Thirty days comprise a recognized duration of mourning in Jewish tradition.
Among the ceremonies held or to be held are the following:
* This past Saturday night in Kibbutz Chafetz Chaim, by the residents of what used to be Ganei Tal
* Yesterday (Tuesday) at the Western Wall, by the residents of the former Kfar Darom, with the participation of rabbis and many other people
* This afternoon at the Karni Junction, by the residents of the former Netzarim.
In addition, a unique ceremony will be held tomorrow in recognition of the youths who took part in the struggle against the expulsion. Shabtai Shiran, of Mateh Tzafon (the Northern Task Force for the Land of Israel), explained the purpose: "We wish to show appreciation for the meshubahim [top of the line] of our sons and daughters."
(This is a play on the word shabah, which is itself an acronym for 'illegal dweller' - the term used to refer to the Jews who entered Gush Katif and northern Shomron for the purpose of fighting the expulsion, as well as to Arabs who remain in Israel illegally.)
"Someone has to say thank you," Shiran said, "to our wonderful youth, those who went down [usually clandestinely] on their own initiative to Gush Katif and northern Shomron, and stayed there [for two weeks or more] until the expulsion, and saw the destruction with their own eyes, and were thrown out of the homes [and shelters and other places] in which they stayed, and went to the roads and other protests, and were arrested, and sat - many of them - for a long while in prison... It's time to recognize them."
Signed on the certificates of honor will be MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union), who moved to the now-destroyed Shomron community of Sa-Nur several months ago, Col. (res.) Moshe Leshem of Gamla Shall Not Fall Again, and a representative of Mateh Tzafon. "We would have been happy to have the ceremony in N'vei Dekalim," Shiran said, "but since we can't, we'll hold it here in the north."
Some 150 youths will be receiving certificates, though Shiran acknowledges that there are many more who qualify. The requirements are: "First of all, they must be youths, i.e, 18 years old or under. They must also have been arrested and placed in prison for at least one night, or have been in Gush Katif or the northern Shomron in the days preceding and up to the actual expulsion."
Asked to explain why having sat in jail is a qualification to be admired and recognized, Shiran said, "These are the ones who were pained by what was happening, and who tried to get to Kisufim [the entrance to Gush Katif] over and over until they were arrested; these are the ones for whom fire burned in their bones and they just couldn't sit at home - yes, these are the ones for whom we wish to show our appreciation."
Following the award ceremony, which will be held in Kfar Hasidim near Haifa, a seminar will be held on what Shiran called the "fine line between listening blindly to orders and following one's conscience."
Among the ceremonies held or to be held are the following:
* This past Saturday night in Kibbutz Chafetz Chaim, by the residents of what used to be Ganei Tal
* Yesterday (Tuesday) at the Western Wall, by the residents of the former Kfar Darom, with the participation of rabbis and many other people
* This afternoon at the Karni Junction, by the residents of the former Netzarim.
In addition, a unique ceremony will be held tomorrow in recognition of the youths who took part in the struggle against the expulsion. Shabtai Shiran, of Mateh Tzafon (the Northern Task Force for the Land of Israel), explained the purpose: "We wish to show appreciation for the meshubahim [top of the line] of our sons and daughters."
(This is a play on the word shabah, which is itself an acronym for 'illegal dweller' - the term used to refer to the Jews who entered Gush Katif and northern Shomron for the purpose of fighting the expulsion, as well as to Arabs who remain in Israel illegally.)
"Someone has to say thank you," Shiran said, "to our wonderful youth, those who went down [usually clandestinely] on their own initiative to Gush Katif and northern Shomron, and stayed there [for two weeks or more] until the expulsion, and saw the destruction with their own eyes, and were thrown out of the homes [and shelters and other places] in which they stayed, and went to the roads and other protests, and were arrested, and sat - many of them - for a long while in prison... It's time to recognize them."
Signed on the certificates of honor will be MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union), who moved to the now-destroyed Shomron community of Sa-Nur several months ago, Col. (res.) Moshe Leshem of Gamla Shall Not Fall Again, and a representative of Mateh Tzafon. "We would have been happy to have the ceremony in N'vei Dekalim," Shiran said, "but since we can't, we'll hold it here in the north."
Some 150 youths will be receiving certificates, though Shiran acknowledges that there are many more who qualify. The requirements are: "First of all, they must be youths, i.e, 18 years old or under. They must also have been arrested and placed in prison for at least one night, or have been in Gush Katif or the northern Shomron in the days preceding and up to the actual expulsion."
Asked to explain why having sat in jail is a qualification to be admired and recognized, Shiran said, "These are the ones who were pained by what was happening, and who tried to get to Kisufim [the entrance to Gush Katif] over and over until they were arrested; these are the ones for whom fire burned in their bones and they just couldn't sit at home - yes, these are the ones for whom we wish to show our appreciation."
Following the award ceremony, which will be held in Kfar Hasidim near Haifa, a seminar will be held on what Shiran called the "fine line between listening blindly to orders and following one's conscience."