  Along the way our tour guide discussed some of the political issues with the Bedouin communities and the Israeli government. 

During our 45-minute drive to our first meeting we couldn’t but help to notice the very arid and dry conditions of the Negev desert.  We wondered how communities and people once traveled these deserts to survive and transport goods.

We arrived at our first stop of the day at Netafim where Itik Inbar greeted us.  Itik serves as the marketing arm for Netafim in their Egypt sales.  Itik outlined the history of the Hizzarim Kibbutz that eventually purchased the technology of drip irrigation.  He provided us with a presentation on the history of drip irrigation and the future potentials this technology can achieve.

The development of a drip irrigation system took almost 5 years to develop.  The biggest challenge was taking pressurized water and slowing it down to allow for a slow drip.  After the kibbutz bought the patent, they began to introduce to Israeli farmers.  Israel has a water shortage and a growing population therefore requiring water conservation. Due to the success of the drip system, 90% of Israel’s domestic consumption of vegetables is grown in the desert.  Netafim has also developed nano irrigation, subsurface drip irrigation, low-pressure systems and advanced Ag technology for greenhouses.  For the future, Netafim is developing crop management technology and precise nutrigation via state-of-the-art technology.

After leaving Netafim we were very fortunate to have coordinated an unscheduled stop with Bedouin tribe members.  On the plane ride to Tel Aviv, Dr. Thomas had struck up a conversation with Yeela Raanam.  It turned out that Yeela is an advocate for the Bedouin communities. She offered to meet with our class to discuss more in depth the political issues and struggles of the Bedouins.  Sarmon and Hussein accompanied Leeya to meet with us and to communicate the difficulties they are having with the current Israeli policies of discrimination against the Bedouin communities. 

The Israeli policies are aimed at the Bedouins integrating into their society.  However, this is a community of Arab nomads who were there before Israel was created.  Their cultural has a strong duty to extended family and community, and it is a culture that loves the earth and the open spaces.  There is also severe racism against the Bedouins. The government has tried building Bedouin communities, but these have turned into slums because almost 100% of their income is animal agriculture based, which they can not practice in an urban environment.  They also live in “Unrecognized Villages” without infrastructure, water, electricity, etc. 

Our next stop was to the Youth Village Ben-Shemen.  This youth village had 850 students and 400 are boarding students.  The emphasis of this school was agriculture.  The students of the school farmed 500 acres and each student was committed to 7.5 hours of work on the farm each week.  The three main principles of the school are 1.) Provide a quality education, 2.) Love of earth and agriculture, and 3.) Ability to live socially among diverse peers.  We had the privilege to eat lunch at the school and receive a brief presentation from Ilana Tischler.  Ilana is the director general of the school.

 

While at the school we toured the high school facilities where we had the opportunity to interact with the students.  We witnessed a small team of students that preparing to participate in a NASA competition in robotics.  What these students had already accomplished was amazing.

We then toured a small portion of the school’s farm.  We were able to see the school’s dairy, stable, and poultry operation.  It was incredible to see each of these operations being completely staffed and run by the students of the school.

 

As we finished our ride to our hotel in Tel Aviv we made a quick stop at Old Yafo.  Old Yafo is best known for the Prophet Jonas.  There was an ancient wall from the time of the Greeks, as well as ancient Egyptian ruins.  We made a small hike to the top of a hill to witness a breathtaking view of the Tel Aviv coastline.  We eventually arrived to our accommodations where as a class we reflected on the impactful experiences we were exposed to today.  For the rest of the evening we ventured out into Tel Aviv for dinner and witness the local culture of this part of the Middle East.



 - Melissa Duflock, Matt Jones, Dan Sutton

February 20 - Istanbul to Tel Aviv

Shalom friends and family!  Class 40 has had an amazing time in Turkey experiencing everything from ancient cisterns to new age high-tech dams.  We’ve been humbled by an understanding of history and culture we were previously unfamiliar with and collectively know that we’ll never been the same after the time we’ve spent in Turkey’s ancient cities.  Although we don’t doubt it would take a whole lifetime to truly appreciate Turkey, our time there ended today and we departed for a new and exciting adventure in Israel.

Our day started early with a trip to the Istanbul international airport – a place rich in its own culture and diversity.  Airport lines were long on one side for people traveling to Mecca.  After successfully boarding our plane to Israel (a feat in and of itself when traveling with 26 individuals, our plane was unfortunately delayed by 2 hours due to poor weather in Tel Aviv.  It took us the remainder of the day and most of the sunlight hours, but we eventually arrived in our destination, Tel Aviv.  Our view of the city was slightly obscured by rain clouds and a departing sun but we saw a very modern city full of buildings that would rival Sacramento. 

Upon arrival, our group departed on a bus to a Kibbutz nearby the city of Be'er Sheva, the ancient city that Abraham visited some 4,000 years ago.  The concept of Kibbutz started some 100 years ago near the Sea of Galilee.  A group of forward thinking individuals pursued an alternative and sustainable living environment that emphasized community and pursuing joint ventures and shared responsibilities.  We are residing at the Mashabei-Sade Kibbutz. 

