In attendance were the town's nearly 20 original families, over 60 other families that had come to fortify them for various durations in the several months before the expulsion, and many of the hundreds of youths who came for the same purpose. The result? "Instead of a small group of 17 families trying to keep ourselves afloat," resident Yossi Hazut said, "we are now a strong group of 80 families working for this purpose. Each of the families and youths that came to help us then, is willing to continue to help us now, until we find a permanent solution for Shirat HaYam."
As examples, Hazut, the town's "mayor," told Arutz-7 today, "One person said he will contact his uncle, an engineer, who will help us design our public buildings; another will coordinate efforts to find us places to stay when we need a couple of days off; another will help in raising money; and the like."
Hazut said that a critical problem at present is the lack of "what to do." The families have been living in the dormitory of Yeshivat Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion. They had been hoping to move to a new community in the Jordan Valley, but "complications" are holding up this option, "and at present we have no definite direction."
Similar to the expelled residents of Netzer Hazani (currently in Hispin), Moshav Katif (Kfar Pines), Gadid (N'vei Ilan) and others, the people of Shirat HaYam are effusive in praising their hosts. Hazut noted particularly the efforts of Rabbi Yosef Rimon, the rabbi of the new neighborhood in Alon Shvut: "He has opened an afternoon kollel (Torah study program) for us, with small stipends, and in general he and the community have adopted us very closely and warmly... But the bottom line is that we're still waiting [ten weeks after the expulsion - ed.]..."