Planting Trees in Bat Ayin (May, 2017)
Just hours prior to the start of the holiday of Shavuot, when we celebrate the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai seven weeks after the miracle of the Exodus from Egypt, the participants of the HaYovel Rejoice Jerusalem Tour to Israel met with Amnon, a farmer in the community of Bat Ayin, to plant trees.
Planting Trees in Ma’aleh Amos (May, 2017)
Meeting Amnon From Bat Ayin (April, 2017)
Earlier this month, Rabbi Tuly and Ari Abramowitz met with Amnon, a farmer from Bat Ayin located in the hills of Judea.
Amnon explained how Palestinian Arabs in his area are trying to take over Israel Sate-owned land by planting trees and grapevines of their own. In doing so, the Arabs are trying to change the facts on the ground to ensure that they will have control over as much land as possible.
Amnon’s words really spoke to our hearts and helped impress upon us the importance of fighting to stay in control of our land in the face of this battle!
We’d like to deeply thank all those who have contributed to this incredibly important campaign. Simultaneously, we must impress upon our readers the seriousness of this situation. It’s crucial for our supporters to understand that as Israel is heading into what promises to be a brutal summer, the heat means more water is desperately required than the norm during the winter months, and this means the expenses have gone up. Amnon has ensured that he will not waste even a single resource, but that he badly needs financial assistance in order to upkeep the olive trees he has so carefully tended to for so many years.
Israel365 has therefore devoted its entire tree planting initiatives to helping Amnon plant 2,000 olive trees thereby fighting the land grab and ensuring a firm, unshakable Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria forever!
Listen to Amnon tell his story below:
Planting Vineyards with HaYovel in Har Bracha, Samaria (March, 2017)
In honor of Tu B’Shvat– the Jewish New Year of trees, Israel365 partnered with a wonderful organization called HaYovel, a non-profit organization that brings Christian volunteers from all over the world to serve and assist Jewish farmers in Israel, to plant some 2,000 vines in the plains of Har Bracha.
Thanks to the generosity of our friends and donors, we at Israel365 collected thousands of dollars earmarked for planting vines and trees in the Biblical Heartland of Judea and Samaria. It was only fitting that we partnered with HaYovel for this February 12th event.
The historic planting took place in the Jewish settlement of Har Bracha located on Mount Greizim in Samaria. Har Bracha is first mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy:
“And it shall come to pass, when Hashem thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal” (Deuteronomy 11:29).
We worked under the supervision of Erez Ben Sa’adon, a Jewish farmer, winemaker and self-proclaimed “Lover of the Land” whose true passion is working the Land of Israel with his own two hands. The vines which we helped to plant will soon produce grapes which will be transformed into delicious wine which has been awarded numerous accolades in various competitions across Israel.
Planting these grapevines was an awesome experience in which we were able to participate in the rejuvenation of the Land. Rabbi Tuly, along with staff of Israel365 and the volunteers of HaYovel were able to witness firsthand the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy of Jeremiah:
“Again shalt thou plant vineyards upon the mountains of Shomron; the planters shall plant, and shall have the use thereof.” (Jeremiah 31:4).
Thanks to your generous support, Erez was able to expand and strengthen his flourishing vineyards. These actions are no doubt the materialization of the prophetic restoration of the Land of Israel happening in front of our very eyes!