By Vivienne Meyuhas

At the recent annual dairy conference held in Jerusalem, with the attendance of influential policy-makers, dairy associations and companies, as well as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Orit Noked, Bhakta Re'em of the Israeli yatra received an award for his dedicated studies in the field of dairy farming at one of Israel's leading technological colleges.

The award, a generous financial grant from Israel's Dairy Board, came with a letter that read: "an excelling student your love for cows touches the heart". What made you study dairy farming? After graduating from Bhaktivedanta College in 2007, I had the good fortune to visit Sri Vrdnavana Dhama and study Sanskrit at the BBT Govardhana school, under the shelter of H.G. Gopiparanadhana Prabhu and his devoted servants. My visit to the Dhama was a special spiritual experience for me, which was both educational and humbling. In India I became aware of an increasing environmental crisis, and wanted to acquaint myself more with traditional methods that offer solutions to modern-day ecological problems, especially in the field of agriculture (from the irresponsible usage of pesticides and antibiotics to GMOs). Visiting different organic farms and traditional projects in India, I saw very clearly how cows serve as an axis of cultural and agricultural health. And so, when I returned to Israel in 2009, I started studying dairy

farming. I wanted to explore the possibility of connecting the modern setting with the traditional format. Cows in the modern dairy industry experience so much suffering. Wasn't it difficult to study in such an atmosphere? To say the least. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the only vegetarian in the history of the college to receive this award. Nevertheless, Srila Prabhupada said: "first dress, then address". According to time, place and circumstances, initiatives are more appreciated with professional certification. In addition, I was inspired by devotional agricultural projects all over the world. Their development is very encouraging. I also strived to appreciate the teachers for their knowledge and years of practical experience in the field, trying to receive the good for beneficial purposes. How was your meeting with the Israeli Minister of Agriculture? After she gave the opening speech of the conference, I approached and presented myself. I told her that since I'm receiving a gift from the agricultural industry, I would like to offer a gift in return. I then gave her Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As It Is in Hebrew, and explained that it is the crest jewel of the Indian philosophy of yoga. I didn't know how it would be received, and what to expect. To my surprise, she was excited and very grateful. My mother and father were there to support me on this memorable occasion, and we all took a joint picture:

Re'em and family with Mrs. Noked, Israel's Minister of Agriculture (center) What are you planning to do now? I want to continue my studies and see how I may serve the effort to connect between modern and traditional knowledge and life skills. I also want to continue sharing Srila Prabhupada's spiritual teachings with others. I am fortunate to be in the association of very dedicated devotees of Krishna here in Israel, especially Gunavatara Dasa (ACBSP) and Varsabhanavi Devi Dasi (TKG). Their successful cross-cultural preaching is bringing inner peace and spiritual fulfillment to the lives of people in this war-stricken country.

Sharing spiritual literature with students in Israel. On the wall: Israel's map, the Declaration of Independence, and Bhagavad-gita As It Is.