MEET YOUR HOSTS Introduce yourself.
“I come from a pedagogical background, I teach history and I am also an outdoor group trainer for mental health in nature. Nature is my passion; I love spending time in it and foraging for wild edibles. I also enjoy playing guitar. I live in Elkosh, a moshav situated less than 4 kilometers away from the Lebanese border. The entire moshav had to be evacuated in the wake of October 7, and now my family and I are staying in southern Golan Heights. I am married to Shani, and we have 3 daughters.”
What do you love most about your job?
“I commented to my wife, an art therapist, that what I do is akin to pastoral care in nature; people who come here embark on an emotional process in which we connect with the earth and give to it something deep from within ourselves. I stand in the open air and tell participants what’s special about each tree they’re about to plant, and they go about planting them with intent and devotion.”
Describe the ‘Plant a Tree’ process.
“I begin by conversing with the participants so that we get to know each other. I give them a brief introduction to KKL-JNF, and then we speak about the significance of planting a tree in the Land of Israel. Before planting, we recite the Planter’s Prayer, composed by Ben-Zion Uziel, the first Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel. The participants first recite it in their own language, and then I recite it in Hebrew, because saying it in the Holy Tongue carries deep significance.
What is your most memorable ‘Plant a Tree’ moment?
“I have many stories…here is one, but you might not believe me:
“One day, a family from New York came here, a young couple with 2 little girls. There were only 4 of them, but they requested to plant 5 trees. The 5th sapling, they explained, was for their other little girl, who had died of cancer. I knew which tree it was because they tied a black ribbon around it.
“Very soon after, I awoke from a dream with a sense of urgency, that I needed to go check on the sapling immediately. Upon arriving there, I discovered that a wild boar had pulled out the sapling, an oak, from its roots, but somehow it remained unharmed [young oak roots are a favorite food of the wild boar]. I replanted it in the ground, but a week later, the exact same thing happened – dream, uprooting, and all – and so I replanted it again.
“That was three years ago, and today the tree is flourishing, despite having been uprooted twice!”
What’s special about the Golani Planting Center?
The site is situated 700 meters away from the Jesus Trail that goes from Nazareth to Tiberias. It is located only 4 km away from the Horns of Hittin, and from the planting center you can see one of the horns clearly.
Who enjoys the trees planted here?
“The planting center is located off the beaten path, so the trees’ main beneficiaries are animals and birds – including gazelle, wild boar, porcupines, rabbits, partridges, and jackals.”
What trees do you plant?
“Local species suited to the local climate and topography, including Judas trees (Red Bud), Carob, Atlantic Pistachia, Terebinth, Jujube, Oak, Cypress, and Mediterranean species of pine.”
Embark on a one-of-a-kind planting experience with David Kidron.
