4 5 3 1 2 224 225 Chapter Sixteen| Regrowth A few years later, the president awarded Rabbi Rimon a cer�ficate of excellence for his expansive work in the field. 23 A�er the State Commission of Inquiry, which was established in 2010 to examine the status of the uprooted residents, published its finding, the state began funding the organiza�on, and since 2013 it has been helping other popula�ons as well. To date, 'Ta'asuKa�f' returned 2350 people back into the workforce, helped open 265 new businesses, and offered hundreds of scholarships to students.24 In 2013, eight years a�er the uproo�ng, unemployment percentages amongst the evacuees was 18%, compared to 4% in Gush Ka�f.25 Farmers and other businesspeople also took individual ini�a�ves to re-establish their former businesses. Some farmers leased areas in different parts of the country even before the disengagement, and some leased a�er it, con�nuing the glorious agricultural tradi�on of Gush Ka�f. Overall, only about 30 percent of the farmers returned to the field.26 The main difficulty was financing and the different environmental condi�ons, which greatly affected the crops. Some of the other businesses from Gush Ka�f also resumed to ac�vity over �me. Rahamim Ben Chaim, the former owner of a metal factory in Neve Dekalim, re-established his business and thus overcame the pain. In his opinion, "We need to re-hoist the flags that waved in Gush Ka�f - the flag of the se�lement, the flag of educa�on, the flag of industry and the flag of agriculture. If not, it is as if we did nothing. We must con�nue the good things we have done. One must grab life in both hands, and not cry about what had happened."27 In Ganei Tal in Gush Ka�f, Avi Talman had a factory for the produc�on of greenhouses, established six months before the disengagement. "We knew that the state did not have agricultural land for us a�er we leave Gush Ka�f, and we decided, my son, Ofir and I, to find an alterna�ve," said Avi. Indeed, a�er research and prepara�on, they established their factory again at their packing house in [the new] se�lement of Ganei Tal. The factory operates to this day, and even exports abroad. "Farmers from all over Israel buy from us. Our key advantage is that we also provide agronomy services and related agricultural technology."28 Recovery, Growth and Prosperity Two se�lements were re-established in the barren sands of Halutza, recrea�ng Gush Ka�f's phenomenal agricultural success. Everyone who walks around the area no�ces the green color of the carrot leaves, potatoes, pomegranate groves and citrus trees and is impressed by the people of Gush Ka�f, who were able to rebuild an agricultural, territorial, Zionist enterprise in the heart of the desert, despite the great rupture they went through. Many evacuees recuperated and returned to full func�oning, but some took it a step further. They advanced, evolved, and created change for the be�er in terms of the quality of their lives and their daily func�oning. For example, Dafna Bornstein of Neve Dekalim graduated with a Master's degree in social work on the subject of 'Growth A�er Crisis.'29 Efrat Zimmerman of Ka�f moved to Ariel and felt that the evacua�on contributed to her personal growth, allowing her to see what the important things in life are in all ma�ers 30 Dror Vanuno, who served on the Se�lements Commi�ee, helped establish the new communi�es and felt their tremendous poten�al, the vision, and the desire to fight the no�on of being refugees rather than fixa�ng on it.31 Chaya Demari from Magen Or thought that the dispersion of the evacuees throughout Israel meant they were also dispersing their goodwill across the board - spiritually, agriculturally, socially, and even in terms of love and brotherhood.32 Tova Bar Shalom studied alterna�ve therapy and Torah counseling, interconnected these two fields, and now offers body and soul healing.33 Their common denominator was that they lived in social cohesion and gave meaning to the uproo�ng - the trauma�c event they underwent - by reexamining the situa�on with rose-colored glasses. Moreover, such personal quali�es as op�mism, resilience and openness to new experiences helped them grow more than others. Also, people who were ac�ve during the uproo�ng, were more likely to evolve. Central to the growth and resilience of the majority of the displaced was their unwavering religious faith. The belief in a higher power, the absence of anger, and the empowerment to shape their own future, all played a pivotal role in their journey of resilience and growth.34 Indeed, the crisis exposed new strengths that stemmed from discovering their inner forces, �ghtening social �es, and even heightened faith.35 In each community, support mechanisms were established for vulnerable groups, and the leadership - the Se�lers' Commi�ee and community representa�ves, in collabora�on with a cross-party lobby of MKs forced the government to rehabilitate the residents within a community framework, contrary to the original plan. Community rehabilita�on was implemented in the material, organiza�onal, emo�onal and ethical dimensions Dr. Shay Ben Yosef believes the community has become a key factor in rehabilita�on, addressing the human necessi�es of the uprooted while accommoda�ng their past, present and future needs. The community, as the main resource, plays a pivotal role in its resistance to damages and compliance with restora�on processes. It provides the necessary support, organiza�on, meaning, and value. Another cri�cal element in the regrowth process was the community leadership, which catered for personal, communal and external aspects while organizing quickly and efficiently, decentralizing opera�ons and consolida�ng informa�on. Once it integrated the aid organiza�ons into the community, genera�ng a rela�onship built on trust, which is a necessary prerequisite, the true rehabilita�on venture began. The various aid organiza�ons played a significant role in the evolu�on of the community and leadership because they were agile, knew how to operate community mechanisms and bridged the gap between the residents and the government. The fact that most of Gush Ka�f's former residents remained in their communi�es, although not always in their nucleus community, stems from the ability of the communi�es to exhaust their internal resources, embrace the differences between their members, establish common spaces - physical, emo�onal and organiza�onal - for opera�on, and preserve ins�tu�ons, mechanisms and leadership.36 1 Potatoes "made in Atzmona" 2 Dusk in Bnei Netzarim 3 New greenhouses in Naveh 4 Neve Dekalim neighborhood in Nitzan 5 The Herzog neighborhood in Ashkelon
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