Beeri

2024-05-03

86 who were evacuated from their homes from both southern and northern Israel following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war have passed away, the Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry announced on Thursday ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day next week. According to the ministry, 52 Holocaust survivors died from the city of Ashkelon, 12 survivors from Sderot, and 11 survivors from other settlements in the south. In addition, 11 Holocaust survivors died from the evacuated northern settlements of Shomrat, Metula, Kibbutz Dan, Shlomi, and Kibbutz Yir’on. The data shows that some of the 238 who were evacuated to hotels returned to their homes or moved to other places. In the city of Ashkelon, 122 Holocaust survivors left hotels, while in Sderot, 33 Holocaust survivors left. Most of the Holocaust survivors who were evacuated from the north, on the other hand, remained in the evacuation centers, like much of the other residents. From Kiryat Shmona, for example, only two Holocaust survivors left the hotels, as well as two from Metula and seven from Shlomi. About 2,500 Holocaust survivors experienced the difficult events of . About 2,000 Holocaust survivors were forced to abandon their homes and evacuate to a safe area as a result. In the meantime, the ministry notes an increase in the number of Holocaust survivors who are assisted by welfare services. According to the data, this applies to 42% of Holocaust survivors in Israel. As of 2024, the office provides services to approximately 48,610 survivors, compared to 45,300 last year. 22,893 of the Holocaust survivors receive services from various frameworks of the Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry, mainly through support communities. 1,710 survivors receive assistance through the social payments system, receiving mainly material and financial assistance. 5,110 receive services from the Friendship Fund in cooperation with the Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry. Haim Raanan, 88, a Holocaust survivor who also survived the deadly October 7 Hamas attack on Kibbutz Beeri, shows a picture of himself as a child with his mother, Erin, wearing Stars of David, at his temporary accommodation in Tel Aviv, Israel January 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI) In addition, more than 1,000 Holocaust survivors are assisted by a remote welfare program and a connected program - programs to alleviate loneliness and strengthen intergenerational ties through two-way digital communication technology systems for remote contact and physical meetings, which aim to improve the quality of life of Holocaust survivors in the community in terms of reducing loneliness and a sense of belonging, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and promoting digital literacy. The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry added designated standards for the care and assistance of Holocaust survivors in local authorities, alongside the expansion of community services to all senior citizens in the State of Israel and various programs. Welfare and Social Affairs Minister Ya’akov Margi said: "This year, more than ever, we have an obligation as a ministry, as a society, and as a community to embrace Holocaust survivors, many of whom experienced the events of the terrible massacre on October 7 and brought back to them difficult memories of the terrible Holocaust." "At a time when the State of Israel is fighting for its right to exist and when terrible antisemitic events and demonstrations take place every day in cities and campuses around the world, the generation of Holocaust survivors are our light and moral compass and the beacon of faith in our righteousness. The people, many of whom have experienced the horrors of both times, are testimony to the rise of Israel and the strength and resilience of the Jewish people," he concluded.  Director General of the Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry, Yinon Aharoni, said: "Aid and support for Holocaust survivors is at the heart of the ministry's activities, and we are constantly working to diversify and expand the programs and services for this population. The goal is to personally reach every survivor, and to lay out before them all the rights and services they deserve. Our debt as a country and citizens to the survivors of the Holocaust is enormous, and we must work every day to make sure that they will live a good life with good health and a supportive and wide social network as possible, and this so that they will not lack anything." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-25

