Mrs. Etinger is a renowned expert on matters of environmental sustainability. Her resume includes serving as Director of Academics at the Heschel Center for Environmental Learning and Leadership, as well as serving as a full time staff member at the School of Educational Leadership. She is currently developing a unique project titled “long term leadership development and organizational thinking to promote Sustainability in Israel.” She earned her Doctorate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Prof. Roded is a lecturer of Geography and Environmental Planning at the Achva College of Israel. She is a researcher of Ethnic Conflicts, specializing in comparative studies of policies towards indigenous peoples, land conflicts and their colonial aspects. Her research deals mainly with the Negev region of Israel.

Mr. Omar is a resident of Al Sara village, member of the village council and a member of the Regional Council for Unrecognized Villages in the Negev. He has a BA in Education and Mathematics, and a Master in Education from the Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva. He is currently a teacher of Mathematics in the Ksaifa High School.

 

Currently - Ben Gurion University, and is also a Professor at Ahva and Sapir Colleges. Founder of Bedouin List at Knesset in 1973 and Secretary of the Bedouin List until 1981 (when Bedouin Knesset Member Sheikh Hamed Abu Rabia was killed). Lecturer and researcher on Bedouin Muslim Law — Tradition and State Law, and spiritual aspects of Bedouin Land Rights. Involved in the Bedouin rights movement for 35 years, Abu Rabia has worked extensively with BUSTAN.

Kibbutz Lotan greenbuilders and permaculture designers, Cicelsky and Kaplan have worked to establish an expansive ecological garden and building site at Lotan, and a pioneering Green Apprenticeship program. Alex and Mike have worked with BUSTAN in Arara village to design a geo-dome, and on numerous training projects. Both have played an integral  role in leading the construction of BUSTAN's strawbale clinic at Wadi el Na'am.

Formerly – Greenspace Designer for Israel Railways. Chevkin spent nearly a decade in indigenous and intentional communities in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, applying various aspects of the permaculture sustainable design system,  promoting the use of natural resources, and salvaging manufactured materials to stress the harmonious interrelationship of people, plants, animals and the earth. Merging modern and ancient technologies, Chevkin is an expert in water and energy conservation through greywater re-use, edible gardens, green-building, and solar power installation.

Currently – Owner,  technician, and marketer at Interdan Solar Company, the enterprise that connected the  Negev Arab village of Dreijatt to solar energy, with government support. As part of BUSTAN's New Energies Project, Nezer lectures on solar applications and works to advance the concept of carbon returns in Negev Arab villages.

Fellow, Heschel Center for Environmental Leadership. Vital is  one of the most established and well known green architects in Israel.  Vital has been certified by Israel’s Ministry of Environment in Green Building, and currently works as an advisor to several municipalities about ways to integrate Green Building into Israel’s school system. Vital is a member of the international team of architects and designers chosen to plan a three religions cultural center, “Abraham’s Tent�? in the mixed city of Ramle.  Vital was one of two lead architects of our straw-bale, solar-powered clinic at Wadi el Na`am and has been active with BUSTAN since its inception.