The Miracle of Halutzit

In 2006, a community left their homes in Gaza for a peace that never came. This community became Halutzit – life created from the nothingness of the desert

JNF UK presented an etrog grown from the sands of the Western Negev community of Halutzit to Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on the eve of the festival of Succot.

Halutzit is a new community of more than 85 families located in the Halutzah Sands on the Egyptian Border.  Most of the families were originally from Atzmona in the Gaza Strip, and were forced to leave their homes in 2005. 40% of Halutzit’s citizens work in agriculture, 40% in education and 20% in other businesses.

The farmers of Halutzit discovered the sandy soil was so poor, it could not support diseases or insects.  They have turned what could have been an obstacle into an advantage by growing herbs and vegetables organically.  These are exported and sold in top-quality supermarkets in the UK and elsewhere.

David Goodman, chief executive of JNF UK, said, “JNF has proudly supported the people of Haluzit, one of a number of communities which are quite literally making the desert bloom. We are determined to continue to support these pioneers who are making the hostile desert habitable, and we are delighted to present the Chief Rabbi with the very real fruit of their labours”.

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks responded, “When I visited Halutzit last year, I was impressed with the efforts being made by the pioneers to grow produce in the sands of the Negev. It therefore meant a great deal to be presented with an etrog from Halutzit by David Goodman of the JNF.”

In the past years, JNF has helped develop the infrastructure of the town, building security fences and roads, and preparing the ground so greenhouses could be erected, providing a much-needed source of income for the farmers and their families.