Tommy Waller, president and founder of HaYovel, found his life’s mission in the mountains of Israel in 2004. Today, his entire family works alongside him to educate the Christian world about the unique role of the Jewish people and their position in the nation of Israel. Tommy and Sherri, his wife of 37 years, have 11 children and 30 grandchildren, and counting.
Tommy was born into a devoted Southern Baptist family, the grandson of a minister. His family generously hosted friends and family regularly.In 1994, Tommy left his corporate management position at FedEx to come home and learn to live off the land in an Amish community – a little out of the norm!
Living off the grid for 6 years stripped away all the distractions of the modern American lifestyle while developing strong family ties and work ethics. The focus on the family created a deep confidence and sense of security. As the Waller family seriously studied the Bible, God turned their hearts and minds toward Israel. Tommy traveled to Israel for the first time in 2004 with some friends on a business trip. It was then that he first saw the vineyards and read the prophecies that are now being fulfilled. His deep faith and wholeheartedness called him to trade the ordinary for the extraordinary! Tommy began traveling back and forth with his family and friends. HaYovel began by helping one vineyard owner with his fields. Now HaYovel is the largest volunteer organization in Israel bringing foreign volunteers, and its volunteers harvest over 400 tons of grapes annually, representing 30 different nations. The vineyards in Samaria have increased by 800%!
Tommy courageously challenges past failed relationship attempts between Jews and Christians. He strongly advocates for the Christian community to support the Jewish community in their God-given role as a light to the world, teaching the word of God to the nations. Under Tommy’s direction, HaYovel has become a bridge between Christian nations and the heartland of Israel. With key relationships in the Israeli Knesset, oversight by the Har Bracha Council and strong support in Samaria, Tommy has become a leading voice of truth.
Zac Waller was born in Kentucky and raised in the hills of Tennessee, but he found his life calling on the mountains of Samaria in the heartland of re-born Israel. At the age of thirteen, he dedicated his life to the God of Israel and professed Yeshua (Jesus) as his Lord and Savior. Little did he know that this commitment would lead him to a thriving vineyard on the Mount of Blessing in Samaria. It was there, during the grape harvest of 2007, that the call was made clear – Almighty God was resurrecting the land and people of Israel, and the nations needed to participate! That following year, in recognition of his managerial giftings that had blossomed while farming with his family in Tennessee, HaYovel’s Board of Directors voted him in as its Director. After six years of much growth and success, Zac was promoted to the position of Executive Director.
In the spring of 2011, Zac chose Becca Jackson, a beautiful and virtuous young lady who had volunteered during two prior harvests, to be his bride. They are now the proud parents of four lionhearted boys and two beautiful little girls.
In addition to his leadership in HaYovel and family responsibilities, Zac has a weekly segment on the Joshua and Caleb Report podcast. The stories from his life experiences, combined with thought-provoking teachings from the Scripture and Jewish culture are a beacon of light to many around the globe.
Worshipping his Creator through music and song is also a passion of Zac’s. He began leading worship at his congregation at age 15. The Waller family and friends have produced several albums. Zac is most known for his songs and music videos Israel, You’re Not Alone and Restoration.
Zac Waller is a leader, a teacher, and a man of faith, dedicated to walking with, equipping and undergirding God’s people in the nations, empowering them to serve the God of Israel, bringing about the restoration of all things!
Born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA, at age 16, Luke was privileged to join his mother on a trip to Israel. Little did he know he would be forever changed as he began to see his Bible come to life. Since then, and more than fifteen trips to Israel later, he has become a passionate advocate on behalf of Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria – the heartland of Israel. Luke has been speaking to groups around the world since 2011, and has traveled extensively in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. His heart is to see God’s Kingdom restored to Israel. His passion is to tell the story of Israel to millions of Christian Zionists around the world, inspiring them to engage in God’s story that is unfolding in the Holy Land.
Luke’s management abilities in marketing and media began to surface in 2014, and in the spring of 2016, Luke became the Director of Marketing at HaYovel. His job includes overseeing email campaigns, social media, website design and programming, advertising, printing, and producing HaYovel products and media. Under Luke’s gifted hands, HaYovel has gained international airtime for the popular show The Joshua and Caleb Report: Stories from the Heartland of Israel.