Our particular community was settled in 1949 after the Independence War in Israel.  When it was created, members of the community were given a home, clothing, and a job within the community childcare and youth education.  The population also used a shared dining hall and laundry services.  At the end of each month, members received an equal share of the community earnings, despite their status or job title.  In addition, this communal living also included ‘Children’s Houses’ were youth slept under the care of a guard as opposed to living under their parent’s roof.

Opposition to the Children’s Houses and the influence of a capitalistic society has changed the Kibbutz system in more recent years.  All Kibbutzes did away with the Children’s Houses and opted instead for more traditional family practices.  Although the Mashabei-Sade Kibbutz still practices a ‘shared budget’, many of these communes have chosen to do away with this practice and allow for individual salaries to be earned.  In a conversation with Ann Dan, Kibbutz member since 1974, she said, “at the kibbutz, you put in as much effort as you’ve got…and receive back as much as you need”.  The Kibbutz we staid in has approximately 500 people, however they can be as large as 3,000.  We appreciated Ann’s candid comments when we asked about the future of the Kibbutz.  As children are educated, they tend not to return causing an older population and threaten the community’s future. We could have been talking about the family farm as Ag deals with the same issues.  Again, we are finding common ground halfway across the world.   The Kibbutz is a practice of community few of us have experienced and as we learn more about these systems tomorrow, we anticipate a myriad of leadership lessons.  

It’s unreal to think that we’ll be visiting Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the coming days.  How could we be more fortunate?  To all of our loved ones, the group is doing well and missing each and every one of you.  It is an exercise in personal strength to be away and we hope you all know how thankful we are for your support.

 - Missy Borel, Mike Poindexter, Melissa Varcak

February 19, 2011 Gaziantep, Turkey

The day began with a synthesis. A synthesis is where class fellows share observations and is an opportunity to dig deeper into areas or subjects from the previous days seminars and travels. Topics discussed included the following: there is an aggressive focus on industry, the GAP water project will lead to a rebirth of agriculture in Turkey, the country’s streamlined bureaucracy (though flawed) pushing MAJOR infrastructure projects through. Additionally, the class commented how significant history is to the region dating back thousands of years and also reflected on the impact of female university students demanding their rights to choose to wear a headscarf at class, which was denied them until just recently.  Dr. Thomas briefed the class on future travel into Israel as class members had been following developments regarding the Iranian Government’s announcement to locate two battleships to Syria via the Suez Canal. The synthesis ended with some closing comments by Dr. Perry who also delivered some very well deserved awards to fellows for feats accomplished thus far in our travels.

The day also included a walking tour of Gaziantep that included the ancient historical museum of Roman Mosaics, Antep Castle and a bustling Gaziantep Market Bazaar.  The bazaar was a fabulous opportunity to expose the class to the people of Gaziantep.  We saw small shops of various craftsmen offering their wares.  The hardworking coppersmiths, shoemakers and silversmiths offered completed objects displayed out front as they sat behind, working on their next piece.  Their shops consisted of not much more than a 5’ by 20’ space sandwiched between his fellow craftsmen.  It was such an authentic feeling!

A dinner was arranged by Class 40 Mike Poindexter and involved approximately twenty Kurdish Businessman. These individuals represent Turkey agriculture, transportation, petroleum, banking, manufacturing and export. Topics included eco tourism, California agriculture and the current availability water, agriculture real estate in California, the European Union, social and cultural issues and U.S. investment opportunities in Turkey.

The Class ended with a late evening flight to Istanbul from Gaziantep and experienced an aborted landing due to weather and runway lighting malfunctions. The Pegasus Airline pilot made another attempt and we successfully landed arriving into our hotel at 1:00 AM on Sunday.

Erik Jertberg, Jim Shattuck and Jeff Boldt

  

February 18 - Sanliurfa Ancient Sites to Gaziantep

We started our day with a trip to Harran, forty five minutes from Sanliurfa and located in an agricultural valley served by the GAP program we learned about yesterday. Raised concrete water canals are constructed to gravity flow water for irrigation. It seems certain that Harran is one of the oldest continually inhabited  spots on earth with relics from pagan religions and the oldest mosque, church and Muslim university in Asia Minor. The book of Genesis mentions Harran and how Abraham stayed here for a few years in 1900 BC.  We were able to visit their beehive-style mud and straw houses and purchase a few local goods.

Next we were privileged to visit a recent archaeological find in Gobeklitepe that is closed to tourists presently, but sure to be a place the world hears more about. Newly discovered, it is older than any other settlement in the middle east and possibly the world - 11,500 yrs old. What is remarkable about this site, and contrary to former archaeological science, is that the settlement did not center on agriculture, but was founded by hunter-gatherers. Also unusual, the site was entombed purposefully, for reasons yet to be determined. Clearly this preservation has resulted in this ancient site surviving typical damage. It is obvious this region is rich with prehistoric resources, making infrastructure development a challenge. A settlement only 500 years younger is now deep beneath the waters of Attaturk Reservoir.

