8 THE JEWISH ADVOCATE, MAY 20 - 26, 2005

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Photos by Shira Schoenberg Itzik Amergi has established a garden in memory of his daughter-in-law, Ahuva “We won’t leave. They will have to pick us up like sacks of potatoes” More than 8,000 Israeli settlers outside the synagogue of Ganei slated to be evacuated under will be forced to abandon their Tal, his eyes light up as he de- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s homes in the this sum- scribes his daughter-in-law, disengagement plan, has half a mer under Ariel Sharon’s contro- Ahuva, who was murdered on lifetime of memories in his versial disengagement plan. the road to by Arab community with no plans for SHIRA SCHOENBERG traveled terrorists: “She was 30 years “the day after.” The sandy agri- PROGRAM INCLUDES: to Gush Katif and found old, a lawyer, successful, beau- cultural oasis in the Gaza Strip Complete Fitness Assessment • Nutrition Plan that its residents are mak- Before and After Pictures tiful, with two babies.” His dark is his home, and he believes it One-On-One Personal Training in our Private Suites ing no plans to leave. skin toughened by Israeli sun, will remain so for years to Weekly Nutritional Counseling • Reassessments Amergi points out the Jeru- come. As Itzik Amergi salem stone inscribed with a According to the region’s sprawls on a song Ahuva wrote. The stone BEFORE AFTER head tour guide, Naor Zilber- stone ledge sits in the center of a gar- man, of 8,000 residents in 21 den he Gaza Jewish communities (16 made in of which are in Gush Katif), not her memo- a single family has evacuated ry. His yet. In fact, 120 new families tone grows arrived in the last month. The tough and week before Pesach, settlers certain dedicated a new synagogue in when he is , and a family fin- asked ished building a new house in about dis- . Another resi- “Fitness Together helped me take off pounds engage- dent is in the middle of building and made me look over 10 years younger.” ment. “It a new home. - Sandy, MA won’t hap- Zilberman, a young, four- pen. But if year resident of Tel Katifa with 2088 Commonwealth Ave., Auburndale • (617) 630-1101 it does, a large knitted kipah and dan- 796 Beacon St., Newton Centre • (617) 641-9588 we’ll take gling tzitzit, explained: “The 10 Billings St., Sharon • (781) 784-0222 the garden situation is not easy, but we 245 Washington St. #206, Wellesley • (781) 235-4800 with us.” continue to build, repair, be- www.fitnesstogether.com Amer- lieve. We build as if there is no gi, like disengagement. My grandpar- many resi- ents came from Yemen; my par- dents of ents came from Poland. I’m in Gush - I’m not leaving.” Subscribe a friend to The Jewish Advocate Katif, the The government does not of- Call 617-367-9100 ext. 120 for more information strip of ficially recognize his communi- A memorial built by local youth in memory of Tali Jewish set- ty, Tel Katifa, which does not Hatuel and her four children tlements even appear on a map. The elec- THE JEWISH ADVOCATE, MAY 20 - 26, 2005 9 HEARTBREAK OVER DISENGAGEMENT ON TIME. tricity, sewage and other insti- of these three, we don’t exist. DONE RIGHT. tutions are registered under the We assimilate, as in America,” names of neighboring settle- he said. Fact file ments. Yet Tel Katifa boasts 26 The couple has no plans to The Gaza Strip is 223 Home Repair & Improvement Specialists families with 62 children, many move their belongings. Noah square miles, and it is home Carpentry • Painting • Assembly • AC Install of whom seemed unaware of asked: “Where can I take my to 1.3 million Palestinians Basement & Bath Remodeling • Faucets • Tile impending danger as they things? To where can we go? To and 8,000 Jews. Jews control Gutters Cleaned & Repaired • Doors • Locks played catch and rode their tri- a hotel? Will the government 25 square miles (11 percent), Shelving • Masonry • Mailboxes • Odd Jobs cycles on the pavement outside create for me a place to work? although more Arabs than their day care caravan. Houses? Electricity?” Even Jews live in the Jewish-con- Licensed Bonded Insured Zilberman said that after the with the proposed compensa- trolled area. Serving Metrowest since 1996 evacuation of Yamit in the Sinai tion, he said, “the government Wellesley Framingham Sudbury Weston Peninsula in a 1982 peace is stealing 60 percent of the The Jewish settlements in 781-235-HNDY 508-231-HNDY 978-443-4877 781-893-4446 agreement with , some of value of my property.” Gaza include: (4639) (4639) the houses were brought to Although the government 21 communities Gush