An oasis in the desert at Midbarium – Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Animal Park (Photo: Mandel Foundation–Israel)
After years of development, Midbarium – The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Animal Park was officially launched at a celebratory event on July 22, 2024. An experiential center for the whole family, the unique park familiarizes visitors with the behavior of animals, promotes environmental awareness, and celebrates the biodiversity of the desert. The park also serves as a sanctuary for endangered desert animals and injured local wildlife and as a home to animals born in captivity that cannot be returned to their natural habitats.
The launch was conducted in the presence of
Ruvik Danilovich, mayor of Beer Sheva;
Steve Hoffman, chairman of the board of the Mandel Foundation;
Professor Jehuda Reinharz, president and CEO of the Mandel Foundation; Moshe Vigdor, director general of the Mandel Foundation–Israel; and Avi Debby, who spoke on behalf of the cultural buildings department of Mifal Hapayis, the Israel National Lottery.
A bird’s eye view of the park (Photo: Nimrod Cohen / Midbarium – Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Animal Park)
Midbarium, which spans 140 dunam, introduces visitors to the wide range of desert animals and to the ways in which the animals have adapted themselves to the desert climate. The park stresses active learning through experience, experimentation, research and curiosity. It enables a unique encounter between the visitor and the animals by means of walks through desert environments, interactive games, direct contact with animals, and innovative guiding methods. Visitors to the park come away with a full picture of the challenges of the desert and the climate crisis, and their effect on plant and animal life.
The park is divided into four desert habitats that mimic the conditions of the spaces where desert animals live: canyon, prairie, oasis, and savannah. In these areas, visitors can meet some 100 species of desert animals, including three rare white lions, two hippos, giraffes, zebras, meerkats, endangered Guinea baboons, Nile crocodiles, and more.
Rare white lions at Midbarium (Photo: Mandel Foundation–Israel)
Speaking to the event’s guests in the desert heat, Professor Jehuda Reinharz, president and CEO of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, said: “Midbarium is not a zoo in which animals are kept in captivity and displayed in cages. It is an interactive animal park in which animals roam freely in spaces designed specifically to meet their needs…. It is much more than a place to see animals; it is a symbol of commitment to conservation, to education and to the importance of preserving our planet’s biodiversity.” He expressed regret that Morton Mandel, founding chairman and CEO of the Mandel Foundation, did not live to see the opening of the park and the realization of his vision.
Mandel President and CEO Professor Judah Reinharz speaking at the ceremony (Photo: Diego Mitelberg / Midbarium – Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Animal Park)
Beer Sheva mayor
Ruvik Danilovich lauded Morton Mandel as an ardent Zionist, lover of the Jewish people, and valued partner of the city of Beer Sheva. He asserted that beyond its magic, uniqueness, and creativity, Midbarium is a place of hope and Zionism that required the vision and imagination of Mort Mandel to become a reality. He stressed the central role that Midbarium will play in enhancing the leisure culture of the Negev and in attracting families to the South of the country, which is vital for the future of the State of Israel.
The construction of Midbarium was made possible by a $20M grant from the Mandel Foundation, with additional funding from the Beer Sheva municipality, the National Lottery, and the ministries of tourism and housing.
Midbarium at dusk (Photo: Nimrod Cohen / Midbarium – Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Animal Park)
