Pollution and the depletion of natural resources in Israel threaten public health, future economic viability, and regional stability. Most rivers and streams in Israel are polluted, and many municipalities have no sewage treatment. Water consumption already exceeds total available resources in Israel, and allocation of scarce water resources remains a major issue in the peace process. A doubling of both electricity use and the number of cars on the road since 1990 has led to dangerous levels of air pollution now being blamed for increasing respiratory illness. Open space is disappearing at an alarming rate as suburban developments and new roads — including the controversial Trans-Israel Highway — are built. Minister of Environment Dalia Itzik is facing these daunting challenges with grossly insufficient resources, and existing transportation and development plans are likely to worsen the current situation. Though progress has been slow, the government has begun to tackle Israel’s environmental challenges. A growing number of grassroots environmental groups are organizing in response to these circumstances, and Tel Aviv University has established Israel’s first school of Environmental Studies. The organized Jewish community has an opportunity to help Israel benefit from the substantial environmental expertise of the United States — through continued support and further development of cooperative projects between the Israeli and United States governments and by involving American Jews in volunteering their environmental expertise to Israeli governments, NGOs, and businesses. The Palestinian Authority and neighboring countries are also called upon to remedy environmental challenges that impact the entire region.