Upon return to Sanliurfa we had the opportunity to experience the height of noon prayer. The city center is thought to be the birthplace of the prophet Abraham and where he was thrown to the fire and saved by a miracle from God. We climbed to the top of the castle ruins and heard the call to prayer echo from countless mosques in all directions. Men, women and children donned their Sunday best and flooded the markets where we were able to sample delicious street fare and experience the authentic bazaar.

In the afternoon we took the two hour bus drive to the city of Gaziantep and it's technical university. We met with several professors and students from a range of departments.  They welcomed us and shared their insights on the higher education system in Turkey as well as thoughts on the current political unrest in  the surrounding region. We received a tour of the campus that touched upon fine arts aspects including dance and traditional dress. Having enjoyed dinner at a local favorite, we've confirmed the Turkish belief that Gaziantep has the best kabob and baklava in the country.

 - Scott Beylik, Mica Heilmann, Mike Richardson

Ag Leadership Class 40

February 17th - Ataturk Dam, GAP Project, Şanliurfa

Class 40 was accompanied by US Consulate Officials Joseph Babb, Hamza Ulucay, and their security attaché Huseyin Ulular. We piled into the bus at 8am, on our way to the Ataturk Dam. It was an hour plus drive with two surprising full U-turns on the freeway…. We arrived at the Ataturk Dam and were greeted by Gongor Gorkan, the 16^th Regional Director of DSI, the State Water Works for Turkey. His presentation was a look at not only the construction of the Dam, but a briefing on the GAP plans for current and future dams in Turkey. The Ataturk Dam is the 5^th largest in the world, and is one of the 19 Hydro Electric Dams currently in operation. The base of the Ataturk Dam is 960 meters wide and 169 meters high. The excavation site used to build the dam has been converted into a recreational lake and amphitheater. With the material used to build the dam, a wall 1 meter wide and 7.85 meters tall could be built around the entire country of Turkey.  We were lucky enough to take a drive onto the Ataturk Dam, and take a close look at what is possible with a proactive government that is determined to deliver water to agricultural lands.

Our next stop was the GAP headquarters in Urfa. We were greeted by the President of the GAP Administration, Sadrettin Karahocagil. We received a presentation on the economic, social, and cultural objectives and impacts associated with the GAP project. The GAP is a multi-sector project that includes agriculture, industry, transportation, health, tourism, jobs, and social equity programs. The GAP project includes a plan to complete 22 dams; 19 of those being Hydro Electric. The project covers 9 provinces in Turkey, bordering Syria & Iraq. The anticipated cost is 32 billion, of which 23 billion has been expended. Some quick facts on the expected outcomes of the project: 1.8 million hectares of irrigated ground, 22% of Turkey’s energy needs, creation of 3.8 million new jobs, and increase of per capita income of 209%. To date, 80% of the dams have been completed, while the delivery system is only 15% complete. The administration’s focus is to increase delivery of water to the farmers, with a goal of 1.3 million irrigated hectares by 2016.

Back to the bus - we went for a quick trip to downtown Urfa for a visit with Deputy Mayor Fevzi Yucetepe, who oversees social & cultural affairs. Fevzi started by mentioning the recent find of the city of Gobeketepe, which is believed to be the oldest city in the world, dating back 12,000 years. Fevzi went on to discuss the historical nature of the area around Sanliurfa and how the history of the city dates back to Moses walking around as a young shepherd and the claim that Urfa is the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham.  He indicated that it is almost impossible to dig a hole without finding ancient artifacts.  Much building is going on around Urfa as this province is striving to prepare for its future.   In fact, thanks to the GAP project, migration to the area is on the rise.  In response to media portrayal of security concerns in the Middle East, Fevzi indicated that Urfa is a place of tolerance with multiple cultural beliefs living together in relative peace.  He also stated that the people in Urfa are extremely hospitable and any of us would be welcome in their home.

Mehmet Sait Melik, President of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Assembly, joined us on the bus for a trip out to Isa Sumer’s Ranch on the outskirts of Urfa. As we drove up to the ranch, the first thing we gazed upon was the 1500 year old Armenian church & village. We were greeted by Isa and five other growers from the region. They shared the significant impacts on their farming practices due to the GAP project, including new crops, as well as increased capital investment in permanent crops & equipment. Despite being the birthplace of cultivated agriculture, the growers in this region are grappling with how to exploit their new found resource in irrigated agriculture. After a tour of the farm, our generous host invited us into his 200 year old home for tea and baklava! We loaded the bus in the dark and headed back to home base.

As we all know, most accidents occur within 2 miles of home…Class 40 was no exception tonight! As our mammoth bus was passing through the narrow streets of Urfa, our driver clipped the median and blocked traffic for long enough to raise tempers behind us. The sound of more than 20 impatient cars honking let the locals know, Class 40 has arrived!

Good Night & tune in tomorrow for more Class 40 adventures in Turkey.

 - Bill Hammond, Sarah Reynolds, Yissel Barajas