On September 25th at 7:00pm at 719 N. Maple Dr., LA (at the home of Terry DeBell) for an Iftar meal. Please join poets and musicians as we celebrate and support the continued collaborative work of BUSTAN's Bedouin and Jewish architects, eco-builders, farmers, and artists - promoting the fair allocation of natural resources, and sustainable resource use in the Negev. BUSTAN invites you to to learn more about our unique approach to hands-on peacebuilding that has led to the creation of several award-winning and sustainable projects. During this exciting event, Devorah will speak for 15 minutes as the Founder, and we will also connect up by skype with Bedouin Executive Director, Ra'ed Almickawi, for 15 minutes to present in English before a question/answer period. Devorah and Ra'ed will discuss what we can do to catalyze and steward a healthy and sustainable connection with the Land, and all of its people?
Please RSVP to bustanevent@gmail.com by September 20th. Salaamat, Shalom, Peace!
www.bustan.org
community building for land and for people - a social and environmental collaboration in Israel/Palestine
Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year, is fast approaching. Likewise, through most of September, Muslims are marking Ramadan, the holiest month of the year, culminating in the Eid Ul Fitr. Rosh HaShanah and Ramadan share more similarities than just their dates this year. Both holidays are a time of reflection and renewal, a time to examine the year past and prepare for the year ahead. For BUSTAN, the special intertwining of these two key holidays this year has powerful symbolism, for it reflects our core philosophy­that the peoples of the Negev region where we work, Bedouin and Jewish, thrive best when working together to sustain the land and its peoples.
 Devorah Brous ­ Founder, BUSTAN
An American-Israeli, Brous has spent the past 15 years catalyzing projects and designing, and running campaigns in Israel and the Occupied Territories to promote social and environmental justice. Devorah holds 2 masters degrees in Israel Studies and Peace/Conflict Studies, with a concentration in conflict transformation. In 1999, she founded BUSTAN. Brous is a writer, and an internationally-renowned speaker on the conflict between Israel and the Bedouin; Greenwashing; and the political and strategic aspects of environmental policies in the region. She returned to the U.S. and now resides in L.A., CA.

Ra'ed Almickawi - Director, BUSTAN
Ra'ed was born and raised in the government planned township of Tel Sheva in the Negev. Ra'ed's background is in filmmaking and journalism, which he studied in the Television Journalism department of Sapir Academic College in the Negev. He worked for six years in television production, advertising, and corporate branding and image development. In 2006, Ra'ed returned to Sapir Academic College to study cinema, and in 2007 he established the revolutionary internet-based television station Naqab.tv. He ran Naqab.tv as a part of Sendyan Public Relations, a company he founded with his brother. It was through developing news stories about BUSTAN that Ra'ed encountered BUSTAN. He is excited about this opportunity to merge his expertise in filmmaking and journalism with community building and social justice activism through BUSTAN. Ra'ed lives in Tel Sheva with his family. 


As BUSTAN prepares to begin a new year, we reflect on our accomplishments this year, including: