KIBBUTZ RAMAT RACHEL

Kibbutz Ramat Rachel is a wonderful environment for the Institute of Israel Studies sessions. It is a paradise today, welcoming guests from around the world. We have been taught by a wide range of experts in Hebrew language, culture and religion, Israeli politics, journalism and demographics.

I will return to the content of the conference in a future blog; today, as a resident for the last two weeks, I wish honor the kibbutz itself and its hospitality. As implied in the photograph below, it has provided a kind of paradise.

But the Kibbutz has not always been this oasis. It was destroyed in 1929, rebuilt and flourished, only to be destroyed again in 1948, and, of course, rebuilt. 

A couple of days ago, we visited Gush Etzion, another example of the unbelievable resilience of the people. There, as well, destruction after destruction was not enough to deter the residents from returning to rebuild. Gush Etzion today is a thriving community of villages that are making the wasteland bloom. 

And here we are today, in Ramat Rachel, enjoying an atmosphere of peace; but only because many died defending this hill and because survivors bravely rebuilt.

The Sovereign LORD did not bring his people back to the land to be destroyed; He brought them to rebuild the ruined cities and towns. So, after the devastation of 1948, the survivors again rebuilt, and in 1967 took another miraculous step forward; another fulfilment of Prophecy.

This morning the coffee shop/bar is buzzing with the lives of grade 9 students from the King David school in Manchester; energy and potential! Most of them were in Israel for the first time. A lovely young lady, Caroline, one of the students, loves English literature and intends to become a teacher; may you be a blessing as you take on your role in repairing the world. They tell me there is quite a large Jewish community in Manchester, and this school trip has whet their appetite for the land.

Back to the kibbutz, as you saw in the March 13th blog, archaeology reveals an ancient history here; the excavation site in a photograph in that blog exposes a royal structure dating back to 6oo - 700 BCE.

More recently the hill was defended from this bunker situated on the southern side of the hill. In the foreground you see the bunker openings with a bit of Bethlehem in the valley and the Herodian on the horizon.  

To the right, from the top of the bunker we see the new community of Har Homa in the photograph below. In the background, to the right is the edge of Bethlehem. The early morning light gives Har Homa a warm glow, radiating peace and prosperity; we continue to pray for the "Peace of Jerusalem".

All of this comes at a price. The following photographs speak for themselves.

Let me conclude with a few images that reflect the resilience of this land; Ramat Rachel prospers! The heart of this place, of course, is the wonderful people who provide hospitality here; the images are symbols of the people's heart, vision, creativity and love for the land.

The olive tree, often used in the Prophets as a symbol of Israel, is the featured focus of this park. The oil of the olive provides the fuel for the lamp; the Hanukkah Menorah miraculously burned brightly to declare a cleansed temple. In Zechariah 8, the LORD declares: " I am returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of  Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth: and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain."

We are participating in Prophecy being fulfilled!