When I think of Gush Katif I am filled with so many memories of Gaza and my military service there as a defender in the IDF, and the privilege of being there during the building and development of the Gush. I remember the empty sand dunes, the wonderful beaches, the miracle of the bare sand transformed into beautiful communities, synagogues, schools, the hotel, the hot houses that grew flowers fruit and vegetables not only for local purchase, but for the foreign markets.
To this day when I go to visit my beloved friends in the new communities that they live in since the destruction of the Gush, my car and my heart wish to continue down the road to our Gush.
I just received an invitation to commemorate the 10th memorial for Gush Katif at the Presidents’ Residence and I am not ashamed to say that I cried- yes I cried again as so many countless times since the destruction of the Gush the expulsion of our families not only from their lives, but also from what we believed to be the final resting places of our loved ones z”L
I had the enormous privilege also after my military service to be an integral part of the Gush helping with the security, rescue, public relations, and even humanitarian projects. I had the privilege of working with our Security Officer Ami Shaked and our wonderful teams.
To this day I find it impossible to comprehend how this disaster happened and how much suffering it caused to our families from Gush Katif and indeed the entire country.
When I go to the amazing synagogue in the new Netzer Hazani, or to the homes of our families including my beloved wonderful friend Anita Tucket, Bryna and Sammy Hilburg I am struck with a mixture of gratitude that they have settled down more or less anew in their new community, and the pain of loss for what we had there.
I remember our beloved Hanan Porat z”l with tears in his eyes saying to us, ” We returned to the Gush (Gush Etzion ) we shall return to the Gush (Gush Katif).
I pray that this will happen in our day that we, the Jewish Nation will know how to redeem our history and protect it forever more. That we will finally realize that no matter what we do, what we give up or abandon, the world will never accept our existance,
This is our heritage and we shall never forgive nor shall we forget Gush Katif.
(In honor of our beloved families and in blessed memory of our loved ones Z”L who were taken out of their resting places because of the government of Israel)