What’s Really Happening in Judea & Samaria? with Naomi Kahn of Regavim

What’s Really Happening in Judea & Samaria? with Naomi Kahn of Regavim

What is really happening on the ground in Judea and Samaria, and why does it matter for Israel’s future? Franny Waisman sits down with Naomi Kahn, Director of Regavim’s International Division, for a powerful and highly political conversation about illegal building, land use, archaeology, environmental damage, Oslo, sovereignty, and the battle over Israel’s heritage. Key Questions Explored in the Episode: What does Regavim actually do? How is illegal building changing the map of Judea and Samaria? Why are archaeological and religious sites under threat? What environmental dangers are affecting Israelis and Palestinians alike? What did Oslo really create legally? Where can people go to better understand the reality on the ground? Naomi Kahn explains how Regavim monitors land-use issues across Israel, maps changes on the ground, and uses legal action to push the Israeli government toward enforcement and policy clarity. The conversation explores the political, historical, archaeological, and environmental challenges facing Judea and Samaria, including threats to ancient sites, illegal construction, pollution, and the long-term implications of Oslo and Area C. Time Stamps: 00:00 Mapping Land and Court Battles 07:07 Archaeology Under Threat In Israel 10:47 Systematic Heritage Erasure 16:52 Environmental Crisis and Pollution 21:57 Personal Wake Up Call 25:24 Must See Vantage Points 31:27 Oslo and Legal Reality Check 40:02 Biblical Lens and Hope ---------------- Ready to experience it for yourself? Visit https://judeasamariaexperience.com/ to plan your journey to Judea and Samaria. [https://judeasamariaexperience.com/ to plan your journey to Judea and Samaria.]

Pottery, Prayer, and Life on an Itamar Hilltop with Batya Erdstein

Batya Erdstein lives on a hilltop near Itamar, where she creates pottery inspired by the Land of Israel itself. In this episode, Franny Waisman discuses Batya’s ceramic studio, Mud on the Mountain, to explore how clay, prayer, motherhood, birth, war, and the rugged beauty of Judea and Samaria all come together in her work. Timestamps: 00:00 Why Itamar Hilltop 05:22 Daily Life and Prayer 08:56 Land-Inspired Ceramics 19:02 Pottery and Ancient Roots 24:35 Potter Metaphor in Faith 35:25 The Torah of Pottery 41:21 Jeremiah Potter Lesson 44:22 Becoming Vessels of Light ---------------- Ready to experience it for yourself? Visit https://judeasamariaexperience.com/ to plan your journey to Judea and Samaria.

The Biblical Plants Coming Back to Life in Israel | Guy Erlich

Reviving biblical plants in the Judean Desert, Guy Erlich is bringing the Balm of Gilead, frankincense, myrrh, and ancient perfume plants back to life. This episode explores why so many Tanach-era spices feel almost mythical today, how their plants and growing knowledge disappeared from the Land of Israel, and what it means to revive them in the very region where they once grew. Guy Erlich is a farmer in Almog, who has spent 17 years rebuilding a living collection of biblical medicinal and perfume plants, including Balm of Gilead, frankincense, and myrrh. Together, they discuss the mystery of the ancient balsam, the connection to ketoret and the Beit Hamikdash, desert agriculture, healing oils, Ein Gedi’s lost secrets, and the deeper spiritual idea of resurrection in nature. 00:00 Mythic Bible Spices 01:10 Lost Balm of Gilead 01:52 Meet Guy Erlich 02:27 Farm of Frankincense 04:50 Balsam Identity Mystery 07:04 How Revival Began 11:05 Building a Plant Collection 13:52 Healing Oils and Covid 17:56 Smell, Soul, and Temple 21:20 Miracles in Desert Farming 24:50 Past, Future, and Temple Talk 29:33 Funding, Support, and Visits 33:19 Rapid Fire Wrap-Up 37:06 Resurrection and Prophecy ---------------- Ready to experience it for yourself? Visit https://judeasamariaexperience.com/ to plan your journey to Judea and Samaria.

