Dr. Michael Avishi, the founder and scientific director of the Botanical Garden in Jerusalem, has passed away

Avishi implemented the vision of the botanist Michael Zohari and understood the massive potential that lies in the garden and Israel's ability to offer ways to cultivate plants from all over the world

Dr. Michael Avishi passed away at the beginning of the week. He was one of the founders of the botanical garden near the Knesset in Jerusalem. Michael was an inspiration to generations in evolution, geology, botany, but most of all in the human being he was, said a statement issued by the management of the botanical garden.

Avishi was born in Berlin in 1935 during World War II and survived with his mother in a Czech village. After the war immigrated to Israel in 1948. He graduated from school and became a gardener. After that he entered the Hebrew University and graduated with a PhD in Plant Breeding.

After creating a patch of local Israeli plants that helped botany professors in Givat Ram, he was asked by the botanist Michael Zohari to establish a botanical garden near the Knesset. Avishai applied Zohari's vision to a garden and understood the massive potential that the location of Jerusalem and Israel offered for the cultivation of plants from around the world. Michael, who understood the massive potential of the city of Jerusalem and the State of Israel and the cultivation of plants from around the world, decided to establish the botanical garden in Givat Ram.

Michael, until the last week of his life, would come every day to the peanut gardens in Givat Ram, which he called "the third child" to learn, research and guide. Michael always saw the big picture, he understood the growing world through tectonic and climatic changes.

"Michael lived the botanical garden and was a guide for visiting groups and taught them about the different plants in the garden, climate change and extinct species in the botanical garden." said in the message

"While a garden organized by botanical groups can demonstrate the distribution of plants on Earth today, our garden can help demonstrate how the world's flora has evolved by presenting plants in their geographic context," he explained.

Tom Amit of the Botanic Garden Director "Last week the father of literature, the father of the lone soldiers, the father of soccer in Israel and the father of botany in Israel went to the world. Doctor Michael Avishi, who was one of the founders of the botanical garden in Jerusalem, the chief gardener at the botanical garden in Givat Ram, the chief scientist and even the director of the botanical garden for many years, passed away as he lived his life. He worked until the last minute with great love and endless devotion. Last Thursday, he heard from his room that I was sitting with the gardeners for our monthly meeting, he stopped everything and joined, he wanted to hear, he wanted to tell and above all she is Michael as only Michael knows. I thank Michael for what will be for the kindergarten and for who he was for me."

According to Amit, Michael Avishi was a quiet and relaxed person, welcoming, positive and full of energy. He was and is an inspiration to generations of students, interns, researchers abroad, gardeners, volunteers and staff members of the Botanical Garden in Jerusalem.