Israel Speaks
The Judean Desert is located between the mountains of Jerusalem
and the Dead Sea.
Throughout the ages this area has attracted people who have wanted
to live a simple life far away from large population centers.
Many events of the Bible took place in this area.
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah:
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land
where there is no water. Psalm 63:1
A voice of one calling: "In the wil- derness prepare the way for the LORD
make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Isaiah 40:3
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: I am the voice of one
calling in the wilderness, "Make stra- ight the way for the Lord." John 1:23
In the Eastern side of the desert on the shores of the Jordan River
John the Baptist is believed to have baptized people who came
from Judea and Jerusalem.
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside
and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins,
they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Mark 1:4-5
John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one who is
more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not
worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
Luke 3:16
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: -
"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.
At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said:
"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Matt. 3:16-17
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
by the devil. Matthew 4:1
In the Bysantine period 1500 years ago dozens of desert monasteries
were built in the Judean Desert.
Most of the them have been deserted and ruined, but some are active
even today.
The Greek-Orthodox monastery of Saint Gerasimos was built
in the 15th century.
In addition to prayer life, the monks also do mosaic arts.
Besides the monks, the desert also attracts other people who want to
live far away from population centers.
Mordechai Lieberman was a secular Jew and, after becoming religious, -
he decided to leave the city and lives now in a tent.
I worked with computers for almost 10 years, including studies.
Then I found out that I had astigmatism meaning that I cannot
focus my eyes for a long time in reading or working in front
of the computer.
Then I got divorced, sold my apartment and travelled to India.
In india my eyes opened. Something very interesting happened there.
It happened in Northern India in a place called Le where you have
to walk a very dangerous route.
It is at the height of 5000 m.
It's hard to breath there and the road is also very difficult.
When we reached Le there was a ceremony which is held once
in every 12 years to reveal a picture of Buddha.
The road there was the best road I had seen in India.
The road was straight and it had two lanes and it ran next to a river.
It was quiet. A bus that drove before us on that road fell into the river.
All the passengers, except three Israeli girls, died.
Afterwards they said that something pulled them out of the water.
At that point my eyes opened.
Until then I had been an atheist and I couldn't believe in God.
At that point I saw that things are connected with each other.
After returning from India Mordechai decided to change his way of life
and looked for a place where he could live a simple life by cultivating.
It was the New Moon and Friday. I woke up very early and dipped myself
in the mikve-bath in ice-cold water.
I went to the Western Wall to pray.
Then I went to the spring of Ein Foar which I think is one of the most
beautiful water springs.
Then I climbed the mountain opposite us and started reading the Psalms.
I prayed that I could find my place.
During 1 year I had driven that road back and forth and been looking for
my place.
As I was reading the Psalms, I prayed I could find my place.
I came back here after a few months, because my dog had fought
with the neighbour's dog.
I came back here in the morning and remembered that I had asked
that I could find my place.
If you stand there and look towards the Western Wall, this place is
in a straight line from there. So, my place was before my eyes
when I was praying. This influenced me strongly.
In a cave hewn to a rock Mordechai built a tent out of fabric and nets.
It took me 6 months to build it from Tu Bishvat to the Tu Beav feast.
On Tu Bishvat I planted some plants here and worked with a tractor.
On Tu Beav I had a house warming party.
I don't know how it can take 6 months to build a tent, -
but that's what happened.
It's a perfect place protected from the winds.
There is a beautiful view up there to the Dead Sea.
You can also see Jerusalem from here. I try to go up there when I pray.
Here there is less view but more land.
Plowing this land is a very strong experience.
It's much nicer than working with computers, even though the salary
is much higher there.
For me working with computers is like being in golden handcuffs.
You are a prisoner, but you get a lot of money.
Although you can travel occasio- nally, you are still in prison.
Here, in fact, I can fulfill my calling.
I'm not alone, because my friends come to visit and they enjoy.
I get to be in my own place.
My father was a great idealist and a settler.
He came to visit me and said: "So, what's after Ein Karem?"
I had a beautiful house in Ein Karem.
They like it that I'm here. My father was only joking.
They haven't seen all the plowing yet, but when they will come and see
the wheat growing, I believe they will be very pleased.
In addition to the outward change, the conversion caused also
inner changes in Mordechai.
Until the army I lived in a religious family.
I didn't believe in it.
My father was one of the founders of Mitzpe Yericho.
From there you can see the same view as here.
When I converted I believe I came back to the truth that I had
when I was a young religious boy.
I also came physically back to the same place.
I have been divorced twice.
Had I been religious, I believe I would not have divorced even once.
My understanding of family is different today.
I would not have divorced, because I would have understood that
life is not only enjoyment. We didn't come here to have fun, -
but to work. Marriage is part of that work and it's not easy.
The divorce statistics in the world get worse and worse all the time.
When we understand our place, the situation will change.
I have had long hair ever since I got out of the army.
If I cut it, I would need psychiatric treatment.
This is the way I know myself and I cannot change it.
The beard symbolizes my conversion. I don't know why, but it just grew.
Mordechai's place of residence in Samaria is part of the Westbank.
In the Old Testament times it was the center of the Israeli settlement
and today it is in the heart of the Middle East conflict.
The Palestinians demand these areas from Israel as a condition for
a peace agreement.
When God gave us this place, we conquered 7 nations: -
the Jebusites, the Amorites and others.
God wanted to give us this place. It was His will.
Everything came through wars. King David was fighting wars all the time.
The same story has continued for 3000 years.
We seem to forget it and say: "The occupation has lasted for 60 years."
What occupation? The situation has been the same for 3000 years.
Although the names of the peoples have changed, the same continues.
When we pray we say: "God gives his people strength and blesses it
with peace."
When we are strong, not evil, and stay in our place
taking what God has given us, then peace will come.
When there is peace here, there is peace in the whole world.
It's best for everyone that we simply hold on to our place
without fear.
We cannot say that we do not have any other place.
That is not the reason.
God gave this place to us. It's ours. Period.
You cannot argue about it.
When they understand where we stand, and that this simply belongs to us, -
there will be peace here.
They will respect and help us, because we are in our own place.
Translation: Sonja Mattayev