Prayers of thanksgiving were offered in synagogues throughout Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) this morning, following the overwhelming victory of the pro-settlement side in the Likud Party referendum yesterday. Some congregations recited Hallel without a blessing, while others recited Psalm 107, that which is said on Independence Day. Rabbis and other leaders said that the results of the vote prove that the people are more loyal to the Land of Israel than their leaders are.
The final results, as announced early this morning by the Likud Party, show that 59.5% of those who voted are opposed to the unilateral withdrawal/expulsion from Gaza, while 39.7% are in favor - a margin of almost 20%. Just over half - 51.6% - of the party's 193,190 registered members voted, or almost 100,000 people.
In Gush Katif, the victory was pungently bittersweet, following the slaughter of the Hatuel family of Moshav Katif yesterday. Despite the mourning, a modest thanksgiving ceremony was held last night. People began congregating outside the Regional Council office in N'vei Dekalim shortly before the results were announced, and they broke out in applause when the news was broadcast. "Of course," wrote Gush Katif's unofficial website Katif.net last night, "if we hadn't had that terrible murderous attack, there would have been singing and dancing. The residents of this area, unfortunately, are already used to happiness and joy coming together, and today too we are forced to rejoice while at the same time the thought does not leave us of the family that will not return."
Later at night, the youth of Gush Katif gathered in N'vei Dekalim for a session of "encouragement, mutual strengthening and words of Torah." Special appreciation was expressed for the three weeks' worth of non-stop work on the part of the youth that contributed to yesterday's great victory.
This morning, a festive groundbreaking ceremony was held in N'vei Dekalim for a new neighborhood. The new homes will be built in an area outside the Ulpana, the girls' high school in the northwestern part of the town. Shortly afterwards, two ceremonies were held in the Ne'ot Katif elementary school in the area - one for boys and one for girls. The assemblies were scheduled well before the referendum results were known. A letter of explanation to the parents stated, "We wish to repeat once again to the children the clear messages that G-d is the true rule of history, and the spiritual/informational campaign/battle is still ahead of us. We must continue to study and pray strongly, and thus to bring merit to Israel with good deeds."
The final results, as announced early this morning by the Likud Party, show that 59.5% of those who voted are opposed to the unilateral withdrawal/expulsion from Gaza, while 39.7% are in favor - a margin of almost 20%. Just over half - 51.6% - of the party's 193,190 registered members voted, or almost 100,000 people.
In Gush Katif, the victory was pungently bittersweet, following the slaughter of the Hatuel family of Moshav Katif yesterday. Despite the mourning, a modest thanksgiving ceremony was held last night. People began congregating outside the Regional Council office in N'vei Dekalim shortly before the results were announced, and they broke out in applause when the news was broadcast. "Of course," wrote Gush Katif's unofficial website Katif.net last night, "if we hadn't had that terrible murderous attack, there would have been singing and dancing. The residents of this area, unfortunately, are already used to happiness and joy coming together, and today too we are forced to rejoice while at the same time the thought does not leave us of the family that will not return."
Later at night, the youth of Gush Katif gathered in N'vei Dekalim for a session of "encouragement, mutual strengthening and words of Torah." Special appreciation was expressed for the three weeks' worth of non-stop work on the part of the youth that contributed to yesterday's great victory.
This morning, a festive groundbreaking ceremony was held in N'vei Dekalim for a new neighborhood. The new homes will be built in an area outside the Ulpana, the girls' high school in the northwestern part of the town. Shortly afterwards, two ceremonies were held in the Ne'ot Katif elementary school in the area - one for boys and one for girls. The assemblies were scheduled well before the referendum results were known. A letter of explanation to the parents stated, "We wish to repeat once again to the children the clear messages that G-d is the true rule of history, and the spiritual/informational campaign/battle is still ahead of us. We must continue to study and pray strongly, and thus to bring merit to Israel with good deeds."