Western Negev farmers who suffered significant losses during an attack by Hamas terrorists are receiving grants of up to $12.5 million from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) to help them rebuild their equipment and resume farming in time for the spring planting season. The special grant, awarded in partnership with ReGrow, a project of the Israeli Agricultural Research Institute Machon Volkani and the Mishkei HaNegev cooperative association, aims to help farmers and kibbutzim rebuild after suffering significant financial losses.
The farms in the western Negev have been a source of pride for Israelis and Diaspora Jews for decades, as they transformed the desert into a thriving garden that supplied a large portion of Israel’s vegetables, fruits, milk, and other products. Unfortunately, during an unprecedented attack by Hamas terrorists on October 7, farming infrastructure was targeted and destroyed. The militants looted and damaged everything from irrigation pipes and computers to tractors and specialized equipment, in an attempt to undermine the identity and economy of the western Negev and Israel’s food security.
Despite the destruction, farmers like Moran Freibach from Kibbutz Nahal Oz remain resilient and determined to rebuild. JFNA recognizes the importance of revitalizing agriculture in the Western Negev after these attacks and is proud to be able to support this effort. Rebecca Caspi, senior vice president of JFNA, emphasized the critical role of rebuilding agriculture in the region and ensuring that the fields will once again be green as a symbol of victory over those who seek to destroy.
