Next week we celebrate Shavuot, also known as Chag HaKatzir, the Harvest Festival, because it coincides with the grain harvest in Israel. Contrary to other Jewish holidays whose date is noted in the Torah, Shavuot is not determined by a day on the calendar, but rather in relation to the agricultural season. As Israel’s main agricultural producers, kibbutzim have always revered Shavuot, beginning with the days of the early pioneers, who came to revive the land and build communities, embracing this theme by working the soil and celebrating their deep connection to the land and the country.

The kibbutzim, moshavim, and independent farms of the western Negev made the dessert bloom and have been a source of national and Zionist pride for decades. These farms are the breadbasket of Israel, supplying 75% of Israel’s vegetables, 20% of fruit, and 6.5% of milk, as well as other products.

This year's holiday celebrations are tempered by the unprecedented challenges faced by so many kibbutzim, particularly those on or near Israel's borders both in the north and south. Not only were dozens of southern kibbutzim and moshavim overrun on October 7th – many suffering horrific loss of life, damages and members taken hostage - but Hamas terrorists targeted farm equipment, infrastructure, and farmworkers.

The struggle to overcome this hardship is illustrated through the work of Moran Friedbach, who was born and raised on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, near the Gaza border, where he and his wife have lived with their five children. To Moran and his fellow kibbutz members, farming is central to their heritage, tradition, and sense of belonging deeply rooted in the soil. Moran experienced the terrorist attacks on October 7 when Hamas raided the kibbutz. Among those murdered were Moran’s friends and members of his family.

Courageously, Moran returned shortly after the attack to fulfill his duties as the kibbutz’s Head of Agriculture and take on the additional role of Head of Security. Upon his return, Moran saw the systematic nature of Hamas’ destruction of agriculture – including livestock, equipment, and every one of the kibbutz’s computer-controlled irrigation boxes. In an act of defiance and resilience, Moran replanted every furrow of wheat to the edge of the kibbutz near the Gaza border, even while under fire and with the protection of a tank. Despite enduring unfathomable suffering and the destruction at Kibbutz Nahal Oz, Moran remains resolute in his determination to rebuild and restore the land.

Through the UJCVP's Israel Crisis Fund, your generosity is actively supporting Moran and other Israel farmers who have dedicated their lives to working the land and providing the country with fresh produce. This assistance is bringing strength to thousands of Israelis, helping ensure Israel’s food security, and allowing famers to mark this year’s harvest festival with a feeling of optimism and hope for the future of the country’s agriculture.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Shavuot Sameach,

Eric Maurer
Executive Director
emaurer@ujcvp.org