5 4 1 2 3 100 101 Chapter Six | Agriculture Ancillary farming businesses The area's transforma�on into an agricultural hub with thousands of hectares of high-end agricultural produce also gave birth to small businesses connected to the industry, such as a fer�lizer factory, a greenhouse manufacturing factory, a nylon sheet factory (for the greenhouses), a sewing workshop, seed nurseries, a sand mining factory, a factory for extracts and medicinal plants and a pes�cide factory. These ancillary businesses supplemented farmers' income and increased the volume of employment in Gush Ka�f.52 The human capital The tremendous agricultural success of Gush Ka�f can have many explana�ons, but what they all have in common is the quality of the popula�on that was imbued with faith in man, the land and the Jewish-Zionist mission. Those who bravely persevered vis-a-vis the numerous a�acks knew how to cope courageously if or when their produce was rejected and their livelihood was harmed, all thanks to their great faith.53 There was the highest-quality popula�on in the country. It replaced the Kibbutzim Movement," said Prof. Ben Asher. "They le� their municipal jobs and academic degrees behind and came with great joy and faith to blossom a primordial wasteland, the most important to the State of Israel."54 The agriculture that was developed in Gush Ka�f was the fruit of the labor of working with courtesy, Torah with pioneering spirit, of Halacha that goes hand in hand with technology and advancement, but stops everything on Shabbat and holidays, observes all mitzvot, from the lightest to the strictest, and trusts the Lord in everything else. "We felt we were on a mission to build an economy and se�lements according to the Torah; it was the fulfillment of an ideal. The land was gracious to us. We have never displaced any Arab, so we could live in Gush Ka�f. There was a huge devo�on that led to tremendous achievements."55 Hanoch Almasi, who had headed the Se�lement Division since 1981 and accompanied the region for years said: "The people in Gush Ka�f were of the rare breed. They asked every day anew - 'What can I give to the state?' Gush Ka�f grew and developed because the people invested, believed in themselves and the region, studied it and knew how to get the best out of it. They became a model of reference for all agriculture in the country. Within one decade they turned into a leading region, making good use of their human capital. We tried to help them, par�cularly and generally, with advice rather than with money."56 The residents also felt that the land welcomed them with open arms and that everything they touched turned to gold for themselves and the Arab neighbors who worked for them. Avi Burstein, a farmer from Gadid, described Gush Ka�f as "heaven on earth." Avi started with 0.2 hectares and reached 4 hectares. He enjoys every moment there, every crop. He turned hardships into challenges, like the rest of his fellow farmers. "The secret of success - devo�on and perseverance. Agriculture is the greatest faith; farmers are righteous, because they do everything, and never know what the outcome will be. They trust in God. Everyone in Gush Ka�f observed the mitzvot, did not work on Shabbat and holidays, and were true professionals."57 Eli Ben David of Gadid emphasized the theme of grace: "The Order of the Seeds (Zeraim) is also called the Order of Faith (Mishna), because you are in God's grace, and also depend on the help of your fellow farmers." 58 Farming with grace Indeed, in addi�on to the thorough groundwork with a faithful eye looking upward to the sky, the farmers also glanced around at the neighbors and those in need. They would exchange their produce with the neighbors or simply give some of it even if the neighbors had nothing to offer in return. It was part of the solidarity within and between the se�lements. Help was omnipresent, for example, in passing on agricultural knowledge, helping with plan�ng or picking during stressful �mes and lending work tools. And although they were all compe�ng for the same market share, there wasn't a business compe��on among farmers. It always felt like a big, helping, suppor�ng family. Gush Ka�f farmers were not content with just helping each other and the families within the region. They also looked outside. Agricultural produce chari�es (GMACH) were established, and the farmers contributed their produce to these ins�tu�ons. At first, we put cartons, then pallets, and whatever we put there was not enough. And the more we gave, the more the land provided," said Anita Tucker of Netzer Hazani.59 One of the central charity centers in Gush Ka�f was that of Shlomo Yarimi. Every day, he collected from the farmer's agricultural produce in his car. He distributed it to those in need in Gush Ka�f and outside. It was all done voluntarily, between one shi� and another in his job as an 'Egged' driver. The farmers gave wilingly and happily, and when he arrived at the greenhouses, the crates were already ready. Yarimi recruited teenagers and other volunteers to pack and conduct the en�re opera�on, turning his charity into a project shared by many Gush Ka�f residents and uni�ng them for the cause. When the regional council no�ced the posi�ve ac�vity, which connected youth and adults, it assigned them a large warehouse in the industrial area of Neve Dekalim, further increasing this charitable enterprise and turning it into a hub of ac�vity and giving back.60 Women in agriculture It is important to note that some of the farms were managed by women, mainly because they needed an addi�onal salary to provide for their families, stemming from the difficul�es created by the security situa�on. An example of this is Anita Tucker, who replaced her husband in the posi�on: I knew every seedling. In many cases I have seen that a woman is be�er at management. It was fun managing the treasures of the place, but one also needs to pray... Because it is always about doing your best and knowing that not everything depends on you. 1 Atzmona nursery for house plants 2 Peppers in various colors "Made by Gush Ka�f" 3 Cherry tomatoes in a greenhouse - the symbol of Gush Ka�f 4 The geranium greenhouse of the Adler family, Ganei Tal 5 A sea of greenhouses in Tel Ka�fa
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