By Nativia Bühler 

At the Agro-Tech School in Sde Nitzan, students, parents and teachers recently gathered for the first Parents’ Day of the new school year, and for the official opening of its new technological greenhouse, a project funded by donors of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. 

The greenhouse classroom marks an important milestone for the Eshkol region, one of Israel’s main agricultural centers, which was among the hardest hit areas by the October 7 attacks. The area’s farms produce more than 70 percent of Israel’s fresh vegetables, but in the months following the war, production dropped sharply. Nearly 20,000 foreign agricultural workers left the country, and local growers struggled to maintain operations. 

In response, local educators and community leaders launched the Agro-Tech Project, the first agricultural education program to be established in the Gaza border region since the war. The goal is to train the next generation of young Israelis so that they can help rebuild the agricultural sector, bring innovation to an industry that remains vital to national food security, and connect with the Land of Israel. 

“The idea was born out of necessity,” said Asaf, founder of the program. “We realised that the future of agriculture here depends on engaging young people, giving them the tools and the motivation to take part in restoring and advancing this field.” 

The ICEJ-sponsored greenhouse serves as the center of the program. Students learn to grow vegetables in controlled conditions using modern agricultural systems, while also studying water and soil management, irrigation technologies, seed genetics, and marketing. They work directly with local farmers and agro-tech companies to gain practical experience, combining hands-on training with exposure to Israel’s leading agricultural innovations. 

To open the new school year, parents joined the 50 enrolled students in planting the first rows of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and cabbage together. The event was both a practical lesson and a show of community partnership with families, teachers, and students working side-by-side in the same soil that for two years has been left untended. 

The Eshkol Regional Council is home to 33 villages with around 17,500 residents, many of whom depend on agriculture for their livelihood. While much of the region is still rebuilding, projects like this one offer a new path forward. By introducing technology and education into the recovery process, the Agro-Tech School is equipping young Israelis with the knowledge and confidence to sustain the land for the long term. 

Through its partnership, the Christian Embassy is helping ensure that Israel’s agricultural communities are not only restored but strengthened for the future. The hope is that what begins in the greenhouse will extend across the fields of the South, by empowering students, supporting farmers, and securing Israel’s food production for years to come. 

Please support the ICEJ’s efforts to help the Israeli communities of the western Negev recover and rebuild following the devastating October 7 terror attacks. Give today to our “Israel in Crisis” fund. 

Donate at:  help.icej.org/crisis 

Main Photo Courtesy of Sde Nitzan Agro-Tech School