True Pioneer Spirit: Gal Hill

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Gal Hill is situated within the municipal boundaries of Kiryat Arba, and was originated by the Hacohen family about 5-6 years ago. And as with all who have a pioneering spirit, the family camped out in an old abandoned bus until they were able to eventually expand their living facilities little by little. Home not only expanded on the ground, but the family grew to incorporate 11 children of their own, but also another four families joined the community. My favorite was the adobe Hacienda which reminded me of stucco houses in New Mexico, but looking at the bus which was the original home on the hill, I had a great admiration for the pioneer spirit of the people who live there.
The thing so many of us forget, is those who have this kind of pioneer spirit demand very little for themselves. They are totally dedicated to the land and they live with the dream of something far more for their family, friends and nation. Without these dedicated people, whole societies would have waned along the wayside of humanity. While these loyal pioneers have sacrificed to build and progress, their enemies lurk in the shadows to covet, steal and destroy these sacrificial endeavors.
These few families which make up Gal Hill had a vision to start a goat farm. So, they built a few pens to house the goats. Suddenly, the civil administration shows up with orders to destroy the facilities. BUT, the routine of these actions is usually to destroy the pens while tearing down the houses on the premises in a process of elimination.
In response to the intimidating actions of the government, the residents reacted with a statement of their own: NOT to take down the goat pens, and to lay the cornerstone for a synagogue.
That’s where friends and I came in. We drove the dusty trail to the dedication of the synagogue and enjoyed the faithful land-lovers in their Simcha. I made the statement it would have been easier to travel across the rugged terrain on horseback or a mule train.
The civil administration has given orders that the goat pens are to be dismantled, whereas the residents decided to build a house of prayer instead.
No matter how much you want to encourage these people who live such a simplistic life, free of crime and with few demands on the rest of society, you always leave having been encouraged by their faith, hope and happiness. For them, each day has its own reward or testing, but all in all, no matter what I thrown at them, Hashem is in control of their destiny. They will face whatever, good or bad, in the hour it comes their way and be grateful for the opportunity to bless the name of the Etermal One!

On the way back down a treacherous and dangerous highway of lawless Arab drivers on the loose, I told my friends to buckle up and just slide down in the seats until we got out of the immediate fray of traffic. “These guys make a four-lane out of this narrow dark road!” All the while in the pitch-black of night you’re heading into oncoming traffic of impatient drivers going around a steady stream of vehicles with blinding lights in your face on the other side. My friend alarmingly replied: “They’re not making it a four-lane! They’re making it a ONE-WAY!” And it really seemed we were going the wrong way on a one-way street!