Hebrew Voices #12 – Nazarene Grape Pickers
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Nazarene Grape Pickers, Nehemia Gordon drives to the “west bank” to learn why people from all over the world are going there to assist the Jewish farmers of Judea and Samaria. Settle down in … Continue reading →
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Nazarene Grape Pickers, Nehemia Gordon drives to the “west bank” to learn why people from all over the world are going there to assist the Jewish farmers of Judea and Samaria. Settle down in the passenger seat and enjoy the ride, as Nehemia reflects on the significance of the roads into the area – out near Bethel, and alongside the olive groves of Shiloh where the Tabernacle once stood. You won’t get too comfy though because Nehemia also explains the close proximity of Jewish and Palestinian territories in the area and the risk of rocks and Molotov cocktails being thrown at cars passing through.
After taking a wrong turn into Palestinian territory (oops!), Nehemia turns around and finds his way to an olive grove on a Samarian hillside. There, he meets with Joshua Waller, director of operations for HaYovel—a Christian organization that over the last ten years has brought more than 2,000 volunteers from 25 countries to work in the vineyards and olive groves of the region.
Waller explains that no evangelizing is allowed; HaYovel’s only goal is to “bless the Jewish people and see the farms flourish.” Gordon also chats with other volunteers and discusses Jeremiah 31:5 with them. Do they see themselves as “notzrim” guarding the vines? Gordon explains ancient and modern usages of “notzrim” and the prophetic period in which the verse was written.
We also learn surprising things about the Judean farmers who are restoring the Land. These producers of award-winning wines and the finest products in the world typically don’t come from agricultural backgrounds or generations of farmers. They left their city jobs because of a burning desire to see prophecy fulfilled. And along with a few thousand “foreign” friends are doing just that.
I look forward to reading your comments!
Transcript
Hebrew Voices #12 – Nazarene Grape Pickers
You are listening to Hebrew Voices with Nehemia Gordon. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.
Nehemia: Shalom, this is Nehemia Gordon with Hebrew Voices. Today, I’m going to be meeting with the grape pickers. These are people who come from overseas, mostly, I believe, from the United States, and they’ve come to volunteer to help out Jews who are trying to grow crops on the land, and these Jews live in areas where it’s difficult to get any kind of assistance, any kind of labor, really. So, these people, they come from overseas, and the interesting thing about these people, they come as volunteers and they’re not Jews. And we’re going to find out today, why are these people coming from the US and other places to pick grapes and pick olives for these Jewish farmers? It’s just kind of strange.
I kind of first heard about these guys a number of years back, when I was watching this documentary. In the documentary, they called them Zionist Christians. These Zionist Christians come to help out Jews gather in their crops. Right now, as I’m speaking, I’m in a rental car. I’m driving, and I’m leaving Jerusalem. I’m actually leaving Jerusalem right now. And as I leave Jerusalem, I am entering into the West Bank. There’s this giant cement wall, I guess is the best way to describe it, with like pillboxes and guard towers. I’m a little nervous. It’s kind of funny, I’m going to meet these Americans who are out in this area where I’m nervous to go.
So, I’m following the road here. I’m on road 437. It’s going to Beit El, that’s Bethel where Jacob slept on the pillow, the stone, and he saw the angels going up to heaven and down from heaven. Then today, actually, where we’re going is to some olive groves outside of Shiloh. Shiloh is where the Tabernacle stood, and then it was destroyed by the Philistines, actually, in the time of the High Priest Eli, the time of also the Prophet Samuel, after the battle of Aphek. The Philistines defeated the Israelites, and then we find out in the Book of Jeremiah that after the battle of Aphek, they went and they destroyed the Tabernacle at Shiloh.
So, I’m driving on this road, and I’ll tell you why I’m nervous. There have been a lot of Molotov cocktails thrown here at Jewish cars, a lot of stones that are thrown at the cars, and that’s actually a pretty typical occurrence. In fact, my estimate is that there’s probably a 50 percent chance that I’m going to get some stones through the window of this rental car. Hopefully, the insurance will cover that. [laughing] I hope that it will. And, are there going to be Molotov cocktails? I’m really hoping and praying not.
