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SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN ISRAEL OFFERS TOURISTS HISTORY, HIKING AND NATURE

Visitors to Israel who want to learn about the flora, fauna, history and Biblical traditions of their special land, while they see the sights and sites, frequently by foot, have but one choice: the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI).

"SPNI is the only organization that brings together in one sightseeing experience the entire story of the Biblical history and traditions of Israel and also presents the travelers our amazing plant and animal life," said Stephanie Glickman, director of the New York office of SPNI. "Moreover, SPNI enables the visitor to see the land the way our forefathers did, on foot."

This unique organization, born in 1953 from a desire to involve both tourists and Israelis in learning about and preserving the nation's numerous natural features and to fight for legislation to protect the environment, features more than 20 hiking tours.

The tours range in difficulty from easy, such as strolling the streets of Jerusalem, to moderate, perhaps hiking among the streams in the Banias Nature Reserve, to difficult, crawling through man-made caves. They encompass a varied landscape comprising modern, bustling cities, forest-covered mountain ranges, arid deserts and lushly landscaped valleys with rivers running through them or dotted by lambent lakes.

The tours, led by highly trained professionals, fluent in English and schooled by two years rigorous study in the Biblical past, history, geography, culture, traditions and the natural life of Israel, range from one day tours to excursions of 15 days. The former include day tours of Jerusalem, Masada and the Judean Desert. "SPNI guides are the best trained of any tour guides in Israel, if not the world," said Ms. Glickman.

A full-day walking archaeological tour of Jerusalem's historical Old City takes the visitor to such historic sites as the Western Wall, the City of David and the Herodian Quarter ($44). For the one-day tour of Masada, Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea, tourists travel by bus from Jerusalem through the hills of the Judean Desert. Then it's by cable car to the top of Masada where, in the year 70 AD, 967 brave Israelites withstood the onslaught of 10,000 Roman soldiers before committing suicide rather than surrender. In the lush, green oasis of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, the visitor will view hyrax and ibex in their native surroundings. Before returning to Jerusalem, there is a swim, or more accurately, a float, in the Dead Sea, lowest point and the saltiest body or water on earth ($59).

There are three one-day visits to the Judean Desert, one featuring the Absalom stalactite caves ($52) and the other two including visits to the Monastery of St. George, dating from the 5th century, situated on the side of a cliff and still occupied by Monks ($48 and $55). Two popular tours are the three-day excursion to the Galilee and the Golan in the north ($284) and the five-day camel tour in the south's Eilat Mountains ($292).

The first visits, the three-day excursion, for moderate to good hikers, includes three to four hours of hiking on the first and last day. Among the tour's attractions are a visit to a Druze village, hiking along the streams in the Banias Nature Reserve-- the Banias River is one of the three sources of the Jordan River and views of the dramatic Banias Waterfall and Mount Hermon, where Israelis ski in winter.

The second tour takes the traveler by camel along the African-Syrian rift valley in the south, into basins and gorges and to the top of Mr. Berech for beautiful views of Israel's Timna Valley. Two nights are spent sleeping al fresco under the desert stars. "After traveling by camel all day, there is no difficulty sleeping at night," said Ms. Glickman, "and the stars make it even more restful.

"Many of the 4,000 or so foreign tourists who go on SPNI tours each year do so as part of their visit to Israel," said Ms. Glickman, "but we are getting more and more of those who are coming specifically and only for the SPNI experience. And for those the longer tours are very popular." Ms. Glickman said that with the addition of the New York office she could see the number of Americans going on SPNI tours doubling within the next two years.

One of the favorite tours, according Ms. Glickman, is the appropriately named "Perfect Tour." (*98 youth hostel, $1290 tourist class, $1595 deluxe hotel). The 12-day tour includes some days with four to six hours of hiking. They take the visitor the entire length of the country, from the Golan and the Galilee on the north, to Eilat and the Red Sea on the south.

The tour includes snorkeling and swimming among the Red Sea's coral reefs, a two-hour camel ride in the vicinity of the Ramon Crater, a three-four hour hike through canyons containing fossil remains, a drive to Neot Kedumim, the world's only Biblical landscape reserve, a tour of the world's oldest copper mines, crawling through man- made tunnels and much more.

