"Judaism and Faith Were Key for Him": A Fascinating Interview with the Son of the Founder of Organic Agriculture

"Father used to say that Hashem placed man in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it — meaning you, the man, shouldn't intervene," recalls Boaz Levy, son of Mario Levy, a pioneer of organic agriculture in Israel. Mario founded the Organic Biological Agricultural Association in Israel in 1982 and led it for many years. He passed away about a year ago at the age of 94. Boaz, his son, continues his legacy: "He involved me in the work three years before he passed. Since then, I started working with him on 25 organic dunams growing vegetables."

Mario Levy was born in Trieste, Italy, and immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1939 at age 15 as part of the Youth Aliyah. In 1941, he joined the religious Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu as part of a core of alumni from Mikveh Israel. Levy and his wife raised five children in the kibbutz. In the 1960s, he was responsible for the kibbutz's vegetable garden. Increasing use of pesticides — up to 40 sprays per crop and the emergence of resistant pests — disturbed him.

His son Boaz recounts, "Father was already well-known in agriculture before he got the 'bug' for organic farming. He ran an exemplary farm with respectable income, but then problems arose. For example, we had peppers that suffered from a virus. No one knew what it was, and various methods were attempted to solve it. I remember as a kid the peppers were magnificent — large and beautiful, but over the years, they became thin, small, and unattractive with lots of diseases. They sprayed more and more and ended up with 35 sprays a year, which was insane. It's a lot. Then they grew carrots, and as soon as they sowed, a caterpillar called Prodynau shaved it all, leaving just a barren field. There were many troubles hard to explain. Father, being organized, kept meticulous records, tracking every crop. He realized something was fundamentally wrong — you shouldn't have 35 sprays on peppers. He realized he needed to start something new and thus transitioned to organic agriculture."

The son, Boaz Levy (Credit: Or Levy)

In 1969, Menachem Bar-Droma, responsible for field crops at the Ministry of Agriculture, allowed him to train in Switzerland with Dr. Hans Müller, considered a guru of organic agriculture. Upon returning to Israel, Levy tried to disseminate the knowledge he had acquired through the Ministry of Agriculture but met resistance. His kibbutz, Sde Eliyahu, allocated him 200 dunams for organic cultivation. In a three-year experiment, Levy grew seven different species. Following his success, the Ministry of Agriculture helped export the produce. In 1979, Levy published his article "Foundations of Bio-Organic Agriculture in the Field." As a result, he was appointed as an organic agriculture instructor at the Ministry's Agricultural Extension Service.

Boaz: "Father started experimenting with growing methods and had remarkable discoveries. He planted organic carrots without spraying next to sprayed carrots. Surprisingly, the Prodynau thrived where there was spraying. His explanation was that nature has natural enemies, and when you spray, you kill them too. The Prodynau became resistant to the chemical, so the following year they used a stronger one. Over time, the chemicals needed to become harsher. However, the natural enemy 'celebrated' over the Prodynau and didn't let it in. Father understood he was onto something and switched to organic farming. People outside raised an eyebrow, even laughed a bit, but he was resolute. Change came when he brought the head of the Vegetable Growers Association for a visit. They toured the fields, and Father showed him the organic produce. He was convinced. Father began working in Tel Aviv, managing, coordinating, and instructing, slowly gathering people from the field. After years, he returned to the kibbutz and established what is known here as 'Mario's Garden.' He used to say we know little about nature. He constantly aimed to improve methods and innovate. It requires a lot of thought, precision, and awareness of nature."

How did faith integrate with his work in agriculture?

"Father would say that Hashem placed man in the Garden of Eden to work it and protect it. This means that we, the people, shouldn't interfere. There's a biological balance in nature. Every aspect has its place — friends and foes. When non-organic substances are sprayed, they disrupt this balance. Soil diseases arise, and no one knows their origin. In organic growing, such diseases don't occur. Why? We don't know. Father always said that Hashem created a wonderful world, and we know but a fraction of what happens in nature. Judaism and faith were keystones for him. He said: Man is here to build, not destroy. Toward the end of his life, he emphasized this message even more. He had a great joy for life and insisted there is great harmony in nature."

"Organic Farming Was in His Soul"

In August 2000, Levy received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the 'International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements' (IFOAM). Eight years later, he was awarded another Lifetime Achievement Award from the Plant Council. Boaz: "In his final days, he didn’t have the strength to speak about most topics. When I asked him questions about specific crops, it was as if he had forgotten everything else and was completely healthy. Organic agriculture was in his soul. He viewed it perfectly and harmoniously. He believed the world is complete; everything needed is present; we just need to understand how to arrange things."

Did he draw inspiration for his crops from Jewish sources?

"A lot. He learned much from Mishnayot dealing with soil processing, compost, and soil enrichment. It was in his soul. He deeply respected our ancestors. He used to ask, did our ancestors spray? No, they didn’t. So why do we need to spray? The Tannaim and Amoraim had growth methods — let's learn and follow their ways. He worked on soil science. He said it's foundational. The last three years of managing his garden were a great gift for me — I asked him many questions, and we discussed technical, practical, and ideological matters. He left behind many written works, students, and hundreds of farmers he personally trained with day and night efforts. For example, in Gush Katif, an empire of organic produce was established, and Father was a part of building the greenhouses and the guidance. Father lamented two things: that the expulsion from Gush Katif happened, and that none of his family remained. Although his brothers survived World War II, they assimilated. He was the only one to start a family, immigrate to Israel, and return to faith. In every letter he received from abroad, he would reiterate: 'I was the only one who survived and returned.'"

The father, Mario Levy (Credit: Or Levy)

Why is organic produce still more expensive than regular produce?

"In lectures, people would tell Father that it's impossible to feed the world with organic agriculture. It's true. We don't know enough. If we knew how to grow organically and avoid diseases, it could feed the world. It's still more expensive because much manual labor remains. Father developed various agricultural tools, but a lot of manual labor remains for removing weeds. Advanced technology exists in organic farming, but it's mainly prevalent in Europe."

Today, Boaz grows only organic produce. In winter, they grew leeks, cabbage, fennel, cauliflower, broccoli, parsley, coriander, arugula, eggplants, peppers, garlic, onions, butternut squash, and potatoes.

What is it like being a farmer in 2019?

"Fascinating. There are innovations every day. It's gaining traction among the youth. People are excited about connecting with nature, and groups come to work together. There's an educational aspect to this. When I work with people, I show them innovations and work styles. Besides, farming holds wonders. It strengthens faith — seeing how things grow from nothing all the time is amazing."

How much do global warming and earth destruction impact agriculture?

"In the past, there was an order from Germany to export organic carrots for Gerber for infants. We shipped from Israel, and they, of course, tested the produce in the lab as standard. Surprisingly, they found traces of a toxic substance sprayed in various forms. The produce was returned, and Father checked the records, finding that eight years prior, before the field became organic, the substance had been sprayed. Some substances do not decompose, and toxic residues remain. That's problematic. Hashem created the world so that everything is in its time. In the past, a lot of produce was needed, and spraying was efficient in achieving the goal, but today, after the world has stabilized, we can do otherwise. The world is stronger and capable of deeper, more explanatory actions. People seek health. They want to live well, which means eating properly."