WhatsappThere were 25 beautiful Jewish communities of Gaza that were destroyed. These heroic Jews have learned to rebuild some of what was lost.
The Jewish Communities of Gaza
There are just no words for this. After the Israeli government pulled all Jews out of Gaza in 2005, Jews throughout Israel and the world were broken. Gush Katif was a flourishing area. 25 Jewish communities were destroyed. Those buried in cemeteries had to be reburied elsewhere. Farmers lost all their income. Jewish children were ripped from their stability. People lost faith in the Israeli government and the Israeli army – and some, even G-d. It was a truly trying time in Jewish history. Some even believed that the Messiah had to be coming because there was no other explanation; something like this just couldn’t be happening.
And here we are, 16 years later, and the pain is still palpable. Although many have tried to rebuild what they have lost, they feel it is only temporary. They want to return to their beautiful homes and lives in Gush Katif, in Gaza.
Although these strong Israelis still don’t know why they were forced to leave their homes, they have a spirit within them that is heroic. They have chosen to rebuild instead of sulk in their sorrows. They chose to start a healing process and forgive instead of holding on to hatred and anger.
Heroes are not always those who fight on the front lines. Heroes are also those who choose life instead of destruction; who choose to rebuild instead of despair.
This is just one piece of the long story of the spirit of Gush Katif.
