On the Ground in Israel A personal view of our efforts in Israel from Amir Shacham, UJC MetroWest Director of Israel Operations January 2, 2008

Reports from the Front Line

• Once again the home is front and the front is home. This time around, the region under attack includes large areas which we at UJC MetroWest call home: Ofakim, Merchavim, and Sha'ar Hanegev. Many members of our private and community family have been under massive rocket attacks in the last few days. All expressions of solidarity and support are highly appreciated by our partners, and since they are extremely busy, I take this opportunity to thank you all on their behalf for thinking of them and caring for them so much.
  
  
• Golda Meir once said that "we do not hate our enemies that much because they kill us but more so because they force us to kill their children." Wars are ugly by definition and are about bloodshed, but this time it is clear to almost everyone that we were forced to take such a massive action. We just couldn't accept the situation, in which a terror group has been continuously launching missiles on our heads for so many years. We knew that civilians might be hurt, but we simply had to do it.
  
  
• It was not a happy moment for Kibbutz Erez members when they heard the massive bombs and saw Gaza on fire while the entire world was celebrating the New Year with fireworks. "Our hearts are breaking with every attack on our Palestinian neighbors," said Yahel Ben Aris, the Kibbutz director… "But we just know that every such bombing brings with it a better future for us, and it is absolutely inevitable."
  
  
• The army base of Nachal Oz, which has been a target for so many UJC MetroWest visits, now has become a target for so many mortar shell attacks. There is no alert when a mortar is launched, and therefore the damage can be severe. Only a couple of weeks ago, a few soldiers from the base were wounded, and our community did an excellent job writing them get well wishes. During the first day of the war, hours after we brought them the cards and Hanukkah goodies from the Ofakim-Merchavim Ethnic Women's Empowerment group, there was another deadly attack on the base. Many of the buildings were damaged, a few soldiers were wounded, and one was killed. His name is Lutfi, and he is a Druze sergeant. Together with him that day, there were two more Israeli casualties: Irit, who is Jewish, and Hanni, who is Muslim. Rockets do not discriminate.
  
  
• When Tzvi Greengold was appointed mayor of Ofakim only couple of months ago, we were all asking ourselves what a war hero has to do with running a development town. Now, it appears that he is the right man, in the right place, at the right time. Greengold, better known as "Tzvikah Force," received the highest IDF decoration during the Yom Kippur war for stopping, almost by himself, the Syrian army from invading the Golan Heights. He did so by talking on his tank's radio with nonexistent other tanks in order to create an impression of a major IDF force waiting for the Syrians. When I heard his deep voice this morning on national radio, describing the tough situation and the enormous strength of the Ofakim community, I couldn't resist thinking that perhaps it is again only "psychological warfare." Later on, when he called to say how much he appreciates our partnership and that the only thing the community needs from us right now is to express our solidarity, I knew the strength of the community is real.
  
  
• Ran Youl is the capable community center director in Ofakim. After the second Lebanon war, he decided to move down to the Negev, away from the rocket threats of his old home in the Galilee. Now the rockets are after him in Ofakim. The good news is the experience that he brings with him, in conducting community work in time of emergency and under fire. Ran is working around the clock, together with many other officials in town, to make sure that the kids are in protected environments and that they get enough incentives to stay there. Many volunteers from all over the country are helping with recreational activities and other needs.
  
  
• Right now, the Ofakim, Merchavim, and Sha'ar Hanegev residents don’t really want to leave their home towns. In spite of the real threats, they feel best at home. When we arranged for a youth group from Kibbutz Erez to be hosted in Ra'anana, their fear of the home hospitality by a city family was at times stronger than their fear of the Kassam threat on their Kibbutz. They wanted to stay as a group, and therefore we offered them group hospitality in cooperation with the Meitarim School and the Ra'anan Reform synagogue. After all, they are all UJC MetroWest family members.
  
  
• The P2K Mifgash group (eight MetroWest and eight Ofakim teens) couldn't stay in the region. They hate the word "evacuation"; they just went on a joint trip. In fact, Davkah, when the rockets started falling on their town, they all, American and Israelis alike, wanted to go back to Ofakim to be with their peers and families. The situation became quite realistic for them when they identified the exact location of a hit and realized that it was the back yard of their bus driver.
  
  
• Rishon Letzion, the fourth largest city in Israel, has decided to "adopt" a town that is now under fire. Ofakim was chosen. Let's not forget that only few weeks ago, Mayor Tzur of Rishon and Mayor Greengold of Ofakim stood together on the Ramat Eliyahu community center stage with UJC MetroWest leadership, when we celebrated our 30th anniversary of partnership. Wednesday, Rachel Eshel from Rishon (a member of our Atzmaut steering committee) spent the day in Ofakim to meet with all involved, to assess the needs and to coordinate support. Most of the things they are going to do are not related directly to security but to the well-being of the residents. We need them to feel good and strong. The Rishon Letzion cleaning department, for example, is now in charge of collecting Ofakim's garbage, because so much stuff was moved out when they opened and cleaned their old bomb shelter and the local garbage department just collapsed. When I spoke with Rachel last night, she told me that she saw our fingerprints all over town and that we should be proud of the community infrastructure that was built in Ofakim in the last decade and now gives it much strength.
  
  
• Unlike Ofakim and Merchavim, Kibbutz Erez is a veteran "soldier" in this "war." Yahel, the Kibbutz director, found the time between the alarms to tell me that even a cynical person like him now understands how important our investment is for them. Erez is the ONLY Kibbutz in the region that is almost fully protected. Practically all public facilities are secured through the eight years of UJC MetroWest support, and that support now bears fruit when they use them. The medical clinic of Erez, for instance, is the only clinic in the area that has a "safe room" (due to a contribution by MetroWest's Goldklang family), so people from other Kibbutzim are now coming there for treatments.
  
  
• There is so much more that is going on. Now, more than ever before, my traditional ending for my "On the Ground" column — "Drishat Shalom" (peace regards) — is needed. We all pray for it.

Drishat Shalom & Shabbat Shalom

Amir

You can email Amir with your comments.

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On the Ground archive

• December 23, 2008
• December 9, 2008
• November 24, 2008
• November 4, 2008
• October 23, 2008
• October 6, 2008
• September 16, 2008
• September 2, 2008
• August 11, 2008
• July 28, 2008
• July 15, 2008
• July 1, 2008
• June 6, 2008
• May 26, 2008
• May 12, 2008
• April 28, 2008
• April 14, 2008
• March 31, 2008
• March 17, 2008
• March 3, 2008
• February 13, 2008