An even more extensive 15- day tour, also appropriately named, "The Complete Active Tour of Israel," ($1094 youth hostel, $1628 tourist class, $2025 deluxe hotel) includes both the length and the breadth of the land, from the urban bustle of Tel Aviv on the west coast to the salty solitude of the Dead Sea on the eastern border with Jordan.

Until recently most visitors from the U.S. booked their SPNI tours after their arrival in Israel. With the advent of the New York office this past summer, American tourists may book their tours prior to departing the U.S. "It makes things much more convenient and manageable for the traveler if they book through our office," advises Ms. Glickman, who also counsels booking tours four to six weeks in advance. "We will also customize tours for groups if there is interest among a sufficient number of travelers."

The non-profit, non- governmental SPNI is Israel's largest such group working to preserve the environment and the nation's historical legacies. The hiking tours, for foreign visitors and natives alike, are the best known aspect of its work.

"Our tours represent a wide selection of interests and physical abilities," said Ms. Glickman, who emphasized such officially designated categories of interest as archaeology, bird watching, butterflies, flora and fauna, flowers in bloom and geology. "There are also such things as adventure tours for ages 15-8, bicycle tours, Bible tours for Jews and for Christians, Negev, Sinai, Jordan and Red Sea tours. We even have special one night tours and special tours for each month. It's all rather fitting for a country with so many attractions for tourists with so many varied interests."

Coast and Sea

National trails, open spaces, biodiversity, cleanup israel, educate. love. protect..

Established in 1953, The   Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is Israel’s leading environmental non-profit organization. For over 60 years SPNI has been dedicated to protecting and preserving Israel’s natural resources, environment, natural assets and unique landscape. The work carried out by SPNI now will determine what the land of Israel will look like for generations to come.

SPNI Emergency Campaign: Please help provide safe housing in SPNI’s Field Schools for families evacuated from the Gaza area 

If you want an Israel with open spaces, diverse wildlife, running streams of spring water, clean air, an Israel that your grandchildren will be able to enjoy, we need to invest now. For the sake of the future, “it is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it” (Ethics of Our Fathers 2:21).

Join us in protecting and preserving natural Israel.

SPNI’s goals

In 1986 this UK-registered charity was established in order to support the work of the Society in Israel.  A UKSPNI annual subscription of £25 gives you access to nature tours in Israel, trips to Field Schools and intimate knowledge of the ways SPNI is building a sustainable Israel and teaching its children to protect the environment. UKSPNI is your link to a different Israel where you might witness 56,000 cranes overwintering in the Hula Valley, walk the 630 km of nature trails or simply spend time at a Field School with your children.

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Welcome to Nature Israel

Nature Israel , formerly known as the Canadian Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (CSPNI), works to raise awareness of and funds for environmental protection in Israel. 

Established in 1953, The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is Israel's leading environmental non-profit organization. Read More

The Canadian Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel was founded in 2011 by Allan and Helaine Shiff. An earlier mission trip to Israel awoke in them a desire to rally fellow Canadians... read More

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Rewilding Israel’s Historic Wetlands - a Conversation with SPNI’s Deputy CEO Dan Alon. See more webinars

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Israel and You Spaces and Places in Israel

Society for the protection of nature in israel.

Israel and You August 23, 2013 Attractions , Nature

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is Israel’s leading environmental non-profit organization. For the past 60 years SPNI has been dedicated to protecting and preserving Israel’s natural resources, environment, natural assets and unique landscape. The work carried out by SPNI now will determine what the land of Israel will look like in the generations to come.

The Environmental Protection Department is involved in pioneering research projects and developing a body of knowledge that is used to drive SPNI’s activities and to create sustainable solutions to environmental issues in Israel. This includes developing energy policy, conserving water supplies, protecting Israel’s native species, participating in planning and zoning committees, coordinating public campaigns, lobbying and advocacy.

Our Education Department manages and develops environmental programs for hundreds of thousands of young Israelis, in both formal and informal settings, inspiring them to engage with their surroundings and raise an environmentally responsible and proactive generation.