Growing up in and being deeply involved in policy planning and decision-making for the government for many years, I’ve observed numerous minimal and repetitive action plans. As Israel faces one of its most significant tests amidst ongoing conflict, a crucial question looms: How can we not only achieve military victory but also emerge socially and economically stronger, especially in our northern and southern regions? The transformation of these areas into thriving regions capable of attracting thousands of new residents over the next decade is essential for our future success. Now is the time for a new approach. The current conflict has not only tested Israel’s military resilience but also exposed the vulnerabilities and untapped potential of the northern and southern regions. Reflecting on the past, after the , the Israeli government implemented a significant rehabilitation program in the North and Haifa. While this program made important strides in rebuilding infrastructure and supporting local authorities, it highlighted the need for integrating more robust social and economic strategies to ensure comprehensive development. Strategic planning for the future must not merely aim to restore what was lost but should seize this moment to fundamentally transform these areas into thriving hubs of innovation, culture, and economic activity. This vision requires a bold departure from past practices, embracing a more holistic approach that can truly revitalize these communities. Addressing immediate infrastructure needs is essential, but the vision must extend far beyond repair. It is necessary to lay the groundwork for sustainable development that will attract new populations and foster a prosperous environment. This includes building adaptive infrastructure that can withstand future challenges and creating conditions that immediately benefit current and future residents. To transform the North and South into regions that people are drawn to, a comprehensive plan is needed that includes: • Affordable Housing: Develop comprehensive housing projects that are affordable and enhance the natural beauty of the region, making these areas attractive places to live. IDF Soldiers, Kibbutz Beeri October 15, 2023 (credit: REUVEN CASTRO) • Education and Employment Opportunities: Strengthen local educational institutions and link them to emerging economic sectors like technology, tourism, and agriculture, ensuring that residents have access to valuable skills and job opportunities. • Community Building and Social Resilience: Expand social services, healthcare, and recreational facilities to build strong, resilient communities that support a high quality of life and can attract and retain new residents. Recent surveys conducted in the highlight the need for secure, stable reintegration strategies, as nearly half of the respondents are currently displaced, emphasizing the urgency of addressing community needs. Tourism will be a cornerstone of economic resurgence, particularly in the historically rich regions of the North and South. By developing tourism that highlights the unique history, culture, and natural landscapes of these areas, both domestic and international visitors can be attracted. This will not only boost the local economy but also create numerous employment opportunities, supporting the broader goals of regional development. Importantly, 21% of families in the North rely on tourism for their income, underscoring the vital role that enhanced tourism infrastructure and initiatives could play in these communities. Additionally, adopting models of community tourism can provide a platform for sharing the unique narratives and voices of the area’s residents. This approach allows stories from these regions to resonate globally, fostering a deeper connection and understanding through the personal experiences of its people. Visionaries will see the new wine route at the Golan, reopening the Mahanayim Airport for easier commute, international music festivals with sunrise tours to the Sea of Galilee. When more visitors come to Israel, they will not only experience its beauty and heritage but will also feel a deep connection to the land and its people, making their visit more than just a journey – it becomes a meaningful part of their lives. The strategy for “the day after” is designed to be comprehensive and proactive, directly addressing immediate needs while paving the way for sustainable growth and resilience. By implementing these strategic initiatives, Israel can not only recover but also enhance its position as a dynamic, innovative nation. This plan will transform the North and South into thriving economic and cultural hubs, attracting new residents and businesses, and promoting a robust future for all regions involved. While laying the groundwork for sustainable growth, we draw on the inherent strength and resilience for which Israel is known. This approach ensures that our recovery is not just swift but also enduring, building a foundation that future generations can build upon. Through dedicated effort and strategic foresight, we can build a future where each part of Israel contributes to and benefits from national prosperity. The writer is the director of the Cross-Sector Division of the Israel Association of Community Centers. She is a former director at the Prime Minister’s Office with expertise in public policy, and a current member of the Devorah Forum. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-22

