Israel and You Spaces and Places in Israel 
Ashalim
Ashalim is a small community settlement in southern Israel. It was originally founded as a moshav shitufi in 1979. Today it is a community settlement – a suburban village. Ashalim is located in the Negev desert about 35 km south of Be’er Sheva. So much is happening around this part of the Negev now. Here you can view the cutting edge solar-thermal and photovoltaic renewable energy power stations, hike in the desert, visit student communities recreating the Negev. When you visit Ashalim add the nearby settlements Ezuz and Nitzana to your itinerary.
A Mechanized Olive Harvest at the Makuya Orchard at Ashalim
The Makuya movement (Makuya of Christ キリストの幕屋) was born In May of 1948, the same month and year in which Israel declared its independence. Makuya movement was founded by a successful Japanese businessman, the late Professor Abraham Ikuro Teshima. Professor Teshima was a deeply religious Christian. Teshima maintained that in order to grasp the spirit of the Bible, it was essential to reach a deeper understanding of the Jewish faith, its people, language and history. They are fervently identified with the cause of Israel. The Makuya conceive the establishment of the State of Israel and the unification of Jerusalem as essentially a fulfillment of biblical prophecies. Makuya is a group of fervent lovers of Israel and Jewish people. It sends young members to a number of kibbutzim in Israel, and makes pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
Solar Power Station, Ashalim
The Ashalim Project, deep in the Negev desert, is made up of three plots, with a fourth planned for the future, each with a different solar technology. Together, the fields will be Israel’s largest renewable energy project. All together, the project is set to generate some 310 megawatts of power, about 1.6% of the country’s energy needs.
- The centerpiece is a solar-thermal technology tower that will be the world’s tallest at 250 meters (820 feet). 50,000 mirrors, known as heliostats, encircle the Ashalim tower.
- A second solar-thermal section at Ashalim will be able to store energy after sundown.
- A third plot will use photovoltaic solar technology to produce energy.
- The forth section will use natural gas technology.
Nachal Ashalim
A beautiful venue for a challenging desert hike.
Ayalim Student Villages Negev
The Ayalim Association was established in 2002 to undertake the critical challenge of community building and social development in the Negev and the Galilee. These goals are implemented through the establishment of student villages and alumni compounds as a base for social involvement towards permanent communities in Israel’s periphery.
In 2003, Kfar Adiel, a village for students of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, was founded near Ashalim by the Ayalim Association.
