6 5 4 1 2 3 216 217 Chapter Sixteen| Regrowth Some communi�es made an independent decision and split into different places for various reasons: The Netzarim community split into Ariel - to work with the people of Israel - and Halutza - to make the Negev desert blossom. The Atzmona community also split. Some moved to Shomria, in the Northern Negev, and some moved to Holot Halutza, near Chavarei Netzarim. Ganei Tal established their se�lement next to Kibbutz Hefetz Chaim; Pe'at Sadeh moved to Mavki'im; and members of Morag moved to Nitzan and Teneh Omarim in the Southern part of Mount Hebron. It is important to note that only 300 families decided to disperse privately, and about 1,500 families chose to remain in the communal framework of Gush Ka�f expatriates, proving the community's significance a�er the uproo�ng. Hence, the commi�ee's main ac�vity in the months a�er the uproo�ng was ge�ng the various government ministries to recognize Gush Ka�f communi�es as func�oning communi�es en�tled to budgets and communal ac�vi�es and preparing to establish the new se�lements. Trea�ng the uprooted residents individually rather than as communi�es by government ministries proved they were struggling to understand that the central part of the rehabilita�on process of Gush Ka�f residents is deeply rooted in communalism, which is the only way they should be treated. On top of that, the commi�ee members worked to unite the residents sca�ered all over the country. A month a�er the uproo�ng, the commi�ee held a conference �tled 'We shall Remember and Return.' The conference was held near the Kissufim checkpoint, the barrier that stopped the se�lers from entering but not their own yearnings ("Kissufim" in Hebrew). On Hanukkah of 5766, the commi�ee held two Thank-You conferences for organiza�ons that helped the uprooted residents: 'One Heart' and 'For Our Brothers.' However, its main ac�vity was, and s�ll is, rebuilding the se�lements and rehabilita�ng the residents.13 Regenera�ng Se�lements and Communi�es The first se�lement established was Nitzan, which housed most families from all over Gush Ka�f. Construc�on of the permanent se�lement started four years a�er the evacua�on, next to the trailer neighborhood established to accommodate the evacuees. A new se�lement was established near Nitzan, called 'Be'er Ganim.' Its name comprised of the ini�als of Gush Ka�f's former se�lements, with each se�lement having its own neighborhood: Bedolah, Elei Sinai, Rafiah Yam, Gadid, Gan Or, Netzer Hazani, Nisanit and Morag. Three other se�lements along the coast of Ashkelon absorbed families from Gush Ka�f: Bat Hadar, Talmei Yaffe and Mavki'im.14 The Nahal Sorek Regional Council absorbed the second largest quan�ty of families, in three three locali�es. Ultra Orthodox members of the 'Torat Chaim' ins�tutes, arrived at Yad Binyamin, alongside families who le� their communi�es in Gush Ka�f in search for a new place. Two addi�onal new se�lements were established in the Nahal Sorek Regional Council: Ganei Tal and Netzer Hazani, who got to keep their original names. Ganei Tal is also the only se�lement that managed to remain intact. All other se�lements underwent changes in the composi�on of their popula�on, some le� and others joined. The desire of the se�lements to con�nue their pioneering mission, which started in Gush Ka�f, brought some of them to new and desolate places, both physically and morally. Kibbutz Shomria in the Centeral Negev was emp�ed of its senior residents and passed into the hands of the Atzmona evacuees. In Holot Halutza, near the Egyp�an border, three new se�lements were established: Naveh - by the residents of Atzmona, Bnei Netzarim- by the residents of Netzarim, and Shlomit - by young families. All three se�lements took in many families, and very quickly turned the lands made available to them into a flourishing agricultural area. Some of the residents of Netzarim moved to the city of Ariel, where they became a Communal-Religious nucleus, whose main focus is spiritual-cultural ac�vi�es, Torah lessons and a much kindenss, as a direct con�nua�on of their mission for the people of Israel. The nucleus also works in collabora�on with Ariel University in Samaria. The Lakhish region also gained momentum of se�lements. Bnei Dekalim - was established by the families of Neve Dekalim and dozens of other families who joined them, Karmei Ka�f - was established by the residents of Ka�f; and Neta - by the residents of Kfar Darom and Tel Ka�fa. Most of the people of Pe'at Sadeh came to Moshav Mavki'im near Ashkelon, established a synagogue there, and were moved to see Holocaust survivors amongst the residents, crying and moved by the se�lement's first synagogue. 15 In addi�on to these large concentra�ons, families and small communi�es were sca�ered in different places in Israel: Maskiyot in the Jordan Valley; Avnei Eitan in the Golan Heights; Bustan HaGalil in the Galilee; Teneh Omarim in the Southern part of Mount Hebron; Neve Yam and Palmachim. The se�lement of Shavei Darom, In the Bnei Shimon Regional Council, adjacent to Nir Akiva, was established for the families of Kfar Darom. Residents of Nisanit were absorbed into Bat Hadar, Talmei Yaffe and Nitzan, all within the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, and the Herzog neighborhood of Ashkelon.16 As of today, almost a decade a�er the deporta�on, nearly 70 percent of the families have already moved to their permanent homes. On 02/17/2014, the government published a summary on the status of the communi�es' rese�lement: The rese�lement procedures of the displaced communi�es of Gush Ka�f and Northern Samaria require a long �me, and the permanent se�lements of the evacuees have not yet been completed. Many evacuees have not yet completed building their 1 Inaugura�on ceremony of the se�lement of Be'er Ganim, north of Ashkelon 2 Gush Ka�f Avenue in Moshav Ganei Tal, next to Kibbutz Hefetz Chaim, within Nahal Sorek Regional Council 3 The new se�lement of Netzer Hazani, within the Nahal Sorek Regional Council 4 A bird's eye view of the Nitzan se�lement near Nitzanim 5 Laying the cornerstone for the se�lement of Nitzan 6 Ganei Tal from a bird's eye view
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