In Kerem Eschalot, Roni and Simcha decided to plant the seven species..... amongst several other miracles that have occurred there, quite a few of the olive trees are [naturally] growing in the shape of a Menorah. Olive oil pressed from olives growing from a tree shaped like a menorah..... only in Israel.......Take a look and be amazed .....
[HT: Joe]
Shalom Devorah,
ReplyDeletetodah rabbah for posting these incredible and miraculous photographs of Kerem Escholot.
If I may take the liberty, I would like to narrate some background information on this most incredible tale of Hasgacha Pratit.
The whole story started during Chanukah 2008 when Roni, a retired colonel from the IDF and his family decided to visit Australia for a holiday. Roni at the peak of his military career decided to resign his commission to pursue his vision of turning 80 dunam of the Midbar of Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev into Gan Eden.
The Australian sojourn was to be his transitional leap of faith into the unknown.
Israeli friends of mine who were in Australia following the Gerush from Gush Katif, further to their battle with the Israeli government for resettlement, were living on Queensland's Gold Coast. They were in my employment and during their end of year summer vacation decided to visit Sydney to view the famous Sydney harbour bridge fireworks on New Year's Eve.
This is where the plot thickens. As my friends drove through the Aussie wilderness of central New South Wales, they decided to set up tent in a deserted camping ground near Inverall. Roni and family arrived some hours later. It wasn't until they all went for a swim at the watering hole that they discovered that they were all from Israel. That night they made a bush Chanukiah and celebrated the 7th night of Chanukah under the starry Aussie night sky. Beyond chance ??
My friends invited them back to the Gold Coast after New Year's day where I had the honour and privilege of meeting the extraordinary family. They shared their vision with me and we connected instantaneously.
Roni and Simcha returned back to Eretz Yisrael on Tu b'Shvat 2009 to embark on this Divine mission and in the process combat Israeli bureaucracy, the Greenies and the Bedouins.....and Roni prevailed.
The land that they earmarked was the equivalent of a "moonscape,"..nothing but rocks and dust for as far as one could see. Roni persisted and we set up a world network of support of Yehudim and Chassidei u'mot l'Olam.
Under HaShem's hasgacha pratit, the project kicked off and last Erev Pesach,Roni and Simcha planted 2,100 olive trees. Since then other settlers have joined in on adjoining land planting grapes and other fruit species. The land is quickly turning verdant.
As testimony to this nes, the olive trees have started to grow in the shape of menorahim, reflecting our original rendezvous during Chanukah 2008. As the land was tilled, Roni unearthed stone terraces that date back 2000 years to the last Jewish activity in the area. Roni and Simcha are well on their way as they are adding more of the 7 species of the Torah.
This has been an inspirational labour of love and dedication of a G-d fearing man with support from all over the world. Kerem Escholot defies all logic as the Midbar Negev is shooting forth resurrected life from the barren death of wilderness.
Roni with our support has plans to further expand this enterprise not only in volumetric land area but as an educational and religious centre for the children of Tel Aviv's Chiloni. Here they will experience first hand the genuine promises of HaShem and His goodness towards Am Yisrael and Eretz ha Chodesh.
The world is trying to minimize Israel at the very best and erase it from the map at the very worst.
What we are experiencing here is the aggrandizement of Eretz Yisrael defying all human logic....but then again, when was serving HaShem within human comprehension???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kytoFZ3Wa0U
Anyone who may be interested in this venture may write to Devorah who in turn will pass on your information to me. I will then write to you personally.
Shalom Joe.