But I’m not going to be afraid in my own country to travel around. Like I say, I am afraid, but I’m doing it anyway. And it’s kind of weird, because I say we’re in the West Bank, but this is Jewish territory where I am right now. And I can see up there on the hilltop – maybe a few hundred feet from the road – is Palestinian territory. And that’s where it gets a little hairy, that we’re in such close proximity. It’s really hard to comprehend unless you’ve been here, the closeness of the proximity in which the Jewish territory and the Palestinian territory are intertwined.
I grew up in Chicago, and it would be like saying Skokie was enemy territory. Or really, more like Evanston was enemy territory. If I’m driving on side of McCormick I’m in Israel, and if I’m on the other side of McCormick Avenue, or Boulevard, then I’m in Palestine. But they don’t throw stones from Skokie [laughing] or Evanston at Chicago.
Anyway, so here I am. Right now, I was just passed on the road by a guy with a Palestinian license plate. Look, most of these guys are fine. They’re not going to do anything. It doesn’t take too many, though, to actually cause trouble. I should be okay. I’m hoping I’m okay. I’m actually coming upon Kikar Adam, which is a traffic circle out here where there was a stabbing. They actually stabbed a female soldier, age of my niece, a little 19-year-old girl. She got stabbed last week – although there’s probably been more stabbings in Jerusalem than there have been here, [laughing] to be honest with you. So, I should feel safer here, but I guess I’m driving, and the Molotov cocktails…
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Comments
Oh Nehemia, you went down the wrong road but, I was glad to hear you quickly repented!
Isn’t area Aye the Canadian section of Palestine? That’d be my story if I got caught there!
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! How I hunger and thirst for righteousness! It is refreshing to hear about something like this.
No judgmentalism, just peace and love.
It’s sad to hear though, that they didn’t keep the last shemitah.
Those who wine about that have that right!
The land lies parched and dry.
Centuries of sexual sin and blood shed have defiled the land. ?
You know, the prophecy in Jeremiah 31 almost sounds like the exiles have been reincarnated. Nah!
?”I heard it through the grape. ? ?Yehovah says your gonna be mine! ?
?Yeah I heard it through the grape vine?
?I’ll be jealous for those who are mine.?
?Yeah I heard it through the grape vine?
If I can help Israel solve their water and energy problems I certainly will!
Hey, I got a what if?….
In the last days they will build springs of water in the Valley of Bacca.
Now where is that?
Shalom Kids!
And may The Kingdom Come!
But, First,….
Shalom Nehemia l enjoyed listening to your visit with Ha Yovel. It’s amazing how God has them fulfilling biblical prophecy, supporting Jewish people and building relationships of love and service. A question l would like to ask you is how do you see Jewish people who have come to believe in Yahshua and who come to serve in Israel? Do you view them different to Christians and would you see them favourably like the people at Ha Yovel? As you would know there is much contention around Jewish people having Yahshua as their Messiah. Very interested to know how you view them. Thanks. Debra
Very interesting. A week before this posted I was prompted to search the net for group tours in Israel that did something off the beaten path – and got multiple hits on HaYovel! So, I’ve been watching a lot of youtube videos, made a donation to HaYovel , and now I check my email and Nehemia is interviewing Josh Waller in Samaria! Must be a God-incident.
I’ve tried to send the question below to the ‘contact us’ page, 3 times, but it kept telling me to go to nehemia’s wall.com… anyway, finally decided to post the question here, as others may wonder the same thing…
I’m just curious as to where I go to find the original air date on any given topic. I receive the rebroadcasts each week, but I’m not seeing what the original air date is on them… such as #12 Nazarene Grape Pickers. I like to make notes in scripture as to when we first realize a prophesy has been fulfilled. i.c. Jeremiah 31-5-6, or the political forming of the nation, Israel in 1948, etc.
