After the world turned over, and living hell arrived to the Negev on October 7th, Yaakov Hasan was interviewed a few days later. On camera he was visibly disturbed by what he had seen with his own eyes. He struggled to relate what he had experienced. He was still shell shocked and no words could convey the grief inside. However, as he spoke, the spirit of this impressive young man came to the fore. He became stronger as he finished the interview saying “Mark my words, I will plant a vineyard in the name of those who perished, just wait and see.” Sure enough he fulfilled his commitment and the vineyard is now putting its young roots into the sandy soil of the Negev. The roots of the vine dig deep, especially in the desert in search of moisture. This hardy plant will give fruit for decades. There is no greater statement of taking ownership of a place than planting a vineyard.
The story of October 7th is still being told. There were numerous individuals who stood tall showing incredible bravery and a commitment to their community and their fellow man. Many are unsung heroes who may never receive credit for what they did. The incredible stories are still coming out. Every news cycle we hear of new stories of heroes. Normal, ordinary people did outstanding things and proved to be giants in the circumstances thrust upon them by the savages of Hamas. At the time of reckoning, they will stand on the very highest pedestal of honor and valor. Yaakov Hasan is such a person.
Hasan is a son of Shuva, a religious moshav in the northwest Negev. It was founded in 1950 by Jews from North Africa. While Yaakov was saying his early morning prayers, the Simhat Torah Festival was transformed into the Simhat Torah Massacre. Hasan saw the chaos of October 7th first hand. There was the noise, the color of the sky, and the smell of shock and fear which turned to terror. He remembers the wild shooting in all directions and was not initially sure whom was shooting at who. The confusion. The burnt bodies. The stench of death. A particular decapitated baby shocked him to the core. He was simply in the midst of a nightmare which would not disappear when he woke up. He witnessed the unspeakable and as he explains what he saw, you can see he is haunted by the memory. He struggles with words as the images juggle in his mind. This is someone who will be scarred forever. He will never get over what he witnessed…. Like so many ordinary people who became unwitting extras in the 7.10 drama. Whatever happens good in life, there will always be black corners that leap out to haunt them when their guard is down.
On that black day Hasan saved his family taking them to his parents in Jerusalem and but some sense of responsibility propelled him to go back without a second thought. He immediately returned to the fray to fight and be part of the defense. He rescued many. In the following days he retrieved dead bodies. Many bodies were gathered by him so they could be brought for a Jewish burial because of his efforts. As such he not only saw but felt the scale of the slaughter and it seared the unshakeable memory deep into his very being.
Yaakov Hasan is an agriculturist and he already had two vineyards. At the age of 17 he planted his first with Muscat Hamburg and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2014 he planted another one of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. On 26th May, Lag B’Omer, as promised, he planted the memorial vineyard at Moshav Shuva, with 2,000 vines. This time, the vines were Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot. The event was a joint venture between the organization Simha Haim, Hashomer Hahadash and Hasan. Simha Haim is a non-profit organization founded by immigrants from France. They contacted Hason early on, were immediately interested in his proposal, kept in contact along the way and supported the project from the word go. Without their support this noble idea simply would not have happened. Hashomer Hahadash is well known for its holy work in bringing youngsters to appreciate the importance of working the land. They promote Avoda Ivrit, Jewish labor. They flooded Shuva with young volunteers firstly to assist preparing the land before planting and then to help with the actual planting of the vines. There is a great deal of work clearing and cleaning the land before planting a vineyard. Then there is the planting. It is precise, hard work, but incredibly inspiring and rewarding. However, most of the work you need to be bent over or on your haunches. Those with a bad back need not apply! Yaakov gives Simha Haim and Hashomer Hahadash all the credit for enabling him to fulfill his vision.
The festive day was a triumph of the human spirit. Life really is stronger than death. But those slaughtered in Simchat Torah Massacre and the October 7th War will not be forgotten. One vine was planted for one Israeli soul, with a small Israeli flag alongside. May their memories be a blessing. Each and every one of them.
