6 5 4 1 2 3 152 153 Chapter Eleven | Tourism and Industry Chapter Eleven Tourism and Industry Industry In addition to agriculture, Gush Katif's primary source of livelihood, the tourism sector had also developed during the first years, thanks to its proximity to the seashores and the exceptional vistas visible from every corner. First, several educational centers were established in Kfar Darom, Netzarim and near Lake Katif, close to the beach, to accommodate groups of visitors, be it youth and/or adults. In 5745 (1985), the Katif Holiday Village was established. It was a religious holiday village near the seashore comprising eighty rooms, and hundreds of families stayed there each year. In the summer of 5747 (August 1987), the 115-room Palm Beach hotel was opened.1 It was the only religious hotel in Israel located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.2 Horseback riding, jeep tripping in the dunes, pedal boating in the lake, sightseeing tours to learn about new and old agriculture, a swimming pool and separate/mixed pristine beaches with golden sands - all these attractions awaited visitors and vacationers. "I wish the entire country were in our situation," said Zvi Hendel, then CEO of the "Nofesh Katif" company, proudly in an interview for the press in November 1987. Tourism benefited from regular customers, mainly from the religious and ultra-Orthodox sector, who returned year after year to vacation in the area.3 Various events in Gush Katif attracted thousands of people, including the 'Harvest Festival' - a significant event of Israeli and Hasidic music held on Tu B'av, the Jewish equivalent of Valentine's Day, which became a tradition for 18 consecutive years. This event was considered the pinnacle of Gush Katif's cultural and tourism events, and the numerous tourists who came for the festival stayed to rest in the region. A large artists' fair was held in close proximity to the Harvest Festival, which introduced eclectic art through that event.4 The celebrations were held on the beachfront of Lake Katif, located in the center of the Gush Katif resort with its bridge, which added to the site's beauty. Nearby there were also horse stables, restaurants, a swimming pool, a holiday village and beaches. The regional community center organized cultural activities for vacationers, and arranged meetings between residents and guests.5 Gush Katif's tourism was perceived not only as an economic industry but primarily as a mission to spread positive publicity about the place and its achievements. It was clear that visitors to the place who witnessed the landscapes would fall in love with it, and seeing what had been done there from an agricultural and Torah point of view would foster a better understanding of its importance. Therefore, in the first years, the council invested considerable thought and resources in developing the various tourist sites,6 cleaning the beaches and settlements, and even building a small airport to attract tourists and non-residents. In the summertime, the area was buzzing with a holiday atmosphere. Houses were filled with guests, the beaches were busy, the hotel, the restaurants and the resort were packed, and the commercial center in Neve Delikim was teaming with life. The residents enjoyed the hustle and bustle. They felt that they were an integral part of Israel's tourism map and that they were also contributing to the economy. With the growing success of tourism in Gush Katif, private B&Bs also began to pop up and offer accommodations during the summer and holidays, which contributed quite a bit to the livelihood of families and increased the number of tourists. Special tourist attractions were designed to develop the industry further and distinguish it from the rest of the country. Katifari (Katif+Safari) was established in Neve Dekalim - a safari-of-sorts with various animals, including a petting zoo, a small lake and more. A commemorative' Yamit Wall' was erected at the rabbinic academy (Hebrew: Yeshivat Hesder) established after the evacuation of Yamit. It served as a tangible and emotional monument to what was there, in the hope that the act of displacement would not be repeated. The Torah and Land Institute in Kfar Darom also became a tourist attraction, with its visitors' center featuring an impressive museum on the history of the place in particular and of the people of Israel in general. The 'Commandments Garden' was also part of the institute, comprising a selection of crops and an explanation of the commandments (mitzvot) associated with each crop from those mitzvot that depended on the land. Greenhouses and nurseries in agricultural settlements became another tourist attraction. Visitors received explanations about the incredible wonder of agriculture at the edge of the desert, on sandy soil, which was developed and prospered year after year. The sand dunes also reatured an integral part of the tourism map. The large dune in Rafiah Yam attracted multiple visitors, including schools, until the outbreak of the first intifada (1987). 1 Palm Beach Hotel 2 Katif Lake 3 Singalong Celebrations in Katif Lake 4 Surfing the beaches of Gush Katif 5 The Yamit wall in the Hesder yeshiva of Neve Dekalim 6 The 'Torah and Land' Institute in Kfar Darom
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