SPNI’s revolutionary vision for urban lifestyle in the 21st century is encapsulated by our Kehilot (Urban Communities), a hub for green activism, sustainable green living and higher quality of life in cities. Our Kehilot are managed locally with emphasis on the unique challenges facing each community. Through the Kehilot SPNI strengthens civil society, trains decision makers, protects open spaces and preserves urban nature sites, for the public and with the public.

SPNI operates Eco-Community Centers located in Israel’s social and economic periphery that work to fill societal gaps by creating a cadre of passionate young people who feel connected to their immediate surroundings and are empowered to make changes in their immediate environment. Through these programs we create grassroots movements that expand their circles of influence to make positive environmental changes at the national level.

SPNI’s International Ornithological Center (IOC) operates a network of birding centers that monitors migration patterns of 500 million birds on behalf of the international community, provides safe haven for birdlife and makes Israel a world center for bird watchers. The IOC is also involved in regional collaborations with the Palestinian Authority and Jordan.

Recognized for their expert guides and high standard of educational programming, SPNI’s Field Schools are a network of Eco-Tourism Centers, situated in Israel’s most striking nature reserves. Our field schools are used as bases for nature excursions and hikes, a central pillar of Israeli culture. SPNI also initiated and maintains the popular Israel National Trail.

United States [email protected] 1-800-411-0966

France [email protected] +33(0) 617-260044

Canada [email protected] 1-416-224-2318

Israel [email protected] +972-3-638-8653

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03 Jul Adventures from SPNI, Intern Edition

By luke finkelstein.

Hi! My name is Luke, and I’m working at SPNI this summer through an internship program called Onward, an opportunity that empowers U.S. college students to live and work in Tel Aviv. Originally from and now attending school in Philadelphia, being in Tel Aviv for several months is a real adventure. Because of that, I thought it could be nice if I started a blog about my experience in Israel and at SPNI—so, welcome, and thanks for tagging along!

As my favorite author J.R.R. Tolkien said, first let me give you “enough to go on with.” Out of a wide set of interests, I came to work at SPNI because I care about the environment, politics, and Israel. The interview process got me excited since the organization seemed to fuse these core interests together. Still, I could hardly begin to suspect the incredible scope of SPNI’s impact. What I’ve learned just by being in Israel for a few weeks is that SPNI is a giant in the field of nature protection and a household name. I feel deep pride and intense gratitude that I can be supporting such meaningful work.

Since its founding in 1953, SPNI has championed important advocacy, activism, research, education, tours, and cross-border cooperation projects, doing it all with thoughtfulness and humanity. In fact, these projects can’t be lumped into just one category: they’re deliberately ambitious.

An especially exciting project right now is the rewilding of wetland areas in the north of Israel. Historically, the northern portion of Israel was home to a thriving wetland system, but it was destroyed for agricultural land and fishponds. Now, many of those lands have become unproductive and abandoned. SPNI is seizing the opportunity to restore the area. Partnering with local kibbutzim like Kfar Ruppin, SPNI is transforming defunct fishponds again into a healthy wetland system, reclaiming a crucial stopover site for bird migration. And these are no small numbers of visitors, not just a few sparrows from your backyard: 500 million birds migrate from Eurasia to Africa and back each year, and Israel is on their route!

What’s more, there is already promise of cross-border cooperation with Jordan, since the project, Start-Up Nature, has proven to be such a success. I am visiting the Kfar Ruppin flagship site next week and could not be more excited. I plan to write about the trip in my next blog entry, so stay tuned!

It seems that my supervisors are emulating the very same thoughtfulness and integrated mindset that I’ve sensed from SPNI as regards my internship. In addition to working in the office, supporting these projects through donor outreach, readings, and engagement, I’ll also be going “in the field.” They wish for me to live and experience SPNI, learning about nature protection from both sides of the office door. I am truly grateful for this adventure.

