Nadav and Bat-El met in high school in the Samarian town of Karnei Shomron. They shared a love for the Biblical Heartland of Israel, horseback riding, and each other.
After finishing their IDF service four and a half years ago, the high school sweethearts married. As they debated where to settle down, a friend told them a piece of disturbing news.
There was a large piece of land in Samaria belonging to the State of Israel. It included several hills and valleys over many square miles. From the highest hill, you could see the coastal cities of Haifa, Hadera, Zichron Yaakov, and Netanya.
Agents of the Palestinian Authority had been trying to steal and settle this land. When Arabs steal land, they don’t give it back. And worse, they use it to further their terrorist goals. From that highest hill, they could even launch rocket attacks on the coastal cities, God forbid.
Then the good news came – the Israeli government was looking for brave young couples to settle on that land.
Like prophets, Nadav and Bat-El suddenly knew their calling.
Motivated by their deep love for the Holy Land, they set up a small mobile home on the highest hilltop and began to build a farm. Their daughter Devash Tzion (Honey Zion) was born a year later.
It’s been a challenging four years. They’ve weathered hot summers and freezing winters. The first year on the farm, they lived without running water and electricity!
There is also the danger from local Arabs and their radical leftist enablers constantly trying to build and plant on the land. They’ve even tried to burn down Nadav and Bat-El’s farm. One blaze took firefighters, water planes, and the army hours to extinguish. Their mobile home was miraculously untouched.
Nadav and Bat-El go to sleep deep into the night and wake up before sunrise. Some nights they don’t even sleep because someone has to guard the farm. Volunteers often help with guard duty and shepherding, but not always. The animals are always at risk of being stolen or slaughtered.
Despite all the dangers, their farm thrives, bringing them a minimal income. But they’re not doing this for the money. They want to glorify God’s great name in the Land.
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