Israel is gearing up for its annual “Cleanup the World Day,” set to take place on September 9th. The international campaign runs throughout the world cleaning up forests, open fields, and communities.

This year, some 200,000 volunteers from schools, local councils, and government bodies are expected to take part in Cleanup Day in Israel, led by Keren Kayamet LeYisrael and the Jewish National Fund.

Stretching from the Negev to the Galilee, Jews, Arabs, Christians, Beduins, and Druze will all join in educational activities held throughout the country.

This unique day will provide activities for all sectors of Israeli society to interact with one another and the environment.  For the first time, absorption centers for newly arrived immigrants from Ethiopia will also take part in the day’s activities, a program made possible thanks to the support of Jewish National Fund in the United States. 

“Cleanup Day activities connect the new immigrants to Israeli society,” said Beni Akala, a counselor at a Haifa Absorption Center, regarding the special importance of the project.

“The aim is to teach the children about the importance of keeping things clean, not just to go out and do the clean up activity,” said Tomer Eshel, a Cleanup Patrol guide. Eshel hopes that the children will internalize these teachings through action and laughter.

Throughout the several locations of Cleanup Day, the volunteers will receive environmentally informative preparatory instruction, free transportation to and from cleanup sites, a special cap, T-shirt and gloves, and garbage bags in 3 colors for the different types of recyclable materials: organic, paper, and plastic.

A major ceremony event will take place on the same day in Monks’ Valley in Ben Shemen Forest.