Tribute: David Ben Gurion

Yesterday was a very cool day. First a brief description:

We woke up and met at about 8 AM and drove 40 mins to Sede Boker. First we hiked to a spring where we were told a story, and then we hiked up the spring and cliff where we were met by our bus. We travelled again to a crater where we hiked a little more, and then off to Sede Boker to see Ben-Gurion's settlement.

David Ben Gurion was more than the first Prime Minister of Israel. He was the founder of a Jewish Youth Group in Poland, leader of that Youth Group in Palestine, and founder of the Jewish state of Israel. After years of serving as Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion made it his mission to establish the Negev (desert in which I currently live in), and so he moved down south to a Kibbutz to live and work. This kibbutz was at first not very open to this idea...as we discussed yesterday, what close-knit community would want a prime minister? But his persistence prevailed and he eventually was welcomed down south. And his efforts never fell short.
It was his mission to make the Negev a successful contributor to Israeli society. His goal was to have 5 million people living here, and although the goal is not yet met, there is currently around 500,000 people living in the desert. Not too shabby.

With Ben-Gurion University being one of the very successful schools in Israel, Be'er Sheva being one of Israel's main cities, and Israeli culture and spirit coming alive down South, I have no doubt that the Negev will prevail! Ben Gurions work will not go unnoticed, and his dreams will not fail.