Finally enjoying a day off together as a family again.

No appointments, no hectic pace – just being together. I’m still recovering from my cold, but there was something special about this Shabbat.

A special moment was our visit to Uzi, a local farmer. He took us on a little journey through time: In his lovingly constructed museum, he tells us about farming in the early days of Israel.

Uzi showed us how much hardship there was in the country in the early years. The landscape had to make do with very little water, so they mainly grew plants that could cope with drought. It was also exciting to hear that there used to even be snow in the region in winter – so much so that people had a sledge.

But Uzi didn’t just talk to us about farming. He has not concealed the stories that are often ignored. Stories of conflict and loss. He reported that in 1951 the village was attacked by Arabs from the neighboring village. It was about land, about property – and the conflict claimed lives. A man was hit in the head by a stone and died. His wife, suddenly alone with two small children, was unable to keep the farm going. She had to sell.

In one of the photos you can see a large, orange-red cartridge – solid, heavily built. During the British mandate, weapons and ammunition were secretly hidden in it. They had been embedded in the ground so that they would not be discovered during searches. Testimony to a time when survival often meant acting with foresight – with courage and determination.

Such stories bring us back to reality – away from romantic notions and towards what really happened. And what still characterizes many today.

A simple visit. And yet it gets stuck. History you can touch.