5 3 4 1 2 204 205 Chapter Fi�een | Kissufim Chapter Fi�een Kissufim As soon as the last of the evacuees le� Gush Ka�f and the gate of the Kissufim checkpoint was closed a�er them, the yearning [Kissufim in Hebrew] started, which no barrier or fence could withstand. It is in the heart of all Gush Ka�f residents in all communi�es and sectors, from young to old. The yearning to return, the longing for everything that was there - both natural and human landscapes, the prayers, the community, the 'togetherness,' the people, the sea, the simplicity of life - connect all the evacuees wherever they are.1 The hope to return to our houses in Gush Ka�f is reflected in our everyday language, prayers, dreams and general ac�ons.2 Gush Ka�f ar�sts express this well in their pain�ngs, sculptures, music and theater, whether in a private se�ng or in joint community work. The women from Ka�f Community Theater put on a play about homesickness and its significance in their lives and took it on a na�onwide tour. Rina Akerman of Neve Dekalim wrote a one-woman show and performed in various places. Sheera Yovel published a children's book, and Ronen Zweig from Kfar Darom released a CD with songs he composed for lyrics wri�en by former Gush Ka�f residents. All are manifesta�ons of longing for a place, for the mo�on of the waves and the sound of children's laughter.3 850 former residents were interviewed during the course of the commemora�on project ini�ated by the Gush Ka�f Se�lers Commi�ee, one year a�er the evacua�on. From the transcripts of these interviews it is evident how intensely they yearn for Gush Ka�f, in all its aspects, colors, and even its flaws. Although the security situa�on of most evacuees improved a�er leaving Gush Ka�f due to their proximity to the center of Israel, their longing to return home and hopes that it will indeed happen - is unmistakable and shared by all: They miss the unique mix of sacred and day to day, the neighbors and friends, the simplicity, clean air, and innocence. All these emo�ons s�ll fill their hearts to this day and turn them into a cohesive community united by a shared past, a unified present and a hopeful future. The yearning to return to Gush Ka�f is not only physical but also delves deeper: a longing for the dis�nc�ve atmosphere that was there, for the joy that surrounded everyone - from everything there is, and the joy of giving and of doing.4 Many residents men�oned they par�cularly missed Shabbats and holidays for their beauty and tranquility, for the special atmosphere in the synagogue and the exhilara�ng prayers,5 the gatherings of friends,6 the community,7 the special Gush Ka�f Torah, and the cemetery that was full of life stories.8 And, of course, everyone dreams of returning to Gaza, big-�me, when the people of Israel finally understand their eternal a�achment to this place.9 All residents also long for the beach because, for them, the sea is the symbol of Gush Ka�f; it is where they spent many good �mes at all ages. The remote beaches, sparsely visited due to their distance from the center and the security situa�on, further connected these people to the sea, and they cannot replace them with any other place.10 Homesickness intensifies the what is no more, and leaves the residents feeling as if they were orphaned.11 These emo�ons encompass all areas of life, each individual and their own personal longings... there is a longing for the garden,12 the dunes, the quiet mornings,13 the spacious kitchen and beau�ful house,14 mee�ngs with friends at the end of a workday,15 and the energy of mutual celebra�ons,16 for a sense of living in a place infused with values and significance17 and to the people who sanc�fied the Lord's name in whatever they did - grace, generosity and the Torah.18 The very act of living in such a problema�c and controversial loca�on gave the residents a special meaning to their lives there, a meaning that was lost with the displacement from their homes and communi�es. Some of the former residents embodied the yearning in their hearts in tangible items, like many photos in the house, or adding a blessing to the Havdalah [on Saturday evening] "May we have the privilege of returning to Gush Ka�f."19 Some bring sand from Gush Ka�f to special events, like marriage ceremonies or laying the cornerstone to new homes, where they also bury several ar�facts as a sign of a connec�on with the past, for example, water from the Mediterranean sea or a shirt from Gush Ka�f. Some pay a visit to the Kissufim checkpoint on the day of their wedding or on the night of Tu B'Av, wear an orange ribbon on their wrist, s�ck commemora�ve s�ckers on their car, for example, "We Shall Remember and Return." The intense yearning for what has been, the deep longing for a reality that is no more, and the realiza�on that there was a special divine move here with a unique statement that had not yet been fully comprehended, evoked in the evacuees addi�onal, broader longings: Rahamim Ben Haim wants to con�nue the good things that have been done wherever he goes, to immerse himself in society and the economy and bring the beau�ful things that were in Gush Ka�f everywhere.20 Tova Goren of Dugit misses the troubles of those �mes because everything was so good that even the troubles seem to be good from a distance.21 Yehuda Bashari from Netzer Hazani misses the unified religious leadership that was missing during the disengagement and the strengthening of the family unit that was somewhat shaken by the evacua�on.22 Yaron Cohen of Morag longs to the land of milk and honey that was in Gush Ka�f, to a place where one enjoys everything and feels shrouded by a special blessing.23 Lily Drori of Bedolah hopes that her husband will find a job; she, and many other women from Gush Ka�f who experience unemployment every day and its consequences in all areas of life.24 Commemora�on and Yearning Alongside trea�ng the residents' pains and handling their physical and mental rehabilita�on, a na�onal need arose to deal systema�cally and consistently with the perpetua�on of the se�lement project in Gush Ka�f.....stately..... and northern Samaria and ins�ll its values in a stately manner in Israeli society. In the first phase, the Gush Ka�f Residents Commi�ee ini�ated several ac�ons: Gush Ka�f Day in the educa�on system, the issuance of a State stamp to mark 35 years of se�lement, a big event on the first anniversary of Gush Ka�f evacua�on in The Interna�onal Conven�on Center (aka, Binyenei HaUma), in Jerusalem, and making it a regular annual event in the Kissufim area. Later, the Commi�ee saw fit to preserve and document the extraordinary life's work that was in Gush Ka�f, the 35 years of se�lement, of building consciousness to the spirit of Gush Ka�f and dissemina�ng it everywhere, in a notable ac�vity to carry on the link between the people of Israel and the land of Gush Ka�f and ins�ll na�onal and educa�onal values. The Commi�ee worked hard within the Knesset corridors, a�emp�ng to ins�tu�onalize the issue, and indeed, in July of 2008, the Knesset enacted the "Law to Establish the Ka�f Center to Commemorate the Heritage of Gush Ka�f and Northern Samaria," which was submi�ed as a bill by 32 MKs. By law, the story of Gush Ka�f, its building, and its destruc�on became an integral part of the State of Israel's heritage. The government's responsibility for the 'Center' turns it into another na�onal heritage center, like the Begin and Rabin Centers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the appointment of a public council to the Ka�f Center.25 Shlomo Kos�ner from Netzarim was appointed chairperson of the council, and representa�ves of various government ministries were appointed: The Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Educa�on, Culture and Sports, the Higher Educa�on Board and the State Archive, as well as representa�ves from amongst the former residents of Gush Ka�f and Northern Samaria. Mordechai Beter of Neve Dekalim was appointed Director of the Center. 1 Pain�ngs depic�ng the evacua�on are displayed at the Ka�f Center in Nitzan. Works of Ilana Ben Shimol from of Elei Sinai 2 'Gush Ka�f Forever' - Wri�en in the sand of the Ka�f beach 3 A protest march at the Yad Mordechai intersec�on, a�er the disengagement 4 A protester wrapped in the Israeli flag 5 The New Herzog neighborhood in Ashkelon for the evacuees from the northern part of the region
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