Luke serves as a writer and producer of the organization’s many short films. He currently co-hosts The Israel Guys Youtube channel and podcast.
In 2014, Luke found the love of his life in Olivia Waller, and they were married soon after. They now have five beautiful children, four girls and one boy. When not traveling, the family spends most of their time on the Mt. of Blessing at HaYovel’s base.
Joshua is the third oldest of the 11 Waller children. He first came to Israel when he was 14 years old with his family, and felt the Land and her people grip his heart. Since then, he has been actively involved in field operations in Israel. At a young age, Joshua took on and managed the Harvest and Pruning trip operations.
Now, Joshua works as HaYovel’s Operations Director. He enjoys the logistical puzzle of working out the details of programs and events. He also loves the opportunity to communicate to the HaYovel staff and every volunteer he meets in Israel and the nations with the message of God’s restoration for Israel.
Joshua also co-hosts The Israel Guys show and speaks across the United States and around the world. Joshua loves to share a good report of the Land with everyone he meets, in the same spirit as his biblical namesake.
In 2016, Joshua found and married the love of his life, Katelyn, in their most favorite place on earth—the vineyards of Israel. To date, they have three beautiful girls. Joshua and Katelyn are passionate to see the Land of Israel become green again and the nations take part in Israel’s redemption. The two love working together as a team and praise the Father that their life’s calling is to get to be a part of building up the Land and people of Israel.
Randy grew up in Virginia Beach, VA. In 1980, he married Lynne (also a native of Virginia Beach), and a few years later went to work for the Department of Defense, working for the Navy, Army Reserves, and Army Corps of Engineers throughout his 33-year career. Seven years into marriage, right before he was transferred to work in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Randy gave his life to the Lord. They lived in “Gitmo” for five years, which was a pivotal time of spiritual growth for Randy. Coming back to Virginia Beach as a Christian, Randy had his family involved in many church activities, as well as helping the children with their music lessons and local youth orchestras. He also began a lawn care business with his two oldest sons so they could work together and give the boys some income.
In 2008, now with eight children, the family’s worldview and lives began a drastic change when they took their first trip to Israel with HaYovel. After several years of traveling to Israel, Randy began working to process HaYovel’s visas during the evenings while continuing his job during the day. At the end of 2014, however, he made the decision to leave his employment of 33 years and join the full-time staff of HaYovel, then taking on a wide variety of responsibilities, managing the Volunteer Enrollment department. He is also a part of the leadership team and is a community elder at the base in Israel. He feels immensely privileged to help bring volunteers from all over the world to serve the Jewish farmers in the heartland of Israel, and he is completely “sold out” for the restoration of the Kingdom.
Randy speaks out against replacement theology and “fake news” which seems to make Israel a prime target, and has become an advocate for training other advocates. He believes that the Temple Mount should be a “house of prayer for all nations,” and feels privileged to stand with the Jewish people – especially in the biblical heartland of Israel. Randy feels that his greatest accomplishments include raising eight wonderful children and being blessed thus far with fourteen grandchildren.
Lynne was born in Virginia and grew up in the southeast corner of the state, Virginia Beach. One of the great joys of her life has been raising and homeschooling eight children, based on the solid foundation of the Word of God. In 2008, Lynne’s life was forever changed when she and two of her children made their first trip to Israel with HaYovel. After witnessing the incredible work of the Kingdom that was in process in the land of Israel, Lynne, and eventually nearly all the rest of her family, joined forces with the Waller family in their kingdom-building work in the heartland.
In 2011, Lynne began interviewing the hundreds of volunteers that apply to join HaYovel in Israel each year, along with processing their applications. Six years later, Lynne works in the since-created Volunteer Enrollment department that is headed by her husband, Randy. She works hard to make the application and interview process a pleasant experience for HaYovel’s female volunteer applicants, and also helps to make sure that they have a blessed and life-changing time after they arrive in Israel. This includes the role of “camp mother,” not only at the harvest, but also at other HaYovel functions, which provides endless relational opportunities. Lynne also continues to homeschool her two youngest children. Lynne is tremendously blessed to have grandchildren nearby, and she feels greatly privileged to work closely with her husband and six of her children. Among her greatest heroes are the courageous pioneers in Judea and Samaria, that the world calls “settlers.”
