4 3 1 2 222 223 Chapter Sixteen| Regrowth in a temporary format. 'Midreshet Netzarim' (college) first moved to Moshav Yated in the Eshkol region, and later to Bnei Netzarim. The 'Netzer Matai' yeshiva moved to the city of Ariel along with half of the families of the Netzarim community. The Ka�f community center split into several centers. The first one was established about a month a�er the evacua�on in the se�lement of Nitzan. The second was established at Yad Binyamin -The Nahal Sorek Community Center, and other cultural centers were later established in Shafir, Shomria, etc. Upon the establishment of new communi�es, new educa�onal ins�tu�ons were also established: 'Bnei Dror' - an agricultural high school yeshiva - was established in Bnei Netzarim. Talmud Torah, a high school yeshiva and a girls' high school (Ulpana) - 'Lekhtech Acharai' (Jeremiah 2:2 "how you followed me in the wilderness") - were established in the se�lement of Naveh. A new yeshiva was established in the Neve Dekalim community at Nitzan, called 'The Kissufim Yeshiva.' A new high school was established in Shomria, a community school was established in Be'er Ganim, and an elementary school - in the se�lement of Bnei Dekalim. A seminary for girls was also established on Ariel University in Samaria campus by residents of former Netzarim, and a center for spiritual growth, called 'Kissufim' was established in Nitzan, and managed by the Gush Ka�f Se�lers Commi�ee.19 The main cultural event that used to be held in Gush Ka�f every year on the 2nd of Av, the Singing Celebra�ons of Ka�f - resumed opera�on in the Nitzan se�lement, in collabora�on of the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, the Se�lers' Commi�ee and the Ka�f Center.20 Youth The youth sought their way in the post-disengagement period. From par�cipa�on in a plethora of tasks, they found themselves within a complex reality that drove them to feel needy. They asked for some allevia�ng circumstances with regard to the matricula�on exams, military service, and more. For that reason, the communi�es were fully invested in their youth's needs from the very beginning, looking for ways to bring them back on track with their long-standing voca�on -becoming young people who contribute and give back to the community and the new environment - thus restoring their mo�va�on to enlist in the IDF. A�er several years of crisis and slow recovery, the percentage of dra�ees among the youth returned to where it was in Gush Ka�f prior to the evacua�on. Youth coordinators were hired for each locality and community by the residents themselves. These coordinators invested a lot in treatment and rehabilita�on and produced experiences to connect youngsters to new places and people.21 The Se�lers' Commi�ee also considered the youth and ini�ated various projects and ac�vi�es to strengthen rela�onships, consolidate their new-old iden��es, and have fun and feel free. One of the most important projects was the 'Yulis Tournament' - a basketball tournament that started in Gush Ka�f before the evacua�on and received a significant boost a�erward. The compe��on that is held every summer offers an opportunity to teenagers from all former Gush Ka�f se�lements to meet each other, keep in touch and maintain their special iden�ty, which gave them strength. However, some of the youth were severely affected by the disengagement process, and the founda�ons of their faith in the state and religion were undermined. Some dropped out of school, le� religion and home and are s�ll undergoing a long process where they are trying to recover. Employment One significant hardship resul�ng from the evacua�on was finding employment for the evacuees. There were four main reasons for this: 1. Most residents found their livelihood within Gush Ka�f, and its elimina�on also eliminated their employment. 2. A large number of the residents were engaged in agriculture. It was impossible to quickly and efficiently solve the problems of farmers who wanted to con�nue their occupa�on because no land was prepared. No adequate compensa�on was given to them to start new businesses. 3. The residents lived in Gush Ka�f for nearly 30 years and were evicted from it when they were in their 50s and 60s - a difficult age to find a new job. 4. The state did not organize employment solu�ons for the evacuees ahead of �me, just as it did not prepare solu�ons in other areas, despite adver�sing the slogan: "There is a solu�on for every se�ler." As in other fields, the evacuees realized that to make a living, they must take care of themselves. To their aid came the organiza�on 'Ta'asuKa�f' - which was actually a charity founded by Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon, rabbi of Alon Shevut, a few days a�er the disengagement. The organiza�on returned thousands of evacuees to the workforce through professional search and matching, career retraining courses, loans and support in opening new businesses. Rabbi Rimon realized that the immediate and essen�al need was a livelihood, which is more than an occupa�on and interest; it cons�tutes the basic dignity of man, and therefore, he began finding and crea�ng employment places for the unemployed residents. As men�oned, the residents' ages cons�tuted a significant problem in finding employment, especially suitable occupa�onal subs�tutes. In addi�on, most farmers ran large farms in Gush Ka�f, with dozens of employees, but they lacked academic educa�on. When they were evacuated, finding employment that was challenging, suitable for their capabili�es, and paid an adequate salary was difficult. Rabbi Rimon was aware of all this, and to spare the people of Gush Ka�f the humilia�on of arriving at the employment bureaus, he sent his volunteers to people's homes, their familiar turf, rather than wai�ng for them to come over and ask for help. This move brought hundreds and thousands of residents of Gush Ka�f back into the workforce and gave them back their self-respect, which was lost along with their homes and livelihood.22 Ezra Eldar, a farmer who worked for Ta'asuKa�f since 2006, said: The organiza�on's employees were evacuees themselves, so they understood those who turned to them and treated them accordingly. They did not sit in an air-condi�oned office and wait for applicants, as was the case in all employment offices, but went out into the field, made house calls, were exposed to everything that happens inside the home and the family, and addressed all the issues that arose, in a holis�c manner. Thus, the unemployed restored their dignity, livelihood, security and happiness. 1 Dekel Print House in its new loca�on in Ashkelon 2 Shaya Yaron's garage in its new loca�on in Jerusalem 3 The tradi�on of the Yulis tournament con�nues a year a�er the evacua�on 4 Construc�on begins in Holot Halutza
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