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The Intensive Arabic Semester students participating in the Givat Haviva-MASA 5-month Arabic language and culture, Hebrew and Middle East studies program, took some time out from the classroom this week to plant eucalyptus trees along the perimeter fence of the Givat Haviva campus.

In true Tu Bishvat tradition, the students – who hail from England, Scotland, North America and Columbia - literally got down on their knees to leave their mark (or rather green mark) and roots at Givat Haviva.

Eucalyptus trees are abundant on campus and in the nearby towns of Karkur, Pardes Hanna and Binyamina.

The eucalyptus trees are certainly not native to Israel and so possibly fitting for overseas students to be planting an 'outsider' although the native Australian trees are well settled in the country since first being planted in 1884 at the Mikveh Yisrael Agricultural School. Very quickly after that, eucalyptus was planted in many new communities throughout the country.

Associated with helping drain excess water in the swampy areas of Israel, the eucalyptus was also planted alongside roads to create shade and in some areas, protect them from enemy snipers taking pot shots at those traveling the highways and byways, particularly in the northern part of the country.