Eshkol Region - Nahal Gerar

The first Sabra in the entire Jewish people built his life in the Promised Land, but not everything went easily for him. After several years of wandering, a difficult test comes in the form of years of famine, which forces Yitzhak to find a creative solution for the basic existence in the Holy Land. Yitzhak migrates to Gerar, to the kingdom of Avimeleh, and there he confronts the injustice and hypocrisy of the upper class, and has to establish his role from scratch. Through these stories of struggles and fights, we get to know a beautiful and fruitful region, which many years later still plays an important role for the reconstruction of the Jewish state and the future of the Jewish people in this region.

Today this area is called the Eshkol Region, and the name Gerar is maintained as the name of one of the major rivers in the area, which is called Nahal Gerar. There is diverse settlement in the area, ranging from cities and large towns to small farms and kibbutzim. There is extensive agriculture in the area, as well as thriving tourism.

Since the area is adjacent to the southwestern border of the state of Israel, the region has been faced with repeated harassment from Arabs who don’t like the fact that Jews have managed to make the desert bloom. In the War of Independence, successful battles were fought in the area, and the young country successfully stopped the Egyptian army from crossing the border. However, since then, the Arabs from Gaza have tried to harass and prevent the development and prosperity of the region (thank God they have not succeeded).

The area is worth a visit anytime, especially in March when hordes of tourists come to see the beautiful blooming of the area.