After being forcibly removed from Gaza in 2005, they defied all odds to turn a desolate border territory green. Everything changed again on October 7th.
By Nosson Shulman, Licensed Tour Guide
In 1984, with the encouragement of the Israeli Government, Torah observant families started a religious farming town called Netzarim in the desolate sand-dunes of the Gaza Strip.
With perfect faith in G-d, and an excitement to fulfill the biblical commandment to settle the land of Israel, they began building greenhouses where yams and cherry tomatoes were grown in abundance, along with a mango plantation, vineyard, and very prestigious Etrog farm.
Together with the Jewish farmers of Gush Katif, they built up a multi-million-dollar farming empire that grew the majority of Israel’s most important vegetables and was the world’s largest supplier of kosher veggies (the residents of Netzarim used much of their profit to support Kollelim, Institutions of Torah Learning).
Unfortunately, due to international pressure in 2005, the IDF forcibly removed all of the Jewish residents of Gush Katif, “gifting” their very expensive greenhouses to the Arabs to allow them the chance to build a prosperous economy (ironically all of the greenhouses were either looted or used for fighting the Jewish State, and as a result, not a single vegetable was ever grown there). The farmers lost everything they had built up and had to restart from scratch.
In 2008 the expelled farmers of Netzarim started a new agricultural town, fittingly called Bnei Netzarim (literally translated as “Sons of Netzarim”). They settled right on the Gaza and Egyptian borders on the barren sand dunes of Chalutza, together with the towns of Neveh and Shlomit (composed of Gaza expellees from other agricultural villages).
The desert land was so barren (having not even one inhabitant) that in 2000, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak tried to surrender the Land to Arabs in a peace deal, which they thankfully rejected by saying the town was just sand, not worth anything. When the farmers settled here, one of their first accomplishments was setting up educational Torah institutions, including two Yeshiva high schools for boys and 2 for girls (2 of their schools are ranked in the top 50 high schools in all of Israel).
Four farmers Sharon Cohen, Yair Ziv, Rabbi Yitzhak Sofer, and Eli Feinsilver from Bnei Netzarim started the Yeshuot Chalutza farms. For the first 6 years, they lived in temporary caravans. With their hard work, faith in G-d and commitment to His Torah, they built an even more successful (120 Acre) farm than what they originally had in Gush Katif. They also secured contracts with the Ministry of Education to supply vegetables to thousands of Israeli school kids.
On October 7, Israel was invaded but due to a series of incredible miracles, none of the residents of the Chalutza towns were killed. Additionally, their presence on the front line saved countless Israeli lives in the interior by slowing down the terrorists. However, 97% of the produce of the Yeshuot Chalutza farms were destroyed, as was almost all of their expensive farming equipment (for which they still owe the banks millions of shekels in loans). Now, unfortunately these heroic farmers are impoverished and just as in 2005, the Government is not giving them significant compensation to rebuild or buy new replacement equipment. If they are unable to rebuild, not only will the Jewish State lose their essential front-line residents, but the nourishment of thousands of Israeli school kids will be at risk.
Even with all of their tribulations, these farmers refuse to give up and will do whatever it takes to rebuild for a third time.
Anyone who wants to take part in this holy endeavor of helping them purchase the new farming equipment, tools and greenhouses needed to rebuilt their lives (and thus allow them to continue feeding Israeli children and protecting Israel’s borders) are invited to give a tax deductable donation here. To view a short video made by one of the farmer’s wives, click here.
Nosson Shulman is a licensed tour guide and trip organizer in Israel who specializes in History, Tanach (Bible) and Adventure Tours. For a sample tour itinerary which can include experiencing this Gaza Envelope farm,click here. For more itineraries click here. Check out his new virtual tours including free sneak preview videos.