I grew up in a family where both my father and mother were in the Navy, until they found out I was on the way. There were four of us kids, and we learned that home varied depending on where dad went. I finally landed in Kentucky, started work for the Tennessee State Comptroller’s Office in 1985 and two years later became a CPA.
During the 90’s I began to experience a spiritual awakening that led me to a deeper love for God and Israel. As I began to meet others that were experiencing this same awakening, I was told about an amazing family and their love for God and Israel. Around 2006, my husband and I got to meet this “amazing” family, Tommy and Sherri Waller and their children, and an unlikely, but God ordained, adventure began.
The most recent part of that adventure involved me joining the staff of HaYovel, as the senior accountant, in March of 2018, shortly before I retired from the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office. I look forward to seeing how the adventure continues to unfold.
Nate Waller grew up in the work of HaYovel, being number five of the eleven Waller children. He has a passion to see Israel’s agricultural restoration and the Temple rebuilt in Jerusalem. He and his wife, Katie, along with their four beautiful children, are blessed to be able to work almost full-time in Israel, spending short periods of time in the US for events.
Nate works with his brother Joshua to coordinate the volunteer seasons in Israel, and to carry out many of the logistics for volunteer programs. He maintains ongoing communication with the farmers and plans work days for harvest, pruning and other events throughout the year. Currently, Nate serves as Head of Housing on the campus in Israel, organizing lodging for volunteers and growing facilities as necessary. He is also the Head of Security for the Israel base facilities.
Ben grew up in an amazing homeschooled family of eight children in Virginia Beach, VA. Since he was very young, Ben has been fascinated with technology and creative imagination, always thinking “out of the box.” Homeschooling lent itself well to this bent, and in 2010 Ben made his first trip to Israel with HaYovel.
Shortly after this, Ben began producing short videos for HaYovel which eventually launched itself into a media department working alongside his older brother Luke. In 2012 they produced their first documentary about HaYovel, and the two went on to write, film and edit over 30 episodes of the Joshua and Caleb Report TV series along with many other inspirational short films and promotionals. Their work has aired on many TV stations around the world, as well as won awards in Israeli film competitions. Ben is not only passionate about film and storytelling, but also about the Temple Mount and the desire to see all nations worshiping God on His Holy Mountain.
In April of 2019, Ben was blessed to marry the love of his life Stefania Bikowsky. They spend most of their time on the HaYovel base on the Mt. of Blessing in Israel. There Ben manages the media department, continuing to produce films and shows for HaYovel. When not behind a camera or computer, he also leads tours on the Temple Mount, and recently authored his first book, “Jesus Loves the Temple.”
Andrew was born and grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. His first time in Israel was a volunteer trip with HaYovel in 2014. Going to Israel was a dream come true that he’d had since he was 10 years old. Standing upon the soil of this special land and touching miraculous millennia-old prophecy come true, his heart was captivated by God’s loving faithfulness to His people and the breathtaking story of redemption that is unfolding in our generation. In 2015, Andrew graduated from a six-month Heartland Ambassador Internship Program with HaYovel and has been working full-time on HaYovel’s staff since December 2015.
Today, he serves as the organization’s digital marketing manager and webmaster, managing the websites, social media pages, advertising, and email newsletter lists for HaYovel and The Israel Guys. He loves to share the miraculous story of Israel’s restoration through online content, photography and graphic design, as well as traveling the world to speak at churches and congregations, informing people how they can connect and be a part of what God is doing in Israel.
Andrew married fellow HaYovel staff member Caroline Hilton in the summer of 2020 and they now serve together in Israel as husband and wife. Their beautiful daughter Abigail was born in August 2021.
Britt grew up as the ninth born child in the Waller family. He made his first trip to the Land in 2005 at 6 years old, thinking that Israel would be like a storybook with people dressed in biblical attire riding donkeys. He quickly realized that just as Israel is a real place of the present, the Bible and our faith is also more than a story of the past, it is a reality of the present and future!
He is passionate about sharing this reality with others through managing HaYovel’s Sons of Zion program, leading volunteers during operations, and speaking to churches and congregations around the world. Britt also serves as the Logistics Coordinator for HaYovel’s US and Israel events and programs.
