Bittersweet; The Third Memorial of the Destruction of Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron communities

Bittersweet; The Third Memorial of the Destruction of Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron communities

By Sara Layah Shomron
Nitzan caravilla

With our third memorial of the destruction of our Gush Katif and northern Shomron communities quickly approaching I find myself thinking of my cousins' aliya on the exact same date, same time, same year.

My cousins made aliya from the USA with the Nefesh b' Nefesh organization. For them it surely was a time filled with mixed emotions teetering between excitement, hope, and apprehension as they approached their new life chapter in Israel.

My world in Gush Katif was falling apart before my eyes and I so desperately needed to welcome these relatives with whom I had only recently become familiar, this plane, hear the Zionist speeches, and witness this in-gathering - but it wasn't to be.

Our nation had lost a national treasure but simultaneously had gained strength in Jewish families making aliya. I felt we stood together with new challenges ahead.

I am happy to write of my cousins' positive attitudes and efforts in acclimating and integrating into their new life. They're off to a running start and pacing themselves nicely – children and parents alike. They are actively involved with their community, and are making their aliya work.

Here at the temporary Nitzan caravilla where the largest concentration of former Gush Katif residents reside, we find those people that are doing well are doing so in spite of the government and not because of it.

According to the recently published Maagar Mohot Institute comprehensive study of the Gush Katif population measuring attitude and perception towards the Israeli government as well as emotional, financial, and medical situations three years after the Israeli unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, (Ynet, 07.23.08 "Gush Katif evacuees suffering financial, medical problems"), the former Gush Katif residents feel the government failed miserably in fulfilling its slogan "There is a solution for every settler."

Approximately 70% of the Maagar Mohot study participants claim their financial situation is far worse than it was prior to the evacuation while 37% consider their over-all situation “bad” or “very bad.” Gush Katif residents were productive, employed members of society prior to Disengagement whereas today 50% remain unemployed with the former farmers 31% unemployment rate especially high. Moreover, while the overwhelming majority chose to stay with their Gush Katif community, 67% are dissatisfied with their temporary prefab caravilla structures. Lastly, 61% of the study participants claim the grossly inadequate compensation monies allocated for housing are being spent on daily expenses with little left for housing.

The combination of high unemployment, financial difficulties, inadequate temporary housing and tight, limited budgets for permanent housing all conspire to make an increase in acute medical diagnoses including depression, heart disease, and cancer. These ailments were unknown among the former Gush Katif residents prior to Disengagement.

Yet we will continue with our struggle.

We will build new communities based on the foundations and goals of our destroyed Gush Katif. The infrastructure for the permanent Neve Dekalim site here at Nitzan continue at a snail pace, yet many families have met and continue to meet with architects and contractors. As of this writing, 72 families, including mine, await the required building permits while about 15 houses have already begun to be built.










May we all continue to go from strength to strength!