Dr. Alon Tal

Alon Tal has degrees in political science from the University of North Carolina and Law from Hebrew University. He completed his doctoral studies at Harvard University, where he served as an adjunct faculty member, 1989-1998. In 1990 Dr. Tal founded Adam Teva v'Din – the Israel Union for Environmental Defense, a public interest advocacy group, now Israel's second largest environmental organization. In 1996 he founded the Arava Institute, where he served as Director, and more recently as Director of Research. Dr. Tal served as Chairman of Israel's umbrella group for environmental organizations, 1999-2004, and is presently on the Board Directors of the JNF. He is a co-founder of The Green Zionist Alliance.

Dr. Eilon Schwartz

Dr. Eilon Schwartz is the Executive Director of the Heschel Center for Environmental Learning & Leadership, dedicated to building a sustainable future for Israel rooted in environmental health and social justice. He is a faculty member of the Melton Centre for Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he teaches advanced degree courses in Judaism and environmental education, the interrelationship between Zionism and the environment, environmental policy and ethics, and others. Dr. Schwartz is a member of the directorate of the Jewish National Fund, as well as the Board of Directors of Megama Yeruka, the Israeli students' environmental organization. He has published both academic and popular articles on related issues and lectures widely on the Israeli environment. He is a co-founder of The Green Zionist Alliance.

Naomi Tsur

BIO GOES HERE 

Orr Karasin

Orr Karassin is a Ph.D. candidate in environmental law and public policy and a member of the board of directors of Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael. Ever since her undergraduate days, when she co-founded The Green Course – now a 5,000-member plus national student organization promoting environmental activism– Karassin's academic career has been guided by her belief that the University must become involved, on a practical level, with society's most urgent issues. An activist beyond the academia, Karassin served in many voluntary and professional positions, including Executive Director of Life and Environment – an umbrella organization that pools the efforts of some 80 non-governmental groups, the National Committee for Environmental Quality appointed by the government of Israel and currently is a member of the board of directors of the KKL. With such a wide perspective on environmental matters, it is perhaps not surprising that Karassin – who lectures in the Department of Geography and Environment of Bar-Ilan University, believes that education and fostering of Israel's young, is critical to achieving a better understanding of our natural world and to finding ways to cope with environmental degradation in Israel and around the world.  In the meantime, Karassin continues to 'do her job' – pursuing research and teaching, acting on various public committees and staying on top of her various public responsibilities, and (together with her husband) raising two young children.