Shalom All,

Prof. Troen from the Ben Gurion University in Beer-Sheba said this week that being a pioneer means, among other things, dealing with discovery. Discovering the riches of the new, discovering the sense of change and achievment, discovering the ways to make dreams come true. A short, few hours later, I discovered that we are still very much - pioneers.

Driving from the Dead Sea through the Negev on a clear day, I couldn't help but notice the tremendous amount of tents and temporary houses that were scattered around the hills. Goats, camels and dogs were bouncing amoung people and yarns. What in any other context might look like a romantic, pastoral, almost biblical scene became a scarry reality: the land of the Negev is filled with Bedouins, most of them catching lands that aren't theirs and living in illigal settlements. without any decision or even discussion, the Negev is quietly and rapidly being taken out of our hands. And I haven't even mentioned the Galillee yet.

Then we arrived at Givot Bar, a new village in the Negev built by the Jewish Agency. 15 young families that are hoping to become 600 started this new village in the middle of the desert fields only a few weeks ago. Their eyes sparkle as they talk about giving a quality of life to their kids, creating a new place and hoping it will grow rapidly. Watching them, I was reminded of the beginning of Macabim. We established it 17 years ago, a group of 120 families on a few empty hills. It took a week before we had propere electricity, another month before we had a small grocery store, and the schools started with a handful of kids in kindergarten and first grade. The others had to go to a distant school. Today, Macabim itself is made of 860 families, and the hills around us are filled with more than 15,000 others. It has become part of a large city that wasn't there less than 2 decades ago.
It was a lot of hard work. Frustration, motivation, hardships and accomplishment walked hand in hand as the town grew. The dreams and sweat we invested in creating a narrative in this place has created a home, and my kids won't even consider moving anywhere else. I know that the kids of Givot Bar will feel the same.

On the way back to the Dead Sea, once again watching all the scattered tents, I couldn't help but think that our job of building the Jewish State is far from being done. We must still be pioneers. After all - nothing can compare to the strong feeling of belonging and accomplishment when you build your own home as part of the realization of a larger dream. Believe me, I know. I have discovered it through pioneering experience.

Shabbat Shalom,
Liat