In fact, just this past Wednesday I visited the Jerusalem Bird Observatory (JBO, see picture above). It was the first bird observatory I had ever been to, and I found it magnificent. The JBO is a gem, tucked away beneath the road leading up to the Knesset. When I walked into the observatory, it was like turning down the volume knob on everything: the chatter of pedestrians, the rough noise of wheels on asphalt, the hot sun hanging in the air—it all gently pulled back, and nature was restored to its grandeur. Now I had entered the kingdom of birdsong, and I heard feathers flapping in joy. A sparrowhawk, its yellow eyes glittering in the sunlight, bathed in the quiet stream. Turtles peaked their heads out of the water; I think maybe they were smiling. Was this the same world I had experienced on the road just above the observatory? I wondered if it was.

I’ll be visiting Gazelle Valley later in the summer and, as I shared a bit ago, the Kfar Ruppin Kibbutz (that flagship site of Start-Up Nature) next week. I can’t wait to share my impressions of these places with you, doing my best to describe the musical notes of the birdsong, or the fresh smell of the trees in the sweet Jerusalem wind. But of course, one can only do so much with words.

If you would also like to live and breathe these places fully, I encourage you to check out Nature Israel’s upcoming November trip, which you can find here.

Meanwhile, I’m thrilled to be on this adventure, and for you to be joining me!

Impact Israel. Impact Nature.

Impact the world..

Hundreds of millions of birds migrate between Europe, Asia, and Africa twice each year. Today, Israel is the lone refueling station left on their grueling journey.

But Israel’s habitats are disappearing. Without them, the consequences would be devastating.

TO SUCCEED, THEY NEED YOU.

VIEW THE STORY BEHIND START-UP NATURE

The future of the flyway is in your hands.

Your partnership with Start Up Nature will establish the Yossi Leshem Wildlife Sanctuaries, a network of world-class, biodiversity-managed rewilded wetland sites that will:

Secure the future of migration for hundreds of millions of the world’s birds

Support critical biodiversity spanning three continents

Generate an estimated $4.5M in tourism revenue each year

Attract 150,000 visitors annually

Start-Up Nature creates a win-win solution where both Nature and humankind can thrive, while overcoming the challenge of sustainable habitat restoration in population-dense, industrialized areas.

SPNI. Your Partner in Innovative Conservation.

For 70 years, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has been Israel’s most influential and trusted conservation organization. SPNI has shaped the face of Israel for future generations, protecting Israel’s natural spaces through ground-breaking scientific research, policy, and public awareness campaigns.

Start-Up Nature is led by Dan Alon, SPNI’s CEO. Dan Alon is the world renowned visionary behind the Hula Lake Reserve, co-founder of the Champions of the Flyway International Birding Race, and one of TIME Magazine’s Heroes of the Planet (1999).

For more than 60 years, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has been Israel’s most influential and trusted conservation organization. SPNI has shaped the face of Israel for future generations, protecting Israel’s natural spaces through ground-breaking scientific research, policy, and public awareness campaigns.

Start-Up Nature will be led by Dan Alon, SPNI’s Director of Nature Protection and Environmental Conservation. Dan Alon is the world renowned visionary behind the Hula Lake Reserve, co-founder of the Champions of the Flyway International Birding Race, and one of TIME Magazine’s Heroes of the Planet (1999).

RESEARCH PARTNERS

START-UP NATURE'S VISIONARY DONORS

Campaign Chair, US

Yoav Ben Yaacov

Campaign Chair, Israel

Rabbi Paul Citrin

Committee Member, US

Martin Lowenstein

Initial funding partners.

• Open Landscape Fund
• Ministry of Tourism
• Ministry of Finance
• The Ministry for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee
• Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage
• The Goldberg Group, Toronto
• Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin
• Kibbutz Maagan Michael

$4 million raised

• Initial funding secured
• Lease has been signed with Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin
• Construction has begun and reservoirs have been flooded
• Lease has been signed with Kibbutz Maagan Michael

$11 million raised

Your phase of the plan

• These funds will permanently sustain the first two sites of Start-Up Nature’s revolutionary conservation model.

$15 Million

Phase ii: your phase of the plan, $15 million, giving levels.

Your partnership in Start-Up Nature will ensure the permanence and long-term success of these critical sanctuaries, and your ever-present support will be recognized by all visitors to the sites for generations to come.