Britt married his beloved wife Taryn in 2019. They love working together toward seeing Israel’s full redemption and God’s presence restored in Zion.
We are Pete and Tess Norton. We have been blessed with Lana, Anya, David, Benjamin, Reuben, Faith and Havah and we are so excited to be able to share a snippet of our story with you here.
Since getting married in 2007 and starting a family, we have always strived to live our life in the most God-honoring way we could, and this has seen many changes as we have been pruned. Deciding to let God determine how many children we would be blessed with has been a huge part of that and has brought countless blessings. Just as one door leads to another, so it has been for us; by deciding to be submitted to, trusting in, and being obedient to God’s breathed and living word.
The pruning got more serious a couple of years ago and we have been on a great journey of discovery since then. We felt sure that God was preparing us for something, and that something is Israel. More specifically Judea and Samaria, the Biblical Heartland.
Deon and Leoni were born and raised in South Africa, and immigrated to Australia 16 years ago to follow God’s leading for their life and raise their 4 precious children. In their journey to discover what modern day Israel meant to their faith, they came across the ministry of HaYovel in 2008. Their hearts immediately connected with the ministry and they came to realise that modern day Israel is a miraculous work from God in our generation and that the Bible is full of prophesy concerning this time. The return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel and the land responding by reversing desolation to fruitfulness is the much-awaited redemption happening before our eyes. Deon and Leoni’s desire is to devote their lives to serving God by participating as gentiles from the nations in the restoration of the land of Israel and blessing its people.
Deon serves as HaYovel’s forester, managing our Greening Israel Project and monitoring forestry plots throughout Judea and Samaria where thousands of new trees are now growing.
Josiah was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in a Christian home with a love for Israel. At the young age of 11 he was privileged to make his first trip to Israel with his family. Since his first trip, he has grown up making frequent visits to the Land to serve the Jewish farmers with HaYovel. Josiah is now a passionate ambassador for the Land of Israel.
Josiah’s family came on staff in 2011 and since then he has been very involved with HaYovel’s operations in Israel and with events in the United States. Josiah has traveled around the United States speaking to many groups and individuals, advocating for the Land of Israel.
He now spends most of his time in Israel with his family. Josiah has a full-time position in the Marketing Department of HaYovel. He works in Brand and Content Development, Email Marketing, and Publishing. When not in the office, Josiah can be found leading operations in the field during volunteer programs, or working in maintenance on the HaYovel base on the Mt. of Blessing.
Josiah is fervently excited about what God is doing in the Land of Israel and has a passion to share what he has seen with the world through marketing and public speaking.
Justin is the youngest of eight siblings and grew up in a homeschooled family in Virginia Beach, VA. He was excited to make his first trip to Israel when he was seven years old. Ever since then, he has been a part of HaYovel’s volunteer operations.
Along with his family, Justin has been staying almost year-round in Israel since 2016. In early 2021, he graduated from high school and joined his older brother Luke working in HaYovel’s Marketing Department. Along with content development, photography, and graphic design, he continues to help out with HaYovel’s operations whenever he can.
Justin is passionate about the restoration of the Land of Israel and is excited to do his part in fulfilling Biblical prophecy by working full-time in Israel and ultimately accomplishing God’s plan for his life.
As eighth born in the Waller family, Havah grew up loving Israel. She has always had a passion for life, art and creativity. When she got her first camera at age 13, she decided to convey to the world both of her passions by visually displaying the beauty and hope of Israel in a creative way so that the world would see God’s promises coming to life right before their eyes. She now works as HaYovel’s lead photographer and graphic designer. The more photos she takes and graphics she designs, the more her passion grows toward God and his land.
When not behind a camera or working in Photoshop, Havah also manages HaYovel’s commercial kitchen in Israel for volunteer programs. She has managed the production of thousands of meals, providing for a five-star experience for our volunteers who come to Israel.
Tessa practically grew up in the land of Israel. She was born two years prior to the founding of HaYovel and made her first trip when she was only three. Being the tenth born of the Waller family, life is never boring. She is the assistant chef and Hospitality Manager while HaYovel is hosting volunteers. When not hosting, she helps handcraft the HaYovel Vine Jewelry, and lends a hand to whatever project the operations department is involved in.
