Partner with Ben in honoring the Biblical commandment of Shmita
Ben is a U.S.-born farmer living in Israel and observing Shimta (the Sabbatical year). He’s letting his land rest for God’s will, but with bills piling up, he could lose his farm.
Sabbatical Ben
$107,457 of $80,000 raised
From Binghamton farm boy to faithful Israeli farmer
Ben loved farm life, but when Ben was in his mid-twenties, something inside said he had to visit the Land of Israel. And so, he did just that: boarded a plane to the holy land.
During his last few days in Israel, Ben visited the Western Wall. When Ben walked into the Kotel (Western Wall) Plaza, he broke down into tears.
After two-thousand years of the Jewish People being in exile, Ben knew that he had to return to his Biblical Heartland. He had to move to Israel.
Years later, Ben took a leap of faith and followed his dream of moving to Israel and starting his very own organic vegetable farm. To Ben, farming is an integral part of returning to his Biblical homeland.
“But in the seventh year, the land shall have a Shabbat of complete rest, a Shabbat of Hashem (God): you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard.” (Leviticus 25:4)
This means that it is forbidden for anyone to plant or sell any produce grown in the Land of Israel during the Shmita Year. All fields must remain untouched.
And even though Ben is not making any money from selling his vegetables…he’s still observing the Shmita year, all in honor of God’s will.
Because of Ben’s deep Emunah (Faith and Trust in God), he’s sacrificing his livelihood for an entire year to let the Land rest all in the name of God’s will.
Hashem (Hebrew for God) commanded that we keep Shmita over three thousand years ago. And today, in 2022, Ben is keeping that very same commandment. Let that sink in: Ben is in Israel keeping the three-thousand-year-old mitzvah (Hebrew for commandment) of letting the land rest, and, today, you have an opportunity to join him.
Donate today to partner with Ben in observing the Shmita year and ensure he can cover his costs while the Land rests for God.
Sabbatical Ben
וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן יִהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַיהֹוָה שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תִזְמֹר׃
– Leviticus 25:4
FAQs
Is my donation tax-deductible?
It depends on where you live. Donations are tax-deductible in the USA and are processed by our non-profit Teach for Israel which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in the USA.
How much of my donation goes directly to the cause and how much goes towards overhead costs.
You seem to have varied projects and causes. What is the underlying mission that connects all that you do?
How do I send a check (cheque) and who do I make it out to?
In North America: Israel365, 161 North Hamilton Road, Columbus OH 43213
In Israel: Israel365 – 7th Floor, Yig’al Alon Ave 1, Bet Shemesh, 9906201, Israel
Recent Donors
Jessica gordon
Why Stand With Israel
Anonymous
Bless Israel and her people!
Why Stand With Israel
John Stephenson
May the Lord bless you for you Emunah. My heart is knit to yours for this sacrifice. I pray that you will make it through this shemitah and you will experience even more prosperity for … Read more
May the Lord bless you for you Emunah. My heart is knit to yours for this sacrifice. I pray that you will make it through this shemitah and you will experience even more prosperity for believing in Gods word. The Lord our God is one.
Lijo Jose
First fruits Nissan..for farmers observing Sabbatical year
Anonymous
Menorah Winston
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Meet other faithful Israeli farmers
With support from people like you, we’ve helped numerous farmers throughout Israel who have taken a leap of faith in observing the Shmita. These are their stories:
Shlomo Keshet
Shlomo is a father of six who loves planting and producing olive oil. Shlomo is laser-focused on empowering children with special needs in all of his work. This year Shlomo is observing Shmita.
Yedidya Spitz
Yedidya is a father of seven who loves connecting to the Land of Israel through farming. This year Yedidya is observing Shmita.
Aaron Katsof
Aaron is a father of 6 who’s devoted to his craft of making wine in the Biblical Heartland. Aaron lives in Shiloh, and this year, he’s keeping Shmita.
Noam Cohen
Noam is the spokesperson for a community of agricultural families in the heart of Judea and Samaria. This year, they’re all observing Shmita.
I started Israel365 back in 2012 with a simple goal in mind. Connect the many lovers of Israel from all around the world to the Holy Land every single day as it says “It is a land which Hashem your God looks after, on which Hashem your God always keeps His eye, from year’s beginning to year’s end. ” (Deuteronomy 11:12). Today, Israel365 sends a Daily Inspiration from the Israel Bible to hundreds of thousands of subscribers, provides live Zoom classes exploring the Bible with renowned educators from Israel, and supports thousands of needy people in Israel every day through our charitable work.
Rabbi Tuly Weisz
