Published in Women's Magazine

Making Neighborhood

Sarit Levi Ashkenazi l Photography: Yossi Zeliger

Tamar and Tzuriel Benjamin arrived at Negohot when there was only one street in the settlement and today, three years later they enjoy a developing area with a surge of absorption and construction.
When Tzuriel was drafted to war, Tamar received wide social support, and their souls were bound to the place

The Benjamin Family

Tzuriel (34), investigator in the Border Police.

Tamar (32), self-employed nutritionist with a holistic approach.

The couple has been married for ten years and has two children: Nehora aged four and a half and Hadar aged two.

Address in Waze: Negohot.

Where did we come from?

"Tzuriel grew up in Jerusalem and I in Beit Shemesh and when we got married we lived in Beit Shemesh for convenience reasons. After a few years we moved to Ariel for two years, but the congestion in the center, the traffic jams and the atmosphere didn't suit us. In addition we realized that we want to live not too far from our parents, and we started looking for a community that would suit our values and a place where we could buy a home".

Why here?

"We were looking for open spaces and after we visited several areas in the country, we discovered the Lachish region – a beautiful area close to Beit Shemesh, our place of residence that is full of nature and landscapes. We heard that it has several large religious settlements and when we were looking for a settlement with a future for construction, we quickly found Negohot.

The first time we came to visit, we saw one main street and there wasn't really a playground yet, but all the children rode together on seesaws, our daughter immediately felt at home and that sight won us over. We were exposed to the warmth and openness of the residents and our hearts felt that this is the place and that our future is here".

A pleasant surprise

"Three years ago, when we just moved here, there were a few dozen families in Negohot, the construction was not developed and as mentioned – there were no playgrounds. But the rapid absorption of new families brought a huge construction boom. The residents received us very nicely and today there are about 120 families in the settlement. We thought we were moving to a relatively desolate place and behold, after three years there are already many houses, playgrounds and public buildings. We enjoy the cultural services of the Har Hebron Regional Council and the cultural services of the Lachish region and everything is within a short driving distance. The growth is large and fast and there is a large absorption of young families".

Vibrant social life

"Thanks to the absorption momentum, they say, there are many social initiatives aimed at bonding and getting to know the new families. "There are women's evenings and men's evenings and beyond that, at the beginning of the war, Tzuriel was drafted to reserves for four months and all that time I received social support, help from the youth in the settlement and received Shabbat invitations. There were many strengthening evenings for the wives of the enlisted and I felt wrapped up", says Tamar. "When it was difficult I felt comfortable asking for help and was always answered. In addition, we have a large standby squad and the feeling is very secure".

A place to pray in

"In Negohot there is one synagogue and the custom in it is mixed. "The children are an integral part of the life in the synagogue and their presence is well felt. Besides children's prayer and joint recitation of Tehillim, all the children enter in 'Yimloch' – bringing in the Torah scroll on Shabbat morning, sing and receive candies". In addition, at the Negohot farm there is a Vatikin minyan where Tzuriel usually prays on Shabbat. "It's a walk of about a quarter of an hour. I go out at sunrise and really enjoy the walk and the experience of praying in the unique landscape of the pasture and accompanied by the sounds coming from the barn".

A place to hang out

Since the establishment of the Negohot settlement, the nearby city for entertainment was Kiryat Gat, but recently several coffee carts opened in the area at a driving distance of about ten minutes to a quarter of an hour. "There is a coffee cart in Sansana, one in Neta and another one in Karmei Katif and the atmosphere in them is really special, completely different from the coffee shop experience in the city.

Education system

In the settlement there is a daycare and excellent kindergartens, and the older children travel by transportation to the elementary school in Otniel. "Our children are still in kindergarten and I usually work from home, so except for Tzuriel we don't leave the settlement on a daily basis", explains Tamar.

Main grocery

There is still no grocery store in the settlement, but it is possible to shop or order delivery from several food chains in Kiryat Gat. "If we get 'stuck' without a certain product, we get help from neighbors who lend gladly", they add.

Special settlement WhatsApp

Since the beginning of the war, a "Iron Friends" group was established for the women of the settlement, with the aim of helping women cope with challenges. "When a red heart is marked it's a message with a request, and a blue heart marks a message of giving. Women feel comfortable asking for help and anyone who can help, mobilizes. Recently, for example, someone whose husband is fighting in Gaza wrote that she got stuck with the car and asked for a ride to the garage and a pampering ice cream. Very quickly both of her requests were answered generously".

Self-employed in the field

As a self-employed person in the field of nutrition, most of the time Tamar works from home. "I give nutrition workshops and accompany women in personal and group processes on Zoom or WhatsApp. My perception is holistic, I see eating work as an opportunity for growth and character improvement. My approach is that change should be gentle and enjoyable and it is possible from a connection to the divine part in us, to the good essence in us that pushes us to progress and rise. I believe that change comes from seeing the good in us and releasing criticism. I combine practical behavioral work proven by research, which includes gradual creation of a stable and strong network of habits that allows the ability to persist over time. At the same time I combine emotional-spiritual work of identifying the deep needs in us, which are expressed through eating".

Expectation

The couple currently lives in a rented house in Negohot, and are eagerly waiting for the completion of the house they purchased in the new project in the new neighborhood being established by the real estate company "Harei Zahav". "In the new house a large living room is planned and this makes us very happy. I'm waiting to give morning workshops for women there", says Tamar. "I have a dream to open a health resort for women on maternity leave, where they can nourish themselves in body and soul". In addition, the couple looks forward to hosting friends in the large living room. "I love baking cakes", says Tzuriel. "On Shabbat we host for kiddush and currently our living room is small, so we use the small garden and look forward to hosting comfortably in the new house".

Want to be neighbors of the Benjamin family?
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