Moshav Agur

Nestled in the Judean Hills near the Elah Valley, Moshav Agur was founded in 1950. Originally founded by Yemenite immigrants, it later attracted Jews of Kurdish and Turkish origin. Today, Agur is known for its flourishing boutique winery. Belev Echad has been helping Agur residents grow closer to their heritage for 18 years.

An Officer in G-d’s Brigade

“Mm, look at all that cold cola!”

It was a hot summer afternoon at the soccer pitch. Moshav families were everywhere, watching their boys play soccer while their little ones tumbled around in the grass.

I’d set myself up near the pitch with a massive bag of snacks and a cooler of icy drinks. Soon, my first customer appeared – a flushed, sweaty boy of about 11 standing somewhere between his family’s picnic blanket and me. He was eyeing my cooler with longing.

“You played a good game, eh?” I smiled. Pulling out a can of soda, I tossed it to him. “Enjoy, it’s yours.”

“Todah,” the boy’s father called across the grass. “Ben, tell him thank you.”

“My pleasure.” I grabbed a few more drinks and snacks and strolled over.

We chatted as Ben and his little brothers enjoyed their treats. Though his parents introduced themselves as fully secular, Ben seemed curious about this rabbi and his very different lifestyle. I told him a bit about the Torah classes for youngsters we were running on the moshav, and invited him to try one out.

A few weeks later, he took me up on the offer. Soon, he became a regular. Eventually, I set him up with a madrich (“big brother” or mentor) named Yoni, who would come to his house and learn with him. Together, they explored emunah, studied Chumash, and helped Ben understand more about his Jewish roots.

Two years later, Yoni watched proudly as Ben, now a bar-mitzvah boy, read his entire parsha perfectly from the bimah. 

Ben was proud too. He’d enjoyed that experience so much that he got Yoni to help him prepare the parsha every week. The moshav shul gained an enthusiastic new baal korei.

As Ben’s Jewish journey proceeded, bumps in the road cropped up often. Ben’s parents weren’t thrilled about the mitzvot he was keeping. When he wanted to start keeping kosher, it took lots of careful guidance from Yoni to help Ben refrain from his mother’s food without triggering painful fights.