Tales from the heart: Out on the tractor at dawn
Here’s my article in Israel21C about my husband, Jonny Kuritsky who has been farming the fields of Shavei Zion, Western Galilee, Israel.
By Diana Bletter FEBRUARY 3, 2022, 2:15 PM
Avocado grove workers in Shavei Zion in the Western Galilee. Photo by Diana Bletter
The alarm clock hasn’t even rung. Most people would say it is still night but for my husband, Jonny Kuritsky, it is morning.
He’s long out of bed as the muezzin’s voice floats toward us over the loudspeakers from the mosque in the village of Mazra’a across the road.
In the dark hours of pre-dawn, the jackals cry. Then, at exactly 5am, Kuritsky (that’s what I call him) climbs onto his rugged electric club car, headed for his job in the avocado groves of Shavei Zion, the village where we live in the Western Galilee.
He mostly works on a tractor, a dream job for a guy who, as a child, played with tractors and trucks in the dirt. He sprays against diseases that harm the avocado trees in the 1,000-dunam (about 250 acres) grove.
Most people his age – he just turned 70 – might prefer to retire. That’s not his game plan.
“Why should I stop? If I can get on a tractor and spray and do a good job with a little experience under my belt, why should I stop because of a number?”
Kuritsky works with a diverse team of men that includes four Israeli Arabs, four Israeli Jews, and four workers from Thailand who are in Israel for five-year stints. The dozen men speak to one another in a mixture of Hebrew, Arabic, Thai and English.
He mostly works on a tractor, a dream job for a guy who, as a child, played with tractors and trucks in the dirt. He sprays against diseases that harm the avocado trees in the 1,000-dunam (about 250 acres) grove.
Most people his age – he just turned 70 – might prefer to retire. That’s not his game plan.
“Why should I stop? If I can get on a tractor and spray and do a good job with a little experience under my belt, why should I stop because of a number?”
Kuritsky works with a diverse team of men that includes four Israeli Arabs, four Israeli Jews, and four workers from Thailand who are in Israel for five-year stints. The dozen men speak to one another in a mixture of Hebrew, Arabic, Thai and English.
For the rest of the article, click here.
DIANA BLETTER 
Diana, I loved this so much. Of the times I visited Israel I saw historical and religious sites. I never really had the opportunity to visit the agricultural world in Israel. I felt like you gave me a glimpse into it. I enjoyed reading about Jonny’s care of the groves and the team’s relationships. Anyway, this was really enjoyable!!! Rhonda
Thank you, Rhonda. The avocado groves and the people who work together are very inspiring.
I love that guy!
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
Thank you for sharing. . It seems like a very close community and it is clear that they care for each other.
Thank you, Tom. It’s ecumenical cooperation at its finest in a crazy conflicted world. Keep the faith!