News from Kaima Hukuk farm during Covid 19 crisis

Hello dear Joel, Gad, Ami and Johanna,
I hope this email find you healthy and well.

These are difficult, strange times. Here in Kaima Hukuk, we are grateful for the opportunity to be able to secure a steady, healthy, nutritious diet for the local communities. In times like these, the importance of local, community-based agriculture is more evident than ever. We are proud to be agriculturists and to cultivate a new generation of professional vegetable-growers.

Fortunately, our young farmers are still able to come to work, being ‘essential workers’ (under strict restrictions of course). In a time when many other social and educational frameworks for youth are closed, being able to work is a real blessing. As you know, our youth often come from difficult backgrounds, and in a time of curfew and quarantine the risk of violence, depression, neglect and drug abuse rises. Thanks to our focus on agriculture, we are able to provide them with a healthy social and educational environment, and continue their occupational training.

As Ami may recall, we were in the midst of writing a new application, in order to support the development of new educational and occupational training for Eastern Galilee drop-out youth. Our main initiative was to train youth in tourism, and employ them as tour guides. Obviously, this will have to wait until tourism will recover from the current crisis.

I was looking forward to this year’s Matanel retreat and I am very sorry we will not have a chance to meet. I pray that all of you are safe and that things will get back on track as soon as possible.

All the best,
Efrat