Reservist wounded in mob attack builds a farm in the desert

My heart goes out to Elisha and his wife, in their holy endeavor. If only the knesset would ratify the votes and overrule the military brass and annex Yehuda and Samaria IY"H!

 After surviving a terror attack near Tekoa, Elisha Turner founded Zohar Yehuda Farm - and continues fighting to save the Judean Desert

About two years ago, while establishing Zohar Yehuda Farm near the community of Tekoa, reserve soldier Elisha Turner found himself ambushed by terrorists.

"I was driving near Tekoa, just another regular workday," Turner recalls. "Suddenly I was caught in a lynch attempt. They tried to take my weapon, threw rocks at my head, and tried to kill me. I fought back with all my strength - thank God, I survived."

For Turner, an active reservist, that terrifying day did not deter him - it became the driving force behind his mission.

"I realized that we cannot afford to be afraid," he explains. "If we abandon the land, we lose it. The Judean Desert is in a daily struggle for its identity, and we're here to fight for it - through work, through faith, and through presence."

This is the battle for our land-and it needs your support. Every donation strengthens Jewish presence where it matters most. Donate now to Zohar Yehuda Farm

Zohar Yehuda Farm, founded by Elisha and his wife Shachar together with a group of young pioneers, is located at the gateway to the Judean Desert, between Gush Etzion and Jerusalem. Over the past two years, the farm has become a symbol of renewed settlement activity - combining agriculture, grazing, and the establishment of new outposts to halt the growing Arab encroachment on the area.

"For years, people were afraid to come here. The Arabs had taken over every empty hilltop," says Elisha. "Since we arrived, everything has changed. We've established three new farms, a new caravan neighborhood, and built a living, breathing community together with more families and youth. Today there's a real Jewish presence here - of life, community, and security.”

Alongside the agricultural and pioneering work, a new synagogue is currently being built at the heart of the farm - designed to serve as the spiritual and communal center for the entire area.

Help us build more than farms-help us build a future. Your contribution plants trees, supports families, and secures our eastern frontier. Stand with us today

"For many years people spoke about the need to return the Judean Desert to Jewish hands," says Shachar Turner. "We're doing it in practice, every single day - with persistence, faith, and deep love for this land."

Now, Zohar Yehuda Farm is launching a major crowdfunding campaign to strengthen its activity on the ground: expanding agricultural work, reinforcing the new farms, and deepening Jewish roots across the Judean Desert.

"We're not asking for sympathy - we're asking for partnership," emphasizes Elisha. "Every donation means another tree planted, another farm built, another foothold secured. This isn't only a soldiers' battle - it's a people's battle for their land."

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He concludes with a clear call to action:

"This is the time to strengthen the eastern frontier of Jerusalem and ensure that the Judean Desert remains Jewish."

The Judean Desert is waiting. Zohar Yehuda Farm is building. Will you join us? Donate now and deepen Jewish roots in the land