For Ora Mordoff, the establishment of the Tzukei Eretz community is about far more than the creation of another new settlement. For her, the site represents the fulfillment of a dream carried by her son, Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, who was murdered in a shooting attack near the community of Eli.
“Congratulations to the people and the Land of Israel. Thank God, yesterday, the Tzukei Eretz community was established. Four years ago, who would have dreamed it? But you, Nachman, you dreamed. You believed and you worked for this holy and precious land. In the final two years of your life, day and night, you dedicated yourself to this land."
According to Mordoff, her son’s connection to the area was not merely an abstract vision. He personally toured the region with his group and became intimately familiar with the terrain.
“There, in the place you dreamed of rising to, you saw how critical it is for our land," she said. “There, where you toured with your group and knew every rock and stone."
Nachman did not live to see the dream realized. He was killed in the shooting attack near Eli, but his mother said that his friends immediately resolved to continue the work he had begun.
“During the week in which you were murdered, they realized your dream. They did not give up even after the multiple evictions. Rest in peace, and may your soul continue to pray for the people of Israel."