What Trauma Does to the Body (And How to Start Healing) with Nava Fuchs

What happens when fear, stress, and trauma don’t get processed—especially in a reality shaped by ongoing war? In this episode of Live the Land, host Franny Waisman shares her experience at a weeklong somatic healing retreat and sits down with Jackie “Nava” Fuchs, a yoga therapist and somatic healer based in Tekoa. Together, they explore how the body holds onto unprocessed experiences—and what it actually looks like to begin releasing them. From practical grounding tools (like breathwork, yoga nidra, and vagus nerve regulation) to deeper ideas about connection, vulnerability, and healing through the land itself, this conversation bridges somatic therapy with the lived reality of Israel today. They also connect these ideas to timeless TaNaK narratives—offering a powerful lens on disconnection, transformation, and what it means to truly return to oneself. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or constantly “on edge,” this episode offers a grounded, honest look at what healing can look like—without bypassing the pain. Timestamps 00:00 Somatic Retreat Awakening 00:34 How Unprocessed Stress Lives in the Body 02:21 Meet Nava Fuchs 04:35 Tekoa’s Landscape & Healing Environment 14:02 Meditation & Releasing Inner Constriction 19:23 Three Daily Grounding Practices 21:39 What Is Somatic Healing, Really? 23:54 Trauma-Sensitive Yoga for Resilience 32:00 Why Healing Requires Connection 33:26 The Human Need for Connection 35:08 Understanding the Vagus Nerve 35:32 5-Minute Tools to Calm the Body 37:07 Healing Through Connection to the Land 46:55 Healing as “Returning” 48:42 The Torah of Healing: The Root of Disconnection

How Museums and Artifacts Bring the World of Tanach to Life | Nachliel Selevan

How do museums, maps, and ancient artifacts change the way we read Tanach? In this episode, Franny Waisman sits down with Nachliel Selevan to explore how historical context, geography, and material culture can bring the biblical world back to life in a way that feels real, grounded, and deeply relevant. Key Questions Explored in the Episode: How can artifacts and museums help us better understand Tanach? What was daily life actually like in the biblical world? Why does geography matter so much when learning Torah? How does life on Israel’s desert frontier echo ancient realities? What can modern visitors do to experience the land with more context and depth? Franny opens with reflections on the recent ceasefire with Iran and frames the episode around a central idea: Tanach becomes clearer when read through the realities of its own world. Nachliel Selevan, a Tanach and history teacher, shares how archaeology, museum collections, and historical artifacts help students understand the economic, agricultural, and physical realities behind biblical stories. The conversation moves from Babylonian artifacts and Judean silver weights to life in Pnei Kedem, where desert living, farming, shepherding, and security concerns create a strong connection to the rhythms of ancient Israel. Together, they explore how land, climate, and geography shape Torah, and why visiting museums and engaging with material culture can restore depth and context to the biblical text. About The Guest: Nachliel Selevan is a Tanach and history teacher known for bringing the biblical world to life through archaeology, museum artifacts, maps, and historical context. Drawing from both scholarship and lived experience on Israel’s Judean frontier, he helps students connect Torah to the physical realities of the land, its history, and its culture. Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome and War Update 00:30 Why Context Matters 01:40 Ancient Israel Daily Life 02:59 Meet Nachliel Selevan 04:33 Teaching Through Artifacts 18:36 Life in Pnei Kedem 23:49 Shepherds, Farmers, and Security 28:21 Two Worlds, One Life 30:31 Why Homeschooling Works 31:09 Schools in a Changing World 35:36 Caves and Survival Geography 38:41 Continuum of Biblical Life 39:52 Travel Tips Rapid Fire 41:47 Artifacts and Favorite Figures 46:28 Restoring Torah Context 47:23 Egypt vs. Israel Dependence 50:59 Farmer vs. Shepherd Mindset Ready to experience Tanach with fresh eyes and deeper context? Tune in to the full episode for valuable insights. ---------------- Ready to experience it for yourself? Visit https://judeasamariaexperience.com/ to plan your journey to Judea and Samaria.