During the bus ride to Mount Gilboa, I was in awe while gazing at the beautiful landscapes and mountains. Back in Cleveland I have never seen anything like this; there were miles and miles of desert, yet there was plenty of vegetation and several ponds. As we got to our destination, Amnon told all of the group to keep in mind that Mount Gilboa is the answer and “key explanation to Zionism.” I was not sure what he had meant, we approached several wind turbines, and I knew I was going to eventually find out.
We entered the high-tech, and neat visitor center on Mount Gilboa, our tour guide, Maria, introduced us with a short film about the nature of wind. I then realized the importance of wind power in society’s everyday life. With the power of wind, people are able to create advanced technology that provides energy for people. Maria soon reminded the group that the majority of the energy sources in the world produce air pollution. I was a bit disheartened that the rates of air pollution had dramatically increased over the years, Israel being affected as well. However, Maria introduced us to the wind turbines that were built in 1996. The fourteen wind turbines are made up of many different parts, including the generator. Apparently, the generator can produce up to 150 watts of renewable energy per hour, which generates two-thirds of Beit Shean’s electricity. Once I had heard how amazing the wind turbines are for Beit Shean’s environment, I discovered the importance of Zionism in Israel. It works to bring a dream into reality.
In the land of Israel, there is hope in creating a better future for the country. Although the wind turbines do not store a lot of energy, and the weather can be unstable, the people of Israel are motivated to build new, and innovative renewable energy sources.