Nine-year-old Emily Hand, a former hostage who was held captive by Hamas in Gaza, sang the Passover song "Ma Nishtana" with other children from Kibbutz Be'eri in Hostages' Square in Tel Aviv on Monday. Hand was released in late November as part of a temporary ceasefire-hostage release deal. Together with Emily Hand, who was held hostage in Gaza: The children of Kibbutz Be'eri sang ‘Ma Nishtana’ at the Passover Seder ❤️ The gathering at the Hostages Square on the first night of marked the 199th day since the Israel-Hamas war began, and saw other members from the kibbutz at the event as well, which was also held to call for the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza - 11 of whom are from Be'eri. Noam Itzhaki, a member of the kibbutz and host of the evening, began by saying that "our seder tables this year are missing in a way that the mind cannot comprehend. During the Black Saturday, we lost 100 of our friends, our children and our youth, and their absence is a huge hole that opened in the heart of the community; 30 of our friends were kidnapped during that Shabbat, 19 of them returned to us, some of them are even sitting with us today, and we are so happy that you are with us. "Unfortunately, some of the members were no longer alive when they were kidnapped, some were murdered while in captivity, and thus we got a painful illustration of the risk that everyone who is still there is in," Itzhaki continued. "We call on the decision makers from here - we have lost enough. Do whatever is necessary, all that is needed, in order to return freedom to those who are still captive and to return those who are not among the living to a proper burial in the soil of their home. This is not a political or strategic decision, but a value and moral decision, and can be accepted now." Emily Hand meets her father, Thomas Hand, after being released on November 25. (credit: IDF/Reuters) After Ithaki's speech, a poem was read which was written by Tami Baruch, the mother of Idan Baruch, who was murdered on October 7, and Sahar Baruch, who was and then murdered in captivity. Eyal Debori, a member of the kibbutz, read the text Pidyon shvuyim, with pictures of 11 abductees from the kibbutz still being held captive by Hamas projected behind him. Dorit Or, the mother of Dror Or, who was kidnapped and held captive by Hamas, spoke and said: "The first cup - the cup of freedom is carried for Israel's exit from slavery to freedom, from exile to redemption. To freedom which is independence for each and every one, everywhere and at any time, for life and salvation. "A first glass is dedicated at this time to the most basic freedom, which was taken from our friends who were kidnapped that Shabbat. Everyone has the freedom to live a full, safe and free life with their families, with their communities. Everyone has the right to be buried in their home soil." Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-18

Malawi Foreign Minister Nancy Tembo and Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz celebrated the opening of Malawi's embassy in Israel, Maariv reported on Thursday. In 2020, Malawi's Foreign Minister, Eisenhower Mkaka, came on a diplomatic mission to Israel. During his visit, he met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, who emphasized Malawi's president Lazarus Chakwera's intention to . On Thursday (18 April), the current Malawai Foreign Minister, Nancy Tembo, fulfilled her predecessor's promise to Israel in a ceremony in Tel Aviv with Katz and . During the ceremony, Tembo, Katz, and Arbel signed an agreement to pilot a program to bring approximately 3,000 agricultural workers to Israel. Just before the ceremony, Katz and Tembo met with the families of the hostages Carmel Gat, Or Levy, and Daniel Peretz. "195 days have passed since . We must return all of the 133 hostages held by Hamas, and we are working in every possible way to bring them back home." Katz said. He then added, "We are at a critical time after Hamas' refusal to the proposal brought by the mediators." the Israeli foreign minister then stressed the importance of pressuring Hamas to return the hostages without being pressured into a ceasefire first. Malawi FM meets with Israeli FM and family members of the hostages. (18/4/2024) (credit: SIVAN SHACHOR) Tembo listened to stories told by the family members of the hostages and saw pictures of them. She then promised to assist in the efforts to return the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, agreeing to Katz's request to push for their release on international discussions, conditioning a ceasefire on their release. "We will continue to support Israel even when all the others don't" said Tembo during the ceremony. She further added that all of the hostages must be returned, saying she "has never seen such inhumane acts as there were on October 7. Malawi prays for the hostages." Michael, hostage Or Levy's brother, said that Or was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival party, "his wife Einav was murdered, and their two-year-old son Almog was left alone." Carmel Gat's cousin Gil said to Tembo that Carmel was kidnapped from Be'eri after a two-month-long trip to India. "Hostages that returned told us that she is still alive," said Gil, "but we are running out of time. They must return as soon as possible since time is killing them in captivity." Doron, Daniel's father, shared that his son's body is still in Gaza, held by Hamas. "He saved many in Nir Oz and was kidnapped from inside his tank by terrorists. The soldiers cannot be left behind. They must be a part of any deal." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-25

