1 2 3 6 5 4 112 113 Chapter Seven | Educa�on and Culture Midreshet HaDarom (the Southern Seminary) Midereshet HaDrom started in Kfar Darom, and later moved to the resort village near the beach. Its goals were to ins�ll such values as love for the Jewish people and the Land of Israel and to cul�vate a close acquaintance with the area through tours, ac�vi�es, heritage and nature accompanied by experience and fun, learning about the region's past, including the story of Yamit. Later, the seminary added Jewish studies and seminars for high school students from all over the country, including work in greenhouses to 'feel the land with your bare hands' and really connect with it. This special ac�vity brought youth from all over the country very close to Gush Ka�f. During challenging security periods, many schools canceled their arrival. The seminary employees traveled to these schools to convince the teachers and parents to li� their cancella�on. They managed to bring in students, but mainly from 'ideological' schools whose goal was to strengthen the region.33 Midreshet Netzarim (Netzarim Seminary) Midreshet Netzarim was established in 5752 [1992] to preserve the heritage of Gaza Judaism. It later focused on hos�ng visitors and developing educa�onal programs to connect them to the existence of Gush Ka�f and expose them to the Zionist prac�ce of blossoming the wilderness and establishing se�lements in Israel in general and Gush Ka�f in par�cular. The programs were delivered in the hostel of the seminary and in many other loca�ons na�onwide. Study sessions, excursions, workshops, lectures, educa�onal games, agriculture workdays, etc., were held, where the target audience was middle school and high school students from yeshivas, all-girl religious high schools, youth movements, cultural centers, moshavim and kibbutzim.34 Rafi Seri served as the director of the seminary for two years, un�l 2004. A�er that, he moved to lead the headquarters of the struggle against the disengagement. Ari Odes of Tel Ka�fa was appointed in his place. Midreshet HaTorah ve Ha'Aretz (Seminary of the Torah and the Land) Midreshet HaTorah ve Ha'Aretz was established in Kfar Darom, as the educa�onal se�ng of the 'Torah and the Land Ins�tute', which deals with the mitzvots that depend on the land, and their prac�cal ins�llment to students in schools. Na�onal Service girls toured the country and conducted diverse ac�vi�es on the subject, including insect-free vegetables and Shmita (Sabba�cal of the land every 7th year). Groups that came to Kfar Darom were also instructed in the unique 'Mitzvot Garden,' which vividly illustrated all the subjects of the mitzvot in Israel: crossbreeds, the four species, the seven species, contribu�ons and �thes, challah, and more. They were presented with solu�ons suitable for our genera�on.35 A visitor's center was later established in the place with a museum that presented its history and that of the people of Israel in general, a�rac�ng many schools and visitors. Ka�f Community Center The regional community center began its ac�vity as the council's Cultural Department in 1986. A�er two years it grew and expanded to several caravans where classes and enrichment ac�vi�es were held. From 2000 it became an independent body, and even moved to its permanent residence - on the ground floor of the regional sports hall in Neve Dekalim.36 Naomi Elder was the director of the community center from its incep�on. The community center was part of the Community Center Associa�on and concentrated all the formal and informal cultural ac�vi�es of Gush Ka�f: Events for the holidays, lectures, movies, plays, public singalong evenings, excursions, classes for all ages, a music school - including a mul�-age orchestra, computer studies, highly-developed sports ac�vi�es including representa�ve groups, an extensive library, summer camps, youth ac�vi�es, youth movements, workshops, conferences, parents' circles, a regional newspaper, contact with and between locali�es via joint commi�ees, migratory ac�vi�es in the various locali�es and more. The guideline was a clean, ethical and educa�onal culture. Employees of the community center turned it into everyone's second home, with the main mo�f being service with love - and everyone were welcomed in. The community was formed via all this ac�vity, via the cultural-communal connec�on, via mee�ngs in classes and events and joint planning, and so was its resilience and strong connec�on to the place, its residents and the se�lements built, a resilience which helped it through difficult days on the one hand, and launch the campaign for home on the other hand.37 The youth department at the community center was also developed, with many resources that were invested in it. In all se�lements, a system of youth coordinators was formulated . They were all subordinate to the community center and received training, funding and much knowledge from it. At-risk youth also received special a�en�on at the community center, with its own club and diverse, value-based ac�vi�es. Youth coordinator Amazia Yehieli from Ka�f, added to and developed the department in all areas, including bringing youth from all over the country to various events, which became a tradi�on (even today) around various communi�es: The Youth Shabbat, (Parashat Vayechi), a special study in Hoshana Rabbah - 'Hoshana Youth' - and more . The large investment in the youth bore fruit during the months of the fight for Gush Ka�f. All youth worked around the clock out of a sense of responsibility and a strong connec�on to the place and its people.38 1 The recrea�onal village near the lake 2 The 'Torah and the Land' Ins�tute in Kfar Darom 3 The interior of the museum at the Torah and the Land Ins�tute 4 Youth ac�vity at the Ka�f community center 5 Ka�f community center in Neve Dekalim 6 'Gan HaMitzvot' in memory of Rabbi Shimon Biran (may God avenge his bllod) - "Torah and the Land" Ins�tute in Kfar Darom
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