Hoping for the best

But if we have to leave Gush Katif, we’ll go together

By Renana Marmelstein|Published: 08.02.05 , 21:24

On Shabbat, we organized a symposium between the youth and adults of the community. I was shocked to see everyone, children and grown-ups, sitting and discussing their fear of expulsion.

When I realized that even the adults were scared, I realized that our job, as youth, was to serve as a crutch.

Let be clear: If God forbid, the expulsion is carried out, we will leave as one - even those who haven’t signed with the evil authority.

Ganei Tal is like one big family, and like in any family, there are disagreements, but everyone pitches in. This past week was tough. Should one sign with the Disengagement Authority or not? There was chaos.

But there was also unity, the kind I have never seen in 18 years.

A night without politics

Last week, some of the youth suggested a bicycle ride to Jerusalem to protest disengagement. I opposed it because I felt that because the people upstairs – the government – do not care about us and that it would not make a difference.

Instead, I suggested that we have fun activities for parents and children. It was very important that they had a night without politics and arguments.

It was important because I had heard of at least three cases of people with heart problems.

You see, to kill someone, you don’t have to shoot him. It’s enough to expel him from his home, his community and commit other evils.

So I started to organize a barbeque for the whole community, and we got everyone in the synagogue. It was a fun evening. There was music and song until the wee hours of the evening.

'Nation doesn't want this'

Today, we organized water sports and balloons for the children to give their parents a break. We are standing strong before the final date of disengagement with full faith that it will not occur.

Come to Ganei Tal and you won’t see people packing.

People, I call upon you to get to Ofakim. We can stop this plan because our government is based on popular sovereignty, and the nation doesn’t want this to go through.