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Friday September 5, 1997

JNF motorcyclists to roar across Israel, Egypt, Jordan

Forty years ago, when Michael Kadis was a young man, he built his first motorcycle by attaching a power lawn mower engine to his
Kadis is now planning the most exciting ride of his life. Starting Monday, he will lead a two-week motorcycle mission to help Mi

Bikers across the country were invited to join the unique mission, which is being sponsored by the Jewish National Fund. The caravan across three Middle Eastern nations will include an air-conditioned luxury coach for non-riding participants, including spouses and other guests.

Kadis rides with a group in Cleveland, where he lives, and where his business interests include industrial real estate development and the chemical, plastics, steel and process industries.

He has many trades but biking is his passion.

"The freedom, the sense of `you and the road,' the combination of wind and speed and the absolute concentration biking requires take you away from the normal course of events," says Kadis.

"You have to have a clear mind," he adds. "In a way it's like golf: You have to be totally focused to function successfully."

Kadis has biked through the Canadian Rockies to the "Stampede" in Calgary, Alberta. He has also participated in Daytona, Fla's., Harley Rally.

"A few years ago, it would have been impossible to make this kind of trip," says Ruth W. Popkin, JNF missions chair.

Reflective of the change in relations between Middle Eastern countries is Israel's sharing of desert technology with Jordan and Egypt. Parts of the countries share similar terrain and climate, and JNF has developed an expertise in arid lands management that can be helpful to Israel's neighbors.

JNF is named in the treaty with Jordan to assist in water management and desertification problems, and has sponsored or co-sponsored international conferences in Israel on arid lands management to which many nations sent representatives.

Over the past several years, JNF missions have focused on special interests such as fishing and scuba diving. In addition to the motorcycle mission, JNF is also planning jogging and golf missions.

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