START-UP NATURE NAMING OPPORTUNITIES*

Kfar Ruppin

• Kfar Ruppin Birding Center
• Riverside Wetland
• Jordan Valley Birding Center
• Osprey Pool
• Bee-Eater Trail
• Kingfisher Pond
• Purple Heron Hide
• Bunting Pool
• Kingfisher Hide
• Little Owl Meadow
• Bee-Eater Ridge

Maagan Michael

• Maagan Michael Birding Center
• Sandpiper Lagoon
• Pelican Lagoon
• Maagan Michael Gateway
• Tern Island Lagoon
• Gull Lagoon
• Research Center
• Sea Turtle Lookout
• Sandpiper Hide
• Warbler Pool

*Each naming opportunity is available as one unit only.

Learn More.

Click below to learn more about Start-Up Nature and how you can take an active, innovative role in protecting and securing a globally critical migration flyway.

TO LEARN MORE OR JOIN US IN START-UP NATURE, PLEASE CONTACT

Society for the protection of nature in israel.

+972(0) 3 638-8648 [email protected]

• Yossi Ben Artzi, Chair
• Dan Alon, CEO
• Jay Shofet, Development Director

NATURE ISRAEL™ THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN ISRAEL

1 (800) 411-0966 [email protected]

• Jonathan Silverstein, Chair
• Rachel Canar, Executive Director

THE CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN ISRAEL

1 (416) 917-6648 [email protected]

• Dan Barak and Itay Peleg, Co-chairs
• Avi Sadiv, Executive Director

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Can anyone tell me anything about this organization?

Many thanks

http://teva.org.il/english/?CategoryID=155

You may also find interest in Tiuli - a private company that organized field trips. Their site has information about self guided tours:

http://www.tiuli.com/default.asp?lng=eng

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Our Company

For the past 20 Years Eretz Yisrael Movement has brought thousands of visitors to see the Land of Israel

From Yaakov Sternberg’s first planeloads to year round tours, during the best and worst of times – the tours never stopped. Many people return again and again, in certain ways we feel like we’re building an extended family.

Eretz Yisrael Movement is an organization that caters to group tours interested in exploring and connecting to Israel in depth.

The two week tours are offered throughout the year with different summer and winter schedules. The tour gives an in-depth view of Israel from biblical times to present. Tanach, Mishna and other Jewish sources are an intregal part of the guiding. The trips are fit for first timers and veterans alike and we cater to all ages and levels of knowledge.

Our Expertise

Our guides are highly qualified and experienced who go out of there way to make you feel at home in Israel.

Margalit Frydman has been with us for the past 18 years, She has a B.a. from Hebrew University in Jewish history and archeology and is currently finishing her M.a. in Land of Israel studies in Bar Ilan University.

– She finished the Spni guiding course in 1984 – She completed the Ministry of tourism guiding course in 1996 – Margalit made  Aliyah  from the U.S.A as a young child and is fluent in English and Hebrew. – Her favorite topics are Second temple period, nature and putting unknown places on the map. She adds joy and drama to her guiding with her chalilit- recoder and is an expert in guiding multi aged groups.

We can plan tailored trips according to your specific needs and requests from a volounteer trip to a wine and chocolate tour, from Bar/Bat Mitzvahs to Synagoge learning experiences.

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Special-Interest Vacations in Israel

Escorted Tours, Packages & Trails

Israel is an unusual destination in that there are many major Jewish and Christian organizations that sponsor group tours and missions to the Holy Land. It’s always worthwhile to check with your synagogue or church as to what organized group tours they can direct you to. These package tours have the added advantage of zeroing in on sites and events that are of special interest to people who share your traditions and background.

HIKING & NATURE TRIPS The Society for Protection of Nature in Israel ( http://natureisrael.org ), known as SPNI, offers a wide range of excellent nature and camping hikes and tours throughout Israel and beyond. Most tours are in Hebrew, but the guides are among the best in the business, and are generally fluent in English (as are most Israeli participants), so English speakers will not be left out. SPNI offers some tours in English.

