World

Chalutzim Of Ganei Tal

Expelled Gush Katif inhabitants rebuild on Israeli kibbutz.

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Moti Sender stands beside his truck on the tract of land obtained to

In this rented area, Moti Sender is growing greenery to sell to the

rebuild Ganei Tal.

Netherlands.

Gerald Katzman

Special to the Jewish News

Ganei Tal, Israel

M

y wife, Anne, and I and a fami-
ly friend, Dr. Lawrence Frenkel,
recently traveled to Israel. It
turned out that Nov. 5 was the only day
that I could be at Weizmann Institute
(WIS) in Rehovot. So while Dr. Frenkel
lectured at Schneider Children's Hospital
in Petah Tikvah, Anne and I went to WIS.
I wanted to take a picture of the
machzor [prayer book] that Dr. Chaim
Weizmann had requested be turned to the
Unah Saneh Tokef prayer for him to see
at the end of his life. I wanted the picture
for a spring program that a group of us
are planning to emphasize the important
link between Torah values and technol-
ogy. I could not think of a more poignant
link than Weizmann's machzor that I first
saw in 1968 while in Israel as a medical
student.
Weizmann was a man of science. He
was singularly responsible for the Balfour
Declaration, which was largely a reward
given to him by the British government for
his process of acetone production, used in
the manufacture of explosives during World
War I. The message I received was that
Jewish values are necessary to guide the
responsible use of developing technology.
While at WIS, I received a call from
Moti Sender that the afternoon of Nov. 5
was a good time for him to show us the

progress in the rebuilding of Ganei Tal.
the abandoning of synagogues and other
Accordingly, Moti, accompanied by Ariel
buildings.
Kotler, a Jewish National Fund develop-
Understandably, the expulsion was a
ment officer, picked up Anne and I across
devastating experience for the settlers.
the street from WIS in Rehovot and off we Moti talked about being very depressed
went.
at the time. Nonetheless, this depression
To put things in
was soon replaced
proper perspec-
by a determination
tive, I first met Moti
to rebuild. After 41/2
Sender and Rivka and
years, during which
Michael Goldschmidt
the inhabitants of
when they came to
Ganei Tal have kept
Detroit to tell their
together as a com-
story. They had been
munity living in
residents of Ganei Tal,
temporary housing,
one of the 17 settle-
they finally have a
ments of former Gush
contract to rebuild
Katif in the Gaza Strip.
on an area of land
The initial settlers of
on Kibbutz Chofetz
Gush Katif were incen-
Chaim.
tivized by the govern- Anne and Gerald Katzman in the
Moti showed
ment to go there; it
us
the land that
Golan overlooking the demilitarized
was considered a way zone between Syria and Israel.
has been cleared.
to enhance security
Electrical, water and
for Israel.
sewage conduits
Before the inhabitants of Gush Katif
are in place for construction to begin.
were expelled by the Israeli government in Moti also led us through his nursery on
August 2005, they were exporting about
rented land from Kibbutz Chofetz Chaim.
$200 million annually in agricultural
He was able to salvage tables for grow-
products. The products included bug-
ing plants and drip irrigation equipment
free lettuce and greens, cherry tomatoes
from the original Ganei Tal and is putting
and geraniums. Together, these products
the equipment to good use. His intention
amounted to about 15 percent of the total
is to sell the greenery to markets in the
agricultural exports of the State of Israel.
Netherlands. Eventually, Moti will transfer
The assets of Gush Katif were estimated
his nursery to the new tract of land.
at $23 billion, much of which was lost
The plan is for the new Ganei Tal to
with the destruction of the dwellings and
have up to 215 private homes to be built in

the coming years and a number of public
buildings, including a synagogue and beth
midrash [study hall], a home for the rabbi,
a mikveh, a youth club, a members' club,
kindergartens, offices and a large green
park. Funding for the public buildings is
estimated as 40 percent from the govern-
ment, 20 percent from residents and 40
percent from contributions.
It is the latter 40 percent that is a pres-
ent challenge. You can contribute through
the Jewish National Fund; contributions
may be tax-deductible (JNF, 78 Randall
Ave., Rockville Centre NY 11570, Attn:
Steven Bach-Ganei Tal Campaign). Moti
can also be contacted for more informa-
tion by e-mail: moti@katifnet. Other
financial vehicles also might be developed
to assist in the rebuilding process.
To conclude the tour, Moti hosted
Anne and I at his temporary home in Yad
Benyamin. Michael Goldschmidt joined us
there to review the progress that has been
made since our meeting in Detroit almost
three years ago. Moti gave us two home-
grown persimmons, dropped us off at
the bus stop and waited as we boarded to
travel back to our hotel in Jerusalem. We
were staying at the hotel by the name of
Lev Yerushalaim (translated means "Heart
of Jerusalem").
After meeting with Moti and Michael
and seeing how upbeat and determined
they were to go forward in rebuilding their
traditional Jewish community, we were
sure that we had experienced Lev Yisroel
— that is, the "heart of Israel?'

December 10 • 2009

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