Three Reasons Why You NEED to Come South Tomorrow

This is the time of year when we can see Ben Gurion’s vision of making the desert bloom. The south is erupting in green and RED!

The rains have been plentiful and blessed us with early, bountiful stretches of growth and bloom. Here are three great reasons for you to pile into your vehicles and drive south tomorrow to join us at the “Red South” Festival, which has taken place annually for the past ten years to celebrate the beauty of the region now awash with the red anemones. (And what starts earlier than usual, ends earlier than usual… you do NOT want to miss it!)

We’re closer than you think:

The investment of only an hour’s drive from Tel Aviv will bring you here, now, to the charm of the Western Negev.

The weather’s right

Why tomorrow? Because we are a the height of the blossoms, and, although the forecast for Saturday is more rain, tomorrow is all set to be GLORIOUS! Breathe the fresh, clean air, come to the Shuk in Shokeda Park, photographers will have a blast!

The real experts are HERE

Recently, our region has been in the headlines — for all the wrong reasons. Not because of the enjoyable recreation activities which the “Red South” Festival afford visitors, rather because of the terror-attack tunnels that have been collapsing as a result of the heavy rains. But we cannot leave the fate of the region to the Heavens, alone — WE have to act, WE have to do something to stop the decline into violence and the next war. We need YOUR help!

Experts warn that the continuing collapse of infrastructures in Gaza is leading us on a crash course towards more and more threats and ever-increasing instability: thousands of Gazans crossing the border, the threats of more tunnels, rockets, and the next war which is literally just around the corner and whose eruption seems inevitable. Yes – that, too, is closer than you think.

We who live here are all too familiar with these realities. We who fought to protect our homes, we who stayed, we who lost family, friends and neighbors…we know these realities as well as or better than any of the experts do. Come hear from us what it is REALLY like living here. We (residents of the south and members of The Movement for the Future of the Western Negev), will have two information stands — one at Yad Mordechai junction and the other near the farmer’s market in Shokeda Forest – from 10:00 – 14:00 — to depict life in the shadow of the rockets and the threat of terror attack tunnels at our doorsteps. We will explain who we are, how you can join us, how you can help. Come see the beautiful region, the exquisite flowers. Come taste our Western Negev, which we refuse to leave despite the clear and present dangers.

Tomorrow, it will still be safe, but unless we act, there’s no knowing how long that will last. Come visit! Come learn! Come support! We can’t do it without YOU.

I’ll be in Shokeda Forest, together with my friends, tomorrow between 10:00 – 14:00. Pop over and say “hi” 🙂

Directions to Shokeda Forest: Drive south on 232. After passing Kibbutz Beeri take the first turn left off 232 onto a road into the fields. It will take you to the Forest, and me! 🙂