Katif. Today, he points sent them forms to file for com- 36 synagogues with pride to a ceramic sculp- pensation, Keren refuses to 48 graves ture commemorating Yamit fill- touch them. Sounding near tears 5 elementary schools ing a wall of a hesder yeshiva in as she flipped through a packet with 1,150 students Neve Dekalim, noting that the of forms, Keren said: “I don’t 3 high schools with 387 sculpture is the only Israeli want to be a part of this, to get students commemoration of Yamit. Zil- money to be expelled. I won’t 6 yeshivot with over 400 berman said he does not believe fill it out. They can do that students Gush Katif will be another themselves.” Yamit. “We’re continuing life Keren added: “They want to • Neve Dekalim is the here like normal. People are uproot cemeteries, families. biggest community with 670 strong. We have faith that we’ll We’re a special community, we families, including a number prevail.” want to stay together. There’s a of houses built two years ago Since the region has been lack of justice. We’re told leave under Ariel Sharon. thrust into the spotlight, visitors your greenhouse, your house, • Shirat HaYam is the smallest have flocked to Gush Katif’s nice and orderly. I should leave community with 16 families. somber memorials, airy syna- what we built? David Hatuel’s • There have been 11,000 at- gogues and sun-baked beach. family was murdered and now tempted terror attacks in the Tourists snap pictures inside a it’s possible the terrorist who region since September small wooden shed filled with killed his family will live in his 2000, which have killed 94 drink and food for soldiers. The house?” Israelis, including 27 civil- shed cost NIS 60,000 ($13,730) If the IDF tries to evacuate ians and 67 soldiers. and was built by Gush Katif’s them, Keren said, “We’re not youth in memory of Tali Hatuel, leaving by our own power. I Compiled by Head Gush who was killed a year ago with won’t raise a hand against a sol- Katif Travel Guide Naor Zil- her four children at the Kissu- dier, but they’ll have to pick us berman, Gaza Regional fim crossing. Yeshivat Hakotel, up like sacks of potatoes.” Council, and Gush Katif res- "ONE MAY SERVE G-D BY BUILDING based in the Old City of Jeru- Anita Tucker, who made ident Anita Tucker salem, sent 15 students and two aliya from Brooklyn, N.Y., has A HOUSE OR HEALING THE SICK, rabbis to study in Gush Katif. In grown cel- of the first residents of Gush PROVIDED THAT HE IS AWARE THAT the region’s smallest settlement, ery in Katif. During the current intifa- a beachside caravan community the set- HE CAN ACCOMPLISH NOTHING da, a Kassam rocket fell near of 16 families called Shirat tlement WITHOUT DIVINE HELP." her living room window, blow- HaYam, visitors from across the of Net- ing glass inside toward her kŠmz country bask in the hot sun and zer Haz- Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik, grandchildren, who were inside wade in the Mediterranean Sea. ani for 29 playing with their toys. Miracu- A group of schoolchildren from years and "MY Chesed Day Experience at lously, they survived without a run across was one the sand. According to Zilber- scratch. But this did not dis- the Habitat for Humanity site man, 180,000 tourists visited suade her from wanting to live felt like an extension of a during the week of Pesach, a there: “The way to fight terror time when Israelis tradition- is not by giving in. Neigh- maimonides classroom." ally use their vacation to bors have to live peacefully. Yitzi Zisblatt, Class of 2005 travel around the country. If they can’t, they should But for most resi- leave. Why me? I didn’t dents, life continues as shoot anyone.” usual, and they are mak- Like other long-time ing no plans to leave. residents, she has no Noah and Keren Lax plans to move. have lived in Ganei Tal for 23 years, raising six chil- NEXT dren WEEK: In Founded in 1937 by Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik, kŠmz and part two of the growing Jewish Advo- cherry cate’s exclusive Limited spaces available for 2005-2006 at some grade levels. toma- focus on the impact of Contact Tami Kesselman, the Director of Admissions, toes Ariel Sharon’s withdrawal at (617) 232-4452 x109 or [email protected]. and plan, Shira Schoenberg aloe vera. considers the effect disen- Noah said living in Gush gagement will have on Katif has given his family a Gush Katif’s $60 million- strong sense of love for Israel: a-year agricultural Subscribe to The Jewish Advocate. the land, the nation and the industry. Torah. “If we don’t keep one Keren Lax holds a Kassam rocket Call today. 617-367-9100 ext. 120