Over 40 years ago, Reuven Michaeli took his kallah Amira and settled down with her on a beautiful piece of land in Northern Eretz Yisroel. Reuven’s father was a farmer, and his father was a farmer as well. It was simply in his blood.
They were young, they were hardworking, and they were passionate. With those traits, Reuven and Amira turned their barren piece of land into a profitable flower business.
Over the years, the family grew, and Hashem blessed them with two wonderful daughters. The business flourished as well. Reuven began to export his flowers to Europe and to other parts of the world.
“He is one of the biggest farmers in Israel. He is a hardworking man,” his daughter notes.
But one day, tragedy struck. Amira came home from a routine checkup looking pale. She told Reuven the unimaginable.
“Reuven, I have cancer.”
Like everything in life, the couple faced the challenge together. Reuven was by Amira’s side throughout everything, whether it was doctor appointments, surgeries, or going home in the middle of his work day to make sure she had had enough to eat and drink.
They battled this demon together for five years. But in September of 2017, Amira’s life was taken.
Reuven and his daughters were heartbroken.
Several months after the tragedy, Reuven started to notice a strange discoloration on his left arm. He was horrified to receive the same prognosis as his wife. This time, the cancer was due to too much sun exposure. He arranged multiple surgeries to remove the growth. However, more growths have appeared on his arm since.
Reuven assured his daughters that after all they had been through, there was no way he was letting cancer get the best of him.
But something else did.
On the day before the harvest this past year, he pulled up to his field when suddenly, he began to shake.
“I saw rows and rows of dead flowers. Someone had poisoned my fields and set all of my equipment on fire. In one night, all my life’s work was completely destroyed.”
Known as agricultural terrorism, someone went to his field in middle of the night and destroyed his entire livelihood.
The damage is estimated at 1 million shekels.
Reuven had no choice but to let go of all of his staff. The people that he owes money to are ruthless and have started sending horrible threats against him and his children. Threats that involved the Arab mafia.
The police have tried to help, but they’ve done very little.
“Every day I wake up shaking in terror”, says Reuven. “I just can’t handle the pressure. I am terrified for my children. I spent the last 40 years growing life, but now I want to take my own.”
Reuven is turning to donors to help with his predicament. To see how you can get involved, click here.
Baruch Hashem I have received the full public support of the following rabbanim:
Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt: Chief Chabad Rabbi Of Argentina
Rabbi Elchonon Cohen: Chief Rabbi Of Kazakhstan
Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs: Chief Rabbi Of Netherlands
Rabbi Levi Feigelstock: Chief Rabbi Of Paraguay
Rabbi Zvi Boyarsky : Advocacy Director Aleph Institute
Rabbi Shimshon Halperin: Chabad of North Israel
Uri Ariel: Former Israeli Agriculture Minsiter
Rabbi Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin: Community Leader
Rabbi Yeshayahu Hertzel: Chief Rabbi of Nof Haglil Israel
The Paamonim Organization
