3 1 2 104 105 Chapter Seven Educa�on and Culture Upon the establishment of the Gaza Coast Regional Council, in the summer of 1979, the first head of council, Reuven Rosenbla�, realized that the most important task for the dozens of families living in the area was educa�on. He said, "With all due respect to se�lement and agriculture, including the hardships and yields, the real concern of the parents was nurturing the human seedlings, or in simpler words, the quality of educa�on provided to their children."1 Thus, the first department established under the temporary organiza�onal structure of the Regional Council of the Ka�f se�lement was the Department of Educa�on and Culture. Asher Ben-Harush Mentzer from Netzer Hazani ini�ated the department's first organiza�onal steps in around one year, parallel to his agriculture work. A�er searching for a suitable candidate to manage the department, Mordechai (Mochi) Beter was appointed to this vital posi�on and served in it for about twenty-six years un�l the council was closed with the displacement of Gush Ka�f. From two kindergartens and a small, temporary elementary school that had about thirty students, Beter established an educa�on system that served thousands of students and various educa�onal ins�tu�ons: Daycare centers and kindergartens in all se�lements, six elementary schools, two high schools and a middle school, high yeshiva, seminaries, a Pre-military seminary, psychological service, transporta�on system for students who studied outside the region, community center and more. Gush Ka�f gained great publicity from the development of specialized agriculture. S�ll, it also prospered no less in the field of educa�on and culture, with an educa�on system that took care of individuals and the general public, turning the region into an academic powerhouse. The number of children increased year by year, and so did the investment, and the data spoke for themselves: In the last year of its existence, 488 children studied in Gush Ka�f in daycare centers, 768 children in kindergartens, 1353 students in elementary schools within Gush Ka�f, 470 students in ins�tu�ons outside Gush Ka�f, 410 students in middle schools and high schools in Gush Ka�f, and 352 students outside Gush Ka�f. Thanks to the great effort invested in educa�on throughout all years of a child's upbringing, the region yielded a future genera�on connected to the land, its Torah and its people. The dropout percentage was small. Everyone enlisted in the IDF and Na�onal Service, and a high rate of graduates later went on to higher yeshiva and academic studies. Thanks to the extensive development of educa�on in Gush Ka�f, in all its branches, hundreds of educators came to the area, and everyone - children, youth and adults - fought the war of their lives - the war for home, for Gush Ka�f and the future of the State of Israel. Educa�on became one of Gush Ka�f's key resources, both in academic ins�tu�ons within the region and outside it.2 Daycare Centers According to the council's decision, the educa�on department was also responsible for daycare centers in the se�lements, although these do not fall under the compulsory educa�on se�ng. Even though the first se�lements established their own daycare centers when they came to the region, maintained them and selected their employees, the council only allowed them to construct the buildings while handling everything else. The council expanded its areas of responsibility to the en�re preschool and early age groups. It hired the caregivers, handled their transporta�on, professional training and all the needs of the daycare centers. Rachel Tovi coordinated the daycare centers since their incep�on, and upon the system's growth and expansion, appointed daycare managers for the larger se�lements. It was one of the biggest projects both in terms of budget and in terms of improving the system and parental sa�sfac�on.3 The reports of daycare supervisor, Rachel Schnerb, a�est that all daycare centers worked splendidly. They were organized, standardized, with an agenda and a clear educa�onal plan, including special setuup for emergencies and a close rela�onship with the paramedics. Rachel guidede the caregivers how to provide love with professionalism, a fool-proof recipe for success. She also focused on children with special needs, and tailored the program to each locality's requirements.4 Kindergartens The kindergarten se�ng also grew year by year and became more professional. In the first years, Miri Frommer-Magidish served as the kindergarten coordinator, followed by Judith Zweig. Much emphasis was placed on educa�onal content, such as sciences, computers, art, environmentalism and, of course, Judaism and Israeli heritage. There was also proper and adequate prepara�on of children in the compulsory kindergarten se�ngs for primary school.5 The en�re system worked according to a clear and approved work plan, which included many/special ac�vi�es to relieve the tension during stressful periods.6 In the first years, most personnel who operated the kindergartens and daycare centers came from outside Gush Ka�f. As the number of residents increased, so did the number of resident kindergarten teachers. From a security viewpoint, it was extremely significant because of roadblocks and belated transporta�on which prevented the opening of kindergarten or daycare classes without personnel and disrupted the en�re system.7 The council also invested quite a bit in the development of this sector, working at adequate appointment of caregivers and kindergarten teachers, adapted to the needs and character of each locality. With the help of a skilled and efficient educa�onal and administra�ve staff, the council promoted the early educa�on sector in accordance with genuine needs and requests, provided further training, encouraged studies, and operated a pedagogical center to help kindergarten teachers and another small pedagogical center for caregivers and assistants. The success of the early childhood educa�on system was impressive, and educators from other councils came to visit and learn from it.8 Schools In the first years of Gush Ka�f, the children studied at the school in Kfar Maimon, within the boundaries of the Gaza Regional Council (today - Sdot Negev) to which they belonged un�l the establishment of the Gaza Coast Regional Council. The first school was established in Gush Ka�f in 1979, in the locality of Netzer Hazani, and its first public building - the grocery store. The school consisted of three grades from the 1st grade to the 3rd grade, with principal Meira Ofir from Ganei Tal at the helm. With the expansion of the se�lement and increased number of residents, the school was moved to Ka�f, the second se�lement, close to the regional council's offices. Two weeks before the beginning of the school year 5740 (1979-80), Rachel Cohen from Ne�vot was offered the posi�on of school principal. She accepted the challenge. A�er ge�ng �red of the day-to-day commute to transport the caregivers, Rachel decided to move to Gush Ka�f with her family. At her ini�a�ve, a compe��on was held to find a new name for the school instead of 'Ka�f Regional School.' Eventually, the name suggested by the Amargi family of Ganei Tal was chosen: 'Neot Ka�f', according to Psalms 23:2: "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the s�ll waters....", and that was its name un�l it was uprooted.9 1 Group ac�vity at the daycare center in Neve Dekalim 2 Children in the ball pit at a daycare center in Neve Dekalim 3 Kindergarten children in a morning ac�vity at the computer center, 'Mul�center' community center Chapter Seven | Educa�on and Culture
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