Israel National Trail ( www.israeltrail.net ) is a planned, self-guided, 1,100km (683-mile) network of hiking routes and paths that run from the northern tip of Israel to the shores of the Red Sea and take you through places of natural beauty, historic sites, and a broad range of Israel’s many ethnic and religious communities. This is a wonderful resource and great for planning local hiking as well.

Jesus Trail ( www.jesustrail.com ) is a carefully planned program of walks and hikes through the area between Nazareth and Capernaum, through the areas that Jesus would have known.

Desert Eco Tours ( www.desertecotours.com ) offers tours and camping trips in the Negev desert, Eilat mountains and Jordan’s Wadi Musa and Petra National Park.

BIKING TOURS & HOLIDAYS Jerusalem Biking Tours  ( www.jerusalembiking.com ) offers inventive guided bike tours of Jerusalem’s new and old cities. Specially scheduled group tours can sometimes be arranged. Highly recommended.

CMBC, the Carmel Mountain Bike Club , is a group of Haifa-area cycling enthusiasts, including Jon Lipman, who maintain a detailed English-language website and will be happy to share advice and infor on activities, bike rides, and tours.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIGS You can volunteer to work at an archaeological dig if you are 18 or older, prepared to stay for at least 2 weeks, and capable of doing strenuous work in a hot climate. You will have to pay your own fare to and from Israel. Most excavations take place between June and October, but there are off-season digs. Lectures are given at some sites, and some offer academic credit for the work. If you’d like to join a dig, it’s best to inquire as far in advance as possible.

The best summary of current digs is found each year in the January/February issue of the magazine Biblical Archaeology Review , available at many libraries and newsdealers. Biblical Archaeology Review’s listings include exactly whom to contact for information about joining each specific dig, as well as estimates on expenses for volunteers and a description of each dig’s recent finds. The Israel Ministry of Tourism North American Info Center ( info.goisrael.com ) will also give you general, updated information about finding a suitable dig.

The Biblical Archaeology Society (tel. 800/221-4644; www.biblicalarchaeology.org ), which publishes the Biblical Archaeology Review, organizes archaeology-based study tours of Israel and the surrounding region. FOOD & WINE TRIPS EatWith ( www.eatwith.com ) lets travelers connect with real Israelis and share a meal in their homes. A constantly changing group of host cooks is listed and the specialties of the house are explained, ranging from a simple vegetarian meal in a grad student’s apartment ($12) to a homecooked meal with a local foodie ($45 per person).

VOLUNTEER TRIPS

Volunteers for Israel ( www.vfi-usa.org ), arranges volunteer support positions in both civilian and military organizations in Israel. Assignments may include hospital work, repair work, and KP duty with noncombat sectors of the Israeli military. Application to this program requires a nonrefundable $125 fee.

SAR-EL NATIONAL PROJECT FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR ISRAEL— The Sar-El project offers eligible individuals the chance to volunteer on a short-term basis for the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). The most popular programs run from approximately 1 to 2 weeks and during that time volunteers stay on an Israeli army base which could be located anywhere in the country and perform basic volunteer work to help with the life of the base. You’ll interact not just with fellow volunteers but real Israelis doing their mandatory military service, making this, in our view, one of the more rewarding Israel volunteer programs. For details on how to apply visit www.sar-el.org .

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

PLANT A TREE— If you’d like to plant a tree in Israel with your own hands, contact the Jewish National Fund ( usa.jnf.org/jnf-tree-planting-center/ ) or www.treesfortheholyland.com for more information. The cost per tree is $18.

JEWISH-ARAB DIALOGUE PROGRAMS— One out of every five Israeli citizens living inside the pre-1967 boundaries of Israel is Arab. There are a growing number of dialogue and intercultural-understanding projects inside Israel for Israeli Arabs and Jews. You will often find Israelis from English-speaking countries, armed with democratic traditions and experience living in multicultural societies at the forefront of these projects. Visitors to Israel may observe these organizations and participate in lectures and tours that illuminate the problems and possibilities that exist for dialogue and understanding. Short-term volunteering is also doable. This can be a good way to encounter one of the most hopeful sides of Israeli society.

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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