Rebuilding the Gush Katif Communities

Rebuilding the Gush Katif Communities July 2013, Av 5773

Map of New Gush Katif Communities

New Communities

Permanent Communities • About 1667 families lived in Gush Katif. • Nearly 1450 families remained with their community framework. • There are 22 new Gush Katif communities throughout Israel. • About 720 families (almost 50%) have entered their permanent homes. • An additional 30% are in varied stages of the building process.

Permanent Communities • 4 communities still don’t have infrastructure and have not yet started building permanent homes. • 150 families have either emotional, financial or personal difficulties preventing them from completing their house. • The Eshchar company mapped out 60 families who need monetary assistance to finish building their permanent homes.

Needy Families • 40 families seek to move their caravillasto the permanent community site. • Cost $2,000,000.00 • The Gush Katif Committee has already helped 20! • Additional families are stuck in the building process: • Provide $1,428,571.00 in loans until Tnufa releases funds. • Create a Public Investigative Committee headed by a judge to determine families worthy of receiving monetary assistance. This committee should have $2,285,714.00 to help needy families.

Public structures Completing Synagogues: costs in US Dollars

Public structures Also… • Men’s ritual baths are needed in seven communities: • Be’er Ganim • Bnei Dekalim • Bnei Netzarim • Neta • Nev’e • Shomriah • Shvei Darom Cost : $200,000.00

Public structures Youth Centers Youth Centers provide important formal and informal educational activity for youth during after-school hours. These places are a refuge for youth, allowing them to spend their free time in a positive environment. Communities without a youth center:

Synagogue equipment A basic unfurnished synagogue seating 200: $172,857.00 Altogether our communities need 30 synagogues!

Katif Center • Aims: • The Katif Center will commemorate the Gush Katif and Northern Shomron heritage. • The Center will install national and educational values through this heritage. The Israeli government funds the Center’s daily activity, just as it funds the Rabin Center, and the Begin Center. The cost for building a permanent Katif Visiting Center: $3,428,571.00

Religious world The Gush Katif religious world aims to renew itself and even surpass what it was in Gush Katif. It plans to do so by helping community residents and also helping with religious outreach programs. • Yeshivas: • Netzer Ariel • Yamit Yeshiva in Ashdod • Nitzan Yeshiva • “Otzem” religious pre-military academy in Nev’e • Religious boys’ high-school in Nev’e • “ToratHaHaim” in Yad Benyamin • Small Yeshiva in Shomriah

Religious world • The women’s BeitMidrash “Kissufim” in Nitzan helps empower religious women, showing that not only men enter the BeitMidrash. 150 women study once a week, attracted by the excellent lecturers and friendly environment. • Total annual cost: $42,857.00

Youth Gush Katif youth are quality youth living according to ethics and morals which build the nation. Yulis Basketball Tournament The Yulis family, formerly from Neve Dekalim, annually organize an exciting youth basketball tournament among the Gush Katif communities. This event is in memory of their son who passed away from leukemia at the young age of 14. This inter-community tournament has become a Gush Katif tradition, currently marking its 22nd year! Cost: $ 4,286.00

Youth 2. Katif Scouts This summer camp is for graduates of 7th and 8th grade, who are formerly of Gush Katif. We’ve made this camp into a new Gush Katif tradition, 6 years in the running. Attractions Field trips Social togetherness And most important… discussing the meaning of our being from Gush Katif! Price to attend: $71.00 Cost to run the camp: $25,714.00

Rebuilding the Gush Katif Communities