The Kfar Darom-ites, who have nothing but praise for their hosts in the Paradise Hotel, are scheduled to remain in Ashkelon only for two years or so. In the duration, they will be seeking solutions for the establishment of their permanent community.
Many of the new Ashkelon residents are still out of work and will join the city's unemployed rolls (see below, however).
The community's educational institutions - the school, yeshiva, Kollel, and the Torah and Land Institute - will continue to function in a building granted by the Ashkelon Municipality. The day care centers and the synagogue will function in the Eyal Towers building itself.
A strongly ideological and cohesive community in northern Gush Katif, Kfar Darom had set as its goal its perpetuation as a community even after the destruction and expulsion. Though they were accustomed to open areas and single-family dwellings, they agreed to move into an urban apartment building for idealistic reasons. "Our goal is to be with the people, to remain in the middle of the country, to be able to have an influence," one resident said just a few days after the expulsion.
"From our new location we can look towards the ocean and Gush Katif," said Rabbi Asher Mivtzari of Kfar Darom. "We hope that we will return there, with G-d's help... The Gush Katif public is strong and will overcome - but the feeling is that the country struck a great blow at the concept of mutual responsibility, of 'kol yisrael areivim.' We felt great solidarity with Jonathan Pollard, who helped the country but was betrayed by it. But thank G-d, we have moved into apartments. Our need now is to rectify the general ethical situation."
Other Gush Katif news:
* The evicted residents recently received a letter saying that their "follow-me" arrangement with the Postal Authority had come to an end, and that it would cost 56 shekels to renew it. The letter stated that the residents must update those who send them mail as to their new address "in order to save [you] from paying the service fee."
Moti Sender of the former Gush Katif community of Ganei Tal, who edits the Katif.net website, wrote that the arrangement never worked well:
"Much mail never reached [us], and some of it arrived only months afterwards. It is chutzpah on the part of the Postal Authority to collect money for this service when until now it hasn't done its work properly, and we cannot update all those who write to us about our new addresses. Many government offices themselves still send us mail at our Gush Katif addresses, including the Interior Ministry."
* The community of Netzer Hazani, whose members currently live in the Golan, Ein Tzurim and elsewhere, has apparently decided to build its new community outside Yesodot. If the program goes through, this would create a bloc of Gush Katif communities: Ganei Tal in Chafetz Chaim, Netzer Hazani in Yesodot, and in between, a community of families from N'vei Dekalim and elsewhere will reside in Yad Binyamin. Families from Gadid, Atzmonah and Gan-Or are also part of the plans.
* Dozens of expelled residents who now live in the temporary pre-fab community of Nitzan, north of Ashkelon, as well as in other sites, convened this week in the Waldenberg Community Center in Ashkelon for the opening of a course in Project Management. The intensive course will take place four times a week for four months, and will grant the students professional tools for advancement in their work. It is being provided by the Ashkelon Employment Office especially for Gush Katif residents.
Many of the new Ashkelon residents are still out of work and will join the city's unemployed rolls (see below, however).
The community's educational institutions - the school, yeshiva, Kollel, and the Torah and Land Institute - will continue to function in a building granted by the Ashkelon Municipality. The day care centers and the synagogue will function in the Eyal Towers building itself.
A strongly ideological and cohesive community in northern Gush Katif, Kfar Darom had set as its goal its perpetuation as a community even after the destruction and expulsion. Though they were accustomed to open areas and single-family dwellings, they agreed to move into an urban apartment building for idealistic reasons. "Our goal is to be with the people, to remain in the middle of the country, to be able to have an influence," one resident said just a few days after the expulsion.
"From our new location we can look towards the ocean and Gush Katif," said Rabbi Asher Mivtzari of Kfar Darom. "We hope that we will return there, with G-d's help... The Gush Katif public is strong and will overcome - but the feeling is that the country struck a great blow at the concept of mutual responsibility, of 'kol yisrael areivim.' We felt great solidarity with Jonathan Pollard, who helped the country but was betrayed by it. But thank G-d, we have moved into apartments. Our need now is to rectify the general ethical situation."
Other Gush Katif news:
* The evicted residents recently received a letter saying that their "follow-me" arrangement with the Postal Authority had come to an end, and that it would cost 56 shekels to renew it. The letter stated that the residents must update those who send them mail as to their new address "in order to save [you] from paying the service fee."
Moti Sender of the former Gush Katif community of Ganei Tal, who edits the Katif.net website, wrote that the arrangement never worked well:
"Much mail never reached [us], and some of it arrived only months afterwards. It is chutzpah on the part of the Postal Authority to collect money for this service when until now it hasn't done its work properly, and we cannot update all those who write to us about our new addresses. Many government offices themselves still send us mail at our Gush Katif addresses, including the Interior Ministry."
* The community of Netzer Hazani, whose members currently live in the Golan, Ein Tzurim and elsewhere, has apparently decided to build its new community outside Yesodot. If the program goes through, this would create a bloc of Gush Katif communities: Ganei Tal in Chafetz Chaim, Netzer Hazani in Yesodot, and in between, a community of families from N'vei Dekalim and elsewhere will reside in Yad Binyamin. Families from Gadid, Atzmonah and Gan-Or are also part of the plans.
* Dozens of expelled residents who now live in the temporary pre-fab community of Nitzan, north of Ashkelon, as well as in other sites, convened this week in the Waldenberg Community Center in Ashkelon for the opening of a course in Project Management. The intensive course will take place four times a week for four months, and will grant the students professional tools for advancement in their work. It is being provided by the Ashkelon Employment Office especially for Gush Katif residents.