OASIS OF LIFE Our destination today was the Rimon Farms in the south of Israel, far away from the densely populated urban areas in the center and east of the country. For driving through a desert, it is incredibly green. Israel has successfully realized the dream of state founder David Ben Gurion to make the Negev blossom with drip irrigation. To the left of the road, the vineyards flourish, to the right the wheat is waving. We get out of the car and are in another world. A wide sky arches over the countryside and the noise, stress and hectic pace of the cities are far away. You can breathe differently here and the peace and quiet is soothing. And this is also where the Rimon farms and therapy centers were created. Nir, the founder and managing director of the organization, welcomes us warmly and then we sit together with him, Tal, the Resource Development Coordinator, and Hemiya, a psychiatrist in the “open-air kitchen” of the farm. All around us are tents, flower beds, vineyards and vast green hills, the wind is blowing. And Nir shares about how first the Rimon farm for young people at risk came into being in 2021, what has happened since then and their plans for the future. The project began with a tragedy. On June 8, 2016, two Palestinians carried out a terrorist attack in the Max Brenner café in the Saronas area of Tel Aviv, killing four Israelis and wounding 19 others. Nir was also in the café, he remained outwardly unharmed. But one of the victims died in his arms on that terrible day; an experience that marked a turning point. He took the decision to dedicate his life to social work in the Negev, in order to align his life path with his heart. In 2023, the second therapy center, the Lahav Farm, was founded for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - originally planned for around 80 people. But actually, more than 4,000 people have been treated here since October 7! And the need is still enormous. Therefore, in 2024, the second farm for post-traumatic therapies was built: the Shekef Farm. They received the land for the farms from Kibbutz Lahav. And two more centers are currently being established: in the western Negev, next to the sites of the devastation of the October 7 massacre - to strengthen the inhabitants of this region. You can find more detailed information about the various therapy programs and the target groups in the accompanying PDF under the “Insights & Facts” button. The organization pursues three main goals: healing and empowering people, developing and cultivating the land, and strengthening the Negev desert region. Nir's great role model is none other than David Ben Gurion, who already had promising plans for this region 70 years ago, to which he attributed a great deal of potential. And you can really feel the pioneering spirit of the early days on the farms: the will to create something significant here, the cohesion, the vision. As in those days, everyday life here is simple, people live in tents. The agricultural work demands hard work, but as a reward, new life is emerging and this has a healing effect on those affected. Seeing how the little plants sprout, how lambs and calves are born and grow up, all this is a testimony to the power of renewal and conveys the hope that new beginnings can also arise in wounded souls. Nir says: “We cannot allow ourselves to stop dreaming”, because living out this dream is the basis of the restoration of so many. They accept anyone who asks into the programmes - which is a major material challenge, as the care provided by experienced specialists, psychiatrists, high-quality medical staff and social workers, as well as accommodation and meals, costs large sums of money. They are therefore dependent on financial support and appreciate every donation that contributes to their work. The task they have set themselves is huge - but the potential outcome is inspiring to all who get involved! Because the aim of these farms is to recreate the ancient, repetitive history of Israel: to rise anew from the ashes and ruins and, in the end, to have even more inner strength and courage to face life. OUTLOOK: The shaking story and moving testimony of S. (name remains confidential), who tells us about his own experiences on October 7 and his healing process at Lahav Farm, will follow in a later article.