Maj.-Gen. (res.) , former commander of the West Bank division, spoke Monday morning with Anat Davidov and Udi Segal on 103FM. Tibon discussed the difficult security situation throughout the October 7 attacks in the various arenas and sharply criticized the government's performance. Regarding the northern arena, he claimed that "[Israel] needs to do two things - on the civilian level, we need to establish a body similar to the Takuma administration to take care of the northern citizens. They have been out of their homes for six months, businesses have been destroyed, and farms and entire settlements have been damaged.  We now need a director who is a civil servant, not a political figure, because, at this moment, there are no answers from anyone, and the personal cost is very high. Currently, no one is taking care of them." Tibon, clearly furious, stated that the current "government is not functioning, [with the only consideration it holds] is that it has 64 mandates so that Netanyahu can stay in power- this is full neglect of the people affected by this war. "These people need answers; all of those who hold ministerial positions are irresponsible, and [personally] I would start with that [issue] before talking about what is being done in Lebanon." The destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, October 20, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) Switching gears to the southern campaign against Hamas and the Rafah issue, Tibon continued by saying that "the problem in is not the Hamas battalions. "These are not the first-tier battalions, but the issue is the Philadelphia axis. How can Israel reach a solution where it has effective control in the area but also by cutting off supply pipes Hamas holds in the Sinai Peninsula? "We are no longer in a situation of war within the Gaza Strip; we are in a situation of ongoing security. There was a strategic mistake in the campaign- we did not have a clear strategy." On October 7, Tibon heroically fought with the security forces in Nahal Oz to save his son's life, eliminating Hamas terrorists around his house and rescuing him and his granddaughters. "From a situation where we were attacked and our people slaughtered, the whole Western world was in our favor. We have reached a situation where we have an arms embargo. The pictures the world sees are not from Beeri or Kfar Aza but of the hungry children within the Gaza Strip." Concluding his remarks, Tibon stated that multiple clear objectives need to be achieved. These include returning the hostages, preventing Hamas from controlling the Gaza Strip, returning security to Israeli , and resuming prosperity in the Western Negev." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-22

Released hostage Sapir Cohen recounted her experience in Gaza, held by in an interview with the Italian newspaper Libero Quotidiano, which was published on Wednesday.  On the day of the massacre, Cohen witnessed her boyfriend, Sasha Troufanov, still a , "beaten bloody and thrown face-first into the ground." Sasha's mother and grandmother, Yelena Troufanov and Irena Tati, were also taken away, but have since been released. Cohen recounted that six months before the attacks, she had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. She told the newspaper, “I began to have a dark feeling that something was about to happen. At first I felt physical discomfort. I even started praying, and it was the first time I had done so in my life, because the doctors had told me that the cause of the problem was in my feelings rather than a virus that had actually affected me." On October 7, Cohen recalled, “The messages warning of the ongoing assault on the kibbutzim began to arrive on our cell phones. And I was in Nir Oz, 15 km from Be’eri, the first target of the attack. We were hoping for the military to intervene in our defense. Instead, terror broke out, accompanied by the screams of Allahu Akbar! We heard the shots and the cries of desperation of those who were forced to witness that massacre. Of those who saw their loved ones massacred by bullets. And at a certain point the door of the house was torn off."  As Cohen was taken to Gaza, she said, "Innocent civilians who supported the terrorists kicked and punched me mercilessly, without stopping. And I couldn't help but protect my head with my hands, invoking God's name so that he wouldn't let me die at that moment."  Sapir Cohen, released from Gaza captivity, lights Hanukkah candles (credit: MAARIV) She also said that while she was in Gaza, her captors tried to convince her that Israel had forgotten about her, and that it doesn't care about or was prioritizing other issues. 17-year-old Ofir Engel, who was in Hamas captivity for 54 days, repeated similar sentiments in an interview with Kan News.  "Only after the first night, I realized that I had been kidnapped to Gaza," he said. "We were constantly kept in apartments with terrorists who threatened that we will die in Gaza, and that our families don't care about us." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-19

