Grandma's army

Simcha was devastated as she had to both support her five children and to create a new home in a completely unfamiliar and unstable environment, facing an uncertain future. We were not aware of the great toll it took on her physical and mental health as she put on such a brave front. It was only when we discovered that she was suffering from malnutrition (she lost 11 kilo) that steps were taken to boost her both physically and psychologically. All the children suffered traumas which have repercussions - until today. The only bright spot was the warm and unstinting support she received from her community all of whom stayed together, the strong helping the weak. The members of the moshav who had been working outside in various jobs were able to continue to support their families. The majority, who were farmers had no land to work on, even if they would have had the necessary will, stamina and ability to start all over again. Also many of them had been employed in the Gush with no ...

In 199 5 , Israel disengaged from 85% of Gaza and 100% of its population living there. The disengagement created the largest terrorist base in the world, led/harboured by PLO graduates of terrorist camps in Yemen, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon and Tunisia The disengagement was interpreted, by terrorists, as a retreat from the role-model of countering terrorism (Israel), and a reward to the role-model of terrorism (PLO/PA). It has inspired Islamic terrorism, which also threatens pro-US Arab regimes. The day immediately after the disengagement, the nine thousand Jews from Gush Katif and Northern Shomron, found themselves scattered at random in hotels and youth hostels, with no idea of what their next steps would be. No strategy was planned to re-settle or re-integrate them. The compensation packages significantly undervalued their assets, and hardly covered basic living expenses during the lengthy period of unemployment. Most had to use some of the compensation monies to pay off their m...