SodaStream puts sparkle back into lives of 1,000 Syrian refugees in southern Israel

SodaStream International, the Israeli manufacturer of sparkling water makers, has offered jobs to 1,000 Syrian refugees in its newly opened plant in the southern Israeli Bedouin city of Rahat.

“SodaStream and Rahat can effectively absorb 1,000 individuals, or up to 200 families, and provide them with an opportunity to build a new life in Israel,” said SodaStream Chief Executive Officer Daniel Birnbaum and Rahat Mayor Talal Al-Krenawi.

“As the son of a Holocaust survivor, I refuse to stand by and observe this human tragedy unfold right across the border in Syria,” said Birnbaum. “Just as we have always done our best to help our Palestinian brothers and sisters in the West Bank, the time has come for local business and municipal leaders to address the Syrian humanitarian crisis and take the initiative to help those in need. We cannot expect our politicians to bear the entire burden of providing aid for the refugees.”

SodaStream made international headlines last year after being targeted by the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) anti-Israel movement for operating a plant in the West Bank. The facility provided work for hundreds of Palestinians and promoting co-existence with Jews and Arab working there together, but Sodastream decided to move it out of the West Bank.

Rahat, a city of 55,000, is the largest Bedouin city in the world. At the present time, 30 percent of the 1,100 workers in SodaStream’s nearby factory are residents of Rahat.

“We enjoy a progressive, urban lifestyle in Rahat; however, we haven’t abandoned our culture and our tribal traditions,” said Al-Krenawi. “Human dignity and hospitality are core values in our culture and we will not allow indifference to the suffering of others. In this first stage, we will be able to receive 1,000 refugees, and then through ongoing collaboration with SodaStream, we plan to help more. Our hope is that the government will then support our joint effort.”