• Agriculture

    Agriculture

    The Balsamon Farm established in order to restore the Balsamon tree to the shores of the Dead Sea, and today serves as an Agricultural R&D Nursery.

Audio: Biblical Plants Once-Extinct Rejuvenated on Kibbutz Almog


Guy Ehrlich's journey includes activism in secular rights, Jewish-Arab dialogue, and propagating plants used in the Holy Temple.

5/16/2014, 7:55 AM

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Guy Ehrlich is not what you'd picture when you imagine an expert in growing plants used for the Ketoret (incense) in the Holy Temple.

His journey began as an activist for secular rights in Jerusalem, and continued in activism for the rights of Jerusalem Arabs and the right to kosher certification for establishments open on Shabbat.

A searcher for truth, Guy does not judge others by their religious or political views, and on his journey often found himself surprised by the integrity and sensitivity of people who presented themselves as religious and right-winged. He realized the commonalities overshadowed the differences.

In 2008, while searching for a place to move his family and a career change, Guy stumbled upon information about a plant called the Legendary (or Biblical) Afarsemon (not to be confused with the common fruit of today with the same name). After moving to Kibbutz Almog near Jericho in the northern Dead Sea region, Guy put years of research and all his family's savings into developing the Balm of Gilead Farm, where he now cultivates the rare plant, in addition to many other biblical plants and rare desert flora once thought extinct. His farm specializes in plants used to create the Ketoret,orincense, used in the Holy Temple.

Guy's journey is fascinating, his attitude refreshing, his passion endearing and his farm a rare treasure.

Tune in to get to know this incredible person, and find out more about joining his venture!

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