5 7 6 2 1 3 4 56 57 Chapter Five | The Se�lements More trailers were brought to the place, and the Nahal youth of Bedolah gave up their big club, which became Atzmona's dining room. The rela�onships between the two communi�es that lived in the same place were very good. In a military, official and solemn ceremony, the stronghold's flag was handed over to the new se�lers. While part of the military forces fulfilled their du�es in ba�le up north, others con�nued the task of se�ng up outposts, lookouts and securing the borders as before," said the Deputy Commander of the Nahal, Lt. Col. David Klibansky, at the ceremony. The Head of the Youth and Nahal Division, Raphael Shefer, added: "You are freeing us from this place so that we can establish addi�onal points in different parts of the country." The Head of the council, Reuven Rosenbla�, sailed far and wide to the dawn of Zionist history, saying that "70 years ago, the Jews of Bialystok asked to purchase land in Rafah, to establish a permanent se�lement with religious characteris�cs. This is corroborated in documents, but only now, have we realized this dream."4 The condi�ons there were harsh. There was no paved road yet, and one had to pass through Khan Yunis and Rafah to get there. Once again, the name of this point was changed, this �me to "Mitzpe Atzmona" - to symbolize the place they were uprooted from. It was a period when the se�lement expanded, and the number of families reached 30. During that period, the nature of the se�lement also changed. In Sinai, it was a coopera�ve moshav. In Morag, the dining room was eliminated, but the coopera�ve nature of the moshav con�nued to exist, thinking that a coopera�ve moshav could more easily develop more branches and integrate people who cannot be independent but can merge well together. In those years, the small kollel that was established when they were in Sinai also expanded. A religious, Torah observant se�lement with extensive agriculture Itzik Amitai: It was clear to us that Atzmona is a se�lement that got its powers from the Torah, with the Torah at its center. A Torah observant se�lement with extensive agriculture. The considera�ons that led the members privately, and the popula�on publicly, were - What the people of Israel needs today? This was the considera�on when deciding which families to absorb and which branches to establish. It existed throughout the years, when we resided in the Yamit region, when we resided in Gush Ka�f, and even today. There were �mes when the Head of Council knew that if there was some kind of regional task that people were required to mobilize for, like strengthening Netzarim or Kfar Darom, he could turn to Atzmona and get help, either from people privately or from the se�lement as a whole. On the 23rd of Adar 5747 (03/24/1987) the Atzmona se�lers moved to their fourth and last stop in the Gaza Strip.5 A�er the Yamit region, Morag and Slav, they put their stake in the permanent se�lement, east of the stronghold, next to Bedolah. 40 families moved into houses at the new point. The date was no coincidence: On that exact day, eight years before, on the 23rd of Adar 5739 (03/22/1979), they set foot on the land of the Yamit region and lived there for three years. Five years a�er moving to Gush Ka�f, they established a permanent se�lement in the Gaza Strip.6 At the cornerstone ceremony for the synagogue, Rabbi Israel Ariel men�oned the cornerstone he laid for the synagogue in Atzmona in the Yamit region. Faithful to his worldview, he expressed hope to return and rebuild the ruins of the se�lement in those sands.7 In the beginning, the se�lement of Atzmona was a coopera�ve moshav, but a few years later, in Gush Ka�f, it underwent a priva�za�on process. According to that process, all families became members of the communal associa�on, and 30 families were assigned to the coopera�ve framework. Between these two bodies there was complete harmony and solidarity.8 The Field Crops sector of the moshav were located in HaBesor region. Peanuts and potatoes were grown there. The moshav also incorporated a nursery, one of the most sophis�cated and largest in Israel, a dairy farm and chicken coop. In the center of the se�lement there was a 'kollel', where Torah students received a salary from the se�lement's coffers. The pre-military training school 'Otzem' also operated in the se�lement under the management of Rabbi Rafi Peretz. In Av of 5765 (August 2005), more than 95 families, numbering 700 people, lived in the se�lement.9 The en�re se�lement was evacuated on Sunday, 16th of Av 5765 (08/21/2005) without confronta�on with the evacua�ng forces. At noon, a farewell ceremony was held in the synagogue, a�er which the residents le� with the Torah scrolls in their hands, singing and dancing towards the buses that were awai�ng them. For a great many residents, it had been their second evacua�on. This �me, too, they did not know where they were headed.10 1 Residen�al neighborhood in Bnei Atzmon (Atzmona) 2 The entrance gate to the se�lement 3 Talmud Torah Atzmona 4 A view of the synagogue in Atzmona 5 Atzmona nurseries 6 Construc�on in the first years of the se�lement's establishment 7 The pre-military training school 'Otzem' in Atzmona By joining forces, the residents managed to establish the 'Atzmona Nursery' brand Itzik Idles: It was very important for Atzmona to engage in agriculture. We chose to be a coopera�ve moshav to get a means of produc�on. We knew that those who apply to the government on behalf of a group, get more. This did not hinder the challenges. At first, it was difficult to make a living. We had someone who knew about animals. We wanted to set up a chicken coop, and the Jewish Agency was not very suppor�ve of the idea. Eventually, we pressed on and tried to build chicken coops in old greenhouses. Later on, we constructed chicken coops at the same �me as the greenhouses. Establishing a nursery was a new thing in the area. It is difficult for a single farmer to start a nursery. By joining forces and direc�ng people to research we could establish what has become a brand - 'Atzmona Nurseries.'
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