The Land of Grrar : Prophecy Comes to Life
Biblical prophecy comes to life in The Land of Gerar, an agricultural area in Israel’s south, west of Beer Sheva, that was once the homeland of Abraham and Isaac in ancient Canaan and is now the tragic site of the October 7 Hamas attack.
A visit to this area will take you on a deeply moving journey of faith, back to the time of the Patriarchs and leading to today’s western Negev region.
The captivating adventure is both spiritual and physical. It begins in The Land of Gerar, where the prophecy that embodies the eternal legacy and resilience of the People and the Land of Israel is rooted. It was there that G-d entered His first Covenant with Abraham, declaring: “I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” (Genesis: 12). It was also in the Land of Gerar that G-d came to Isaac and commanded him to dwell, proclaiming: “Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and your offspring will I give all these lands and establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.” (Genesis: 26)
Visitors to the region will be deeply inspired by exploring the homeland of the Patriarchs Abraham and Isaac, and seeing where they dug their wells, raised crops and wheat, and found pasture for their flocks in years of drought. It is also the Land of Nahal Besor (the Biblical dry riverbed Besor) where King David, in his youth, in the army of the Philistine king Ahish, fought the Amalekites, nomadic tribes who routinely plundered local farmers, and defeated them on the banks of the Besor River, symbolic of the battle that takes place in that region today.
The Gerar River flows into the Besor River valley in the western Negev, and it runs through the geographic region of Reim, the infamous site of the catastrophic October 7 Hamas massacres at the Nova music festival and Kibbutz Reim. This horrific tragedy serves the people of Israel as a firm reminder of G-d’s eternal prophecy, His promise to Abraham: “For all the land that you see, to you I will give it, and to your descendants forever. Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth! For to you I will give it,” (Genesis: 13).
A journey to the Land of Gerar offers visitors a spiritually uplifting experience of bearing witness to Israel’s enduring faith in G-d’s promise to make Israel a great nation, and to the nation’s commitment to fulfilling this promise, despite the unending challenges and struggles it has faced throughout its history. You will witness the commitment revealed in fulfilling G-d’s plan for the Promised Land through Israel’s glorious Ingathering of the Exiles, its revival as a Nation through the realization of the Zionist Dream, the resettlement of the Negev region that now flourishes with world-leading agricultural innovations, a booming economy, and the relentless determination to lead and thrive—despite many attempts by its enemies to destroy it.
Worldwide solidarity tours to the region are now taking place bringing support and comfort to the tens of thousands of residents of the region who have been temporarily evacuated from their homes, that were tragically burned to rubble by Hamas.
Although the region is physically scarred at present in the aftermath of the Hamas pillage, visitors can see the fruits of G-d’s Covenant with the Patriarchs manifested through Israel’s success in ‘making the desert bloom’ by exploring some of the area’s flourishing, dynamic settlements alive with Zionism and a pioneering spirit, farming and agricultural ingenuity, and a variety of tourism options.
Visit the Barak Geranium Nursery in Ein Habesor, producers and worldwide suppliers of geraniums and other plants for 40 years, whose Visitors Center will greet you with a massive display of colorful geraniums available for picking, and offer tips on how to make your home garden blossom; see the amazing Olive Tree Nursery at Moshav Zameret, Israel’s largest and oldest olive tree (3,000 years) on whose bark visitors from across the world place notes and prayers; stop at the Talisman Workshop in Kibbutz Shoval for a rare opportunity to experience the weaving of traditional talitot (prayer shawls) by hand in the ancient Nool (loom) method; immerse yourself in the world of glass-blowing that combines with wood, stone and various metals, plus unique hand-made Chanukah candelabras and other Judaica items at the Ron Art-Glass Blowing Studio in the charming village of Ma’agalim. Workshops are offered to the public.
Don’t leave the area before stopping at the Sharsheret Park, situated in the area where the Gerar river is located and where the biblical story took place. Tragically, it is now the region in which the Nova music festival was held, from which hundreds of Israelis were kidnapped or murdered on October 7 by the Hamas terrorists. An installation has been erected on the site to commemorate the victims of the massacre.
Nearby this park are two tourist farms: The Dekelim Farm, with a wide variety of recreation options, cultural enrichment, culinary delights, guided tours of their animal corner, and options for camping, glamping, hostel stays, and more. There is also the Naama Farm near the Gerar Stream that breeds sheep, has a petting zoo, olive groves, and a tourist area for camping, caravan, and events. There are sleeping facilities, a dining room and kitchen, shower and toilet facilities, plus barbecue and bonfire areas.