So many of you have asked how you can support us out here in the Golan; this one’s for you.
We moved to the Golan Heights in 2011 after 11 years in the Beit Shemesh area.
It was always the dream.
It still is.
Moshav Yonatan is our home.
I walk our backroads daily with our dog under the biggest sky I’ve ever know.
Our community grows the apples, pears, cherries, nectarines, peaches, and lettuce we eat seasonally.
We raise the cows that produce the milk we drink.
We grow the grapes for the wine we favor.
Yonatan is an agricultural community in the southern Golan Heights, 7 km/4.3 miles from the Syrian border (as the missile flies). Approximately 65 km/40 miles from the border of Lebanon. We run the second largest dairy farm in the country and are home to 150 + families; approximately 800 residents.
Our neighbors are the best people I’ve ever known.
They are farmers. Work in finance. Educators. Engineers. Business owners. Builders.
Moms. Dads. Grandparents. Children.
And soldiers.
Over 80 families in our community have at least one member of their household currently in active duty.
We have been blessed with relative quiet since Oct 7th (i.e. we have not been evacuated from our homes like our neighbors further north).
However, the reality of our location, coupled with the knowledge that at any time Iran could give the green light (Gd forbid) to unleash the hell of Hezbollah and their jihadi proxies in Syria (and beyond)….
Well, that reality leaves us, vulnerable.
We have learned – and are still learning – to live with this vulnerability.
Most folks who choose to live here do so knowing how vital this part of the land of Israel is to the security of the whole country.
For me the sense of vulnerability is less about fear of what could be and more about continually asking the question:
Are we as ready as we can if things get real?
That’s a question I’ve directed a fair amount of energy towards since this war began.
To date, we have received donations and raised a blessed amount of money that we have used to purchase:
**Advanced Life Support (ALS) bags for our doctors and first responders.
**Two generators.
**Portable emergency lighting and other electrical infrastructure.
** Stocked up our communal bomb shelters with equipment.
What we still need:
** Tactical gear for our local security team (helmets, bulletproof vests).
** More stretchers.
** Funds to cover the shelter we built at our front gate for our local security team (they are all community members and all fathers, some grandfathers) whose reserve duty is providing 24/7 security presence for all of us.
** A drone (for live video).
** More emergency medical supplies for our first responders.
Click the button below to contribute to our Emergency Supplies to Moshav Yonatan Campaign.
This campaign was set up by the cousin of one of our first responders who lives in Canada.
Dr. Darryl, you’re a mensch!
Shout out to Simeon Ratner (and team at CareOne), thank you,
If you prefer to help by securing and importing specific supplies, contact me via email sarahzadok@gmail.com
If have “skin in the game,” please consider contributing and/or share this post with others.
With gratitude beyond measure.
Thank you.