The President of the Simha Haim organization, Ariel Biton said “There is no more beautiful way to commemorate those murdered. We are committed to promoting this vision.” The head of the Sdot Negev Regional Council, Tamir Aidan, said: “In these days of difficulty and crisis we planted hope here. Yaakov Hasan is the beautiful face of Israel. From the 7th to 10th he did not hesitate.” He also addressed the bereaved, who were present at the planting ceremony. “We have a responsibility to continue the memory of your loved ones. And that is what we are doing today.”
As always there are stories within stories. Laetitia Liard, the mother of soldier Nathan Liard z”l, related how her son fell on October 7th. The only thing he took with him apart from obligatory equipment was a bottle of grape juice and a cup, so he could bless the Shabbat and sanctify the holiday. Soon after, he was killed. How appropriate it is to plant a vine in his memory. Then there was Nitay Ben Moshe, a volunteer with the Hashomer Hahadash, was also one of the bereaved. He lost his brother in the attack, but took the lead part in planting vines in his and everyone else’s memory. Best of all, Hasan is blessed with four children, and the youngest, Emmanuel, was only born in April. That gave his spirits a much needed boost. New life triumphs over death and destruction. This is ultimately the only appropriate answer to those fundamentalist terrorists that celebrate a culture of death. It is this next generation which will be caring for the vineyard in future.
I asked Hasan why he chose vines and though I suspected I knew the answer, it was no less moving to hear it. He explained planting a vine was a claim to the land. Subtext? We are not going anywhere. The vine is symbol of life. In time they will make wine. Wine is used in every lifetime ceremony in Judaism. So, produce from the fruit of the vine will create happiness. That is why we say “Le’Haim” as our toast, which means “To Life!” Of course, the name of the vineyard says it all. It is called Kerem Le’Haim…The Vineyard of Life. He is already looking for the right winemaking consultant to nurture the baby through to the production of the first wine. That will be in four years’ time after the Orla period. Afterwards the wine may be aged in oak barrels, so it may take five or six years before you see a wine after planting. It is a long-term process growing vines and making wine, though after the forbidden initial years, production will from then be possible every year.
When you write about wine, you live within a wine bubble. In the end everything relates back to fermented grape juice. So, I was interested to turn the conversation back to wine. I wanted to understand what wine meant to this vineyard owner. Yaakov Hasan gave me the best possible spontaneous answer. It was unrehearsed yet beautiful. He explained you do not need to travel abroad to escape from the routine. Merely take a bottle of cold rose or white wine with your loved one, and go to the beach or disappear into the countryside…and wine does its thing and helps create magic moments. We can only wish him many such occasions in the future. He certainly deserves all the moments of tranquility he can grasp.
Yaakov Hasan’s main message to the People of Israel is unity. He was well aware of the divisions between Israelis on October 6th. However, after October 7th he realized how futile it is. It took this terrible event to teach him that we really are one people. People rallied together. It is true the government may have been lacking, but the spirit of Israelis has been truly amazing. It really upsets and destroys him to hear of disputes in society after October 7th. He says Hamas were not selective in which Jews they slaughter, and did not first check whether they were religious or secular, right or left, Ashkenazi or Sephardi. He says if there was something good to come out of the catastrophe, it has taught everyone not only the benefit of being united but also that people of different stripes and tribes can work and succeed together. This togetherness is the strength of the Jewish people.
Just after we met, and before we got into the meat of our conversation, Hason was initially agitated, jabbing his finger at me. He railed at the media, the journalists and teachers and told me they all had a job and it was about time they stepped up. Everyone must take a part in spreading the message, telling the story. Even wine writers. After five minutes with him, I realized this was not aggression but the overflowing lava of pent-up emotion, which will probably never leave. Therefore I have recorded his story. He is a hero and mensch, and I am sure his Vineyard of Hope will make great wine. I hope I have done this Tzaddik justice. Hazak U’ Baruch!
The writer is a wine trade veteran and a winery insider turned wine writer. He has advanced Israeli wine for 38 years and is known as the ‘English voice of Israeli wine.’ www.adammontefiore.com