Thanks for this! Awesome!
Nehemia, thank you for rebroadcasting this article/interview. I really enjoyed it and would not go to bed until it finished. And I could not sleep all night and had to get up at 5am to read and learn more about Yahovel and to see if I could be a part of a future one. I am a Christian, or am I a notzrim? who is learning from you and so thankful for your ministry. Would love to know what is coming up in your ministry in 2020. Please keep updating us.
Sadly, no. They found someone to say it was OK for them to pick the grapes during what had been declared the shmita year and sell the wine “at cost” so they went. Sadder still, that action split our local group because of intentional disobedience.
Thank you SO much for your Hebrew Voices information. What a life changing experience for a farm worker in central New York.!!!!!
Most wonderful, Thanks as all ways for your dedication. It occurred to us in our Torah study and seems to make sense in listening to this piece that these people and all the others who feel the way they do, that we are Covenant people, if we would substitute that term for Messianic, Christian, or Jewish… it seems to me that we become one Stick instead of a bundle of twigs. We are the Covenant People of Yehovah!
Are they keeping the Sabbatical and Jubliee year?
A heartwarming story of fraternal cooperation. Proselitization as touched upon herein is redundant; as ultimately it is trivial whether we anticipate the King’s arrival or his return; the reality is we must be ready to live the life of justice, kindness, and humility as the Father wills.
The “Restoration” tune was nice too! (Zak Waller et al)
Wonderful piece, Nehemia. Thank you for pursuing this particular story, and for the transparent uncut way in which you present these shows.
I hope this goes at least a little way toward showing you that not all of the Notsrim, the followers of Y’shua, are Constantines or Luthers, and that you will see through the labels to the hearts.
Shabbat Shalom from Scandinavia, Finland! Prophecy in Psalm 147:1-4 came to my mind together with Jeremiah 31. Been following HaYovel for some years and that’s YAHsome! I am in tears here listening to this and as much excited as you Nehemia. Praise Yehovah for providing you boldness of a Lion in order to get to Samaria.
I wish I could have been there with you. Well, what I could say more? Prophecy is being fulfilled halleluYah and I want to get my hands on the Land’s dirt as well and produce the world’s finest agricultural products for the Brothers dwelling together. I know I will be there in the hills of Ephraim when Yah wills…
-Outcast Notzri Brother from the Northern Kingdom
I also have met the Waller family, and have friends who have gone with them many times and felt so at home in Israel. My friends talked of how amazing it was to just put their hands in the dirt of the land and begin to work the fields in the spring with pruning and preparing the ground, and then to help reap the harvest in the fall. It is wonderful to see prophesy fulfilled in this way!
I think you meant to post this comment here:
https://www.nehemiaswall.com/hebrew-voices-rooftop-revelations
beautiful music thanks for sharing!!
Those who came to believe in Jesus (Yeshua) as the Jewish Messian (Annointed One, Holy One of Israel) and observe and teach the Covenant as given through MOses; were 1st called Nozrim, not christians, that name is Greek and spoken outside the land of Judea by foreinors; we should return to out Ancient Hebrew Name – Notzrim; branches or offshoots.
I so enjoyed listening to this. My Christian daughter has spent a season there with HaYovel harvesting grapes and olives. At first I thought, why PAY for transportation, food, lodging, etc. to go WORK at harvesting somebody else’s crops. When she explained it was an opportunity to participate in and bless Israel and showed me the Scriptural support, I rejoiced. What a great ministry. And what fun to share Nehemia’s encounter with them.
But, it makes me excited all over again, to hear how excited you are as it’s revealed to you! HaShem bless you!
As exciting as it is, it’s been revealed for some time. HaYovel is, of course, a fulfillment of Scripture!! I have friends deeply involved with this beautiful ministry!
Wonderful!
Awesome Thankyou Toda Raba
Blessings from Alaska
Great memories from the land of Yudah
Shalom
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