3 4 5 1 2 38 39 Chapter Five | The Se�lements Ka�f Religious coopera�ve Moshav near Khan Yunis, belonged to the Hapoel HaMizrachi Moshavim Union In the mid-1970s, a group of 11 families, members of 'Mizrahi Youth', organized in the USA to realize the ideal of immigra�ng to Israel and establishing a coopera�ve se�lement in the Gaza Strip.1 Most of the families, new immigrants from Anglo-Saxon countries, were directed to the nucleus formed by the Jewish Agency. They received their training at the religious coopera�ve Moshav Masu'ot Yitzhak, where they studied while working about coopera�ve life and agricultural farming. At the same �me, the se�lement designated for them, near Netzer Hazani, was built. It was the second se�lement in Gush Ka�f, but groundbreaking was repeatedly postponed, due to various difficul�es. In 5737 (1977) members of the nucleus received greenhouses in Netzer Hazani, the only se�lement that was then in Gush Ka�f. The men moved to live in Netzer Hazani, the mothers and children remained in Masu'ot Yitzhak. To alleviate the situa�on, an idea came up to move the nucleus to Kfar Darom, but it was not successful. Most of the nucleus members were immigrants from the USA, and a minority from France. The Jewish Agency believed that for a more or less homogeneous group, it would be easier to establish a se�lement together. Only at a later stage did the agency realize that Israelis should also be added to the mix, and sent several Israeli families to se�le in the new se�lement. The delay in the construc�on process resulted in the departure of some families. On the holiday of Sukkot 5739 (October 1978) only five of the original 11 families that made up the ini�al nucleus went to se�le in Ka�f.2 The Ganei Tal nucleus, which already comprised 25 families, and was intended for the third se�lement of Gush Ka�f, also moved to Moshav Ka�f un�l the establishment of their permanent se�lement. The two nuclei lived together in the se�lement, as two independent communi�es, for a whole year.3 It was a refreshing novelty Sylvia Dahari: When we arrived at Ka�f, there were no sidewalks, no paths, no roads... We were greeted by Mike, Moshe Shaul, who was a visionary. He received us in... the tomato greenhouses. Not only because there was nothing else to see, but also because he had a message: People come here to work, to develop, and not to live as urbanites who grew up in Tel Aviv." It was a refreshing novelty. In Av of 5739 (August 1979), when the members of Ganei Tal moved to their permanent se�lement, the empty houses were used as summer vaca�on homes. It served as an addi�onal financial income for Moshav Ka�f. Over �me, roads were paved, and shu�les were even organized for vaca�oners, to the separate beach that opened that year. At the end of the 1970s, the number of families in Ka�f reached 25. 4 The economic crisis of the 1980s and the high infla�on of those years damaged the Moshav's economy. Families began to leave because they saw no economic future and hope for the se�lement. Some members of the Anglo-Saxon nucleaus did not see a chance for the coopera�ve method, and moved to a Moshav Ovdim (a worker's agricultural se�lement) in Gush Ka�f. In 5742 (1982), about ten families le� the moshav. This was a death blow to the young se�lement. In 5745 (1985) the Shalhevet nucleus began forming. It was made of young Israeli graduates of Hesder Yeshivas, Bnei Akiva, the Nahal and the army, who together dreamed of establishing a coopera�ve se�lement in the Ka�f region. The members of that nucleus took upon themselves a task to re-establish Moshav Ka�f.5 The nucleus comprised about ten families and several single individuals, who together went through a training period in the Bnei Darom se�lement, established by Kfar Darom evacuees a�er the War of Independence in 1948. In Av of 5745 (July 1985), when the nucleus members went up to the moshav, there were only four veteran families from the original moshav. The nucleus members immediately began restoring and refurbishing the appearance of the place: They made the houses habitable, planted private gardens and public lawns, renovated greenhouses, uprooted Acacia trees that blocked the houses, and cleared paths that were covered with sand.6 The desola�on and wilderness gave way to blossoming and a refreshing absorp�on. At first, the nucleus members con�nued within the coopera�ve se�ng of the moshav. However, as the moshav grew, children were born and the needs of the families increased, there was general agreement that priva�za�on was necessary. Only a�er several years was the priva�za�on carried out, and families who were not members of the coopera�ve division were welcomed in. This is how the se�lement became a mixed community of farmers and community members. 1 Aerial photo of Moshav Ka�f 2 The synagogue in Ka�f 3 A street in Ka�f 4 The cowshed in Ka�f 5 First greenhouses in Gush Ka�f
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