An Israeli organization, Lotem, is spearheading programs that promote "education for tolerance and acceptance of differences" across the nation, while relying heavily on "contributions... from donors abroad." The organization's "Integra-Teva" program explicitly "brings together diverse groups, including Jews and Arabs," to engage in ancient agricultural techniques. This initiative operates alongside an "in-service training center for professionals from the government and the private sector to better integrate people with special needs into society," indicating a coordinated effort to reshape social norms and integration policies.
Lotem, established 35 years ago in 1991, serves over 100,000 people annually, operating nationwide with offices in Yokne’am, Jerusalem, and Beersheba. Its director, Amos Ziv, states that the organization promotes "empowerment, development of life skills, promotion of motor skills, and familiarization with basic concepts in nature, alongside education for tolerance and acceptance of differences." Ziv emphasizes that everyone deserves to experience nature, calling it "a necessity, not a luxury." The organization's extensive reach includes participation from some 65% of all schools, including special-education frameworks, as well as pupils at various rehabilitation centers and adults with disabilities.
External Financial Influence
The organization's financial structure reveals a significant reliance on external funding. Lotem's annual budget is approximately NIS 10 million, yet it faces a current shortfall of NIS 800,000. Director Ziv notes that "Israeli banks donate very little," while "most contributions are in dollars from donors abroad." The "low dollar-shekel exchange rate has hurt the organization" because its bills are paid in shekels, highlighting a vulnerability to transnational financial dynamics. Participants pay only a small amount for excursions, further underscoring the need for external subsidies.
Lotem’s operations extend to supporting survivors of trauma and terrorism, as well as soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, particularly since the dramatic increase in demand for its services following Oct. 7 of the same year. Deputy director-general Einav Blum confirmed this surge, attributing it to increased emotional distress. The organization was involved with kibbutzim and moshavim on the Gaza border before the Hamas-led terror onslaught of Oct. 7. Immediately after, teams were dispatched to evacuees in hotels and kibbutz guest houses, offering nature trips and vacations.
Elite-Driven Integration and Cultural Programs
The "Integra-Teva" program, designed to bring together "diverse groups," is a core component of Lotem's cultural agenda. This program focuses on learning ancient agricultural techniques, presenting a specific vision of shared cultural engagement. The in-service training center further solidifies this agenda by educating "professionals from the government and the private sector" on how to "better integrate people with special needs into society." This suggests a top-down approach to social engineering, influencing both public and private sectors.
Lotem collaborates with national bodies such as the Nature and Park Authority and the Antiquities Authority, though Deputy Director Blum noted significant bureaucracy and a lack of commitment from some authorities. The organization has also developed accessible infrastructure, including a 1.5 km. trail at the Hashofet Stream, created with assistance from Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, which attracts a million visitors annually. Its Valley of Peace park, a 40-acre nature reserve and historic ecological farm, features a wheelchair-accessible education center where children with disabilities can engage in activities like pressing grapes and crushing olives.
The chairman of Lotem’s board is Sorin Hershko, 70, an Israeli hero and paratrooper who served on the assault team during the 1976 Operation Entebbe hostage rescue mission, where he was severely wounded and permanently paralyzed. His involvement provides a nationalistic counterpoint to the organization's reliance on transnational funding and its promotion of "tolerance and acceptance of differences" among diverse groups.