On October 7, the world changed. Not just because Israel’s enemies demonstrated that they wish to kill our children more than they wish to protect their own. Not just because they perpetrated the worst act of terror against a Western nation (proportionately) in the past 80 years. And not just because they chose to their evil. But because they broke a paradigm. Before October 7, there was a widely held view in Israel and around the world that the “West Bank” was unjustly settled by Israel following our victory in the 1967 Six Day War. Many people believed that these Israeli settlements and the settlers living in them were solely responsible for the hatred of Palestinians toward Jews. They argued that evacuating these settlements and exchanging “land for peace” was the correct formula to bring paradise to our region. And then October 7 happened. Besides the shock that Palestinians were able to break through billions of dollars of security equipment and surprise our entire intelligence and military apparatus, the greatest shock of all was that the attack came from Gaza and not from the “” – and targeted “Israel proper” rather than the “settlements.” Surely the Gazans, who had had independence for almost 20 years and for whom we evacuated over 10,000 Jews living in Gush Katif in 2005, could not hate us that much? After all, they have enjoyed self-rule and billions of dollars of foreign aid since the Disengagement, with and Qatar-funded mosques and hospitals. Had the attack come from the Palestinians in the “West Bank,” who clearly must hate the “settlers” who live side by side with them, this would have been a clear message to the world that we need to end this “settler enterprise” and give back the “stolen” land to the Palestinians. But the narrative was thrown into disarray, because what happened shattered that paradigm once and for all. By attacking Israeli kibbutzim, such as Be’eri and Kfar Aza, and launching heavy missile attacks into Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Tel Aviv, the Gazans made something very clear. They regard all of Israel as their “West Bank” and every Israeli as a settler. Israeli security forces take up a position at the scene of an attempted shooting attack in the Old cemetery, in the West Bank of Hebron, March 16, 2024. (credit: WISAM HASHLAMOUN/FLASH90) Perhaps the old-world thinkers should not have been so surprised since Palestinians and their supporters have been calling for a Palestinian state “from the River to the Sea” for many decades, a term that defines the entire State of Israel as their rightful homeland.  That is why I say that we are all settlers now. Hamas has made clear that they see no difference between any type of Israelis. Until recently, settlers like myself, who live in the “West Bank,” described our region as “Judea and Samaria,” or “Yosh” – short for the Hebrew “Yehuda V’Shomron” – referencing the Biblical homeland of the Jewish people for millennia that was established in our territory.  The term “West Bank’’ was reserved for the old paradigm thinkers, along with foreign journalists and politicians, to describe the land immediately to the west of Jordan that they believed was rightfully Palestinian. Today, I believe that we can correctly repurpose the term “West Bank” to describe not just the settlements “across the Green Line” but all the territory to the west of the Jordan River – including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa – “to the (Mediterranean) Sea.” US President Joe Biden and the British government recently rescinded the rights of certain settlers to enter their countries in order to draw some sort of fake moral equivalence between Palestinians who rape and behead children and a small number of extremist settlers who very rarely engage in arson or throwing stones. Clearly, they have not noticed the dramatic change in Israeli identity that now reclassifies us all as “settlers,” according to the Palestinians. A recent poll shows that 65% of Israelis no longer believe in a two-state solution, up from a previous level of around 50% over the past few years. Those Israelis who support a Palestinian state are now a small minority and are shrinking every day because of the ongoing hostage situation and anger over Gazan brutality. With no serious Israeli political party advocating a two-state solution that would give the Palestinians an army, air force, and open borders to Egypt and Jordan, it would seem to be officially dead in the water. When former US president John F. Kennedy visited Germany in 1963, he expressed his opposition to the division of the capital city between the West and the Russians by stating “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am a Berliner). Today, an American president could stand in Tel Aviv and say “ani mitnachel” (I am a settler). October 7 revealed many misunderstandings in Israeli life, including the mistaken belief that the settler movement was the cause of all the woes of the State of Israel. Now that all Israelis are united behind the war against Hamas, we can proudly declare that we all live in the “West Bank,” making every Israeli officially a settler (at least according to the ultra-reliable Hamas information bureau). As we search for a new paradigm to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, at least we can finally agree that we are all settlers now. Rabbi Leo Dee is an educator living in Efrat, and Israel’s Special Envoy for Social Initiatives. His book Transforming the World: The Jewish Impact on Modernity has been republished in English and Hebrew in memory of his wife Lucy and daughters Maia and Rina, who were murdered by terrorists in April 2023. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-15

Until this war, Brig.-Gen. Barak Hiram was anything but a household name. He was an accomplished infantry officer who had climbed the ranks in the and was known within the IDF as someone who led troops from the front. One example of this was during the Second Lebanon War in 2006 when, as commander of an Egoz company, he was seriously injured and lost one of his eyes. Since October 7, Hiram has become famous, although not to his liking. First, there was the report that he ordered a tank commander to fire a shell at a home in Be’eri where hostages were being held at gunpoint by Hamas terrorists. Only two of the 14 hostages in the home survived. Next, was Hiram’s decision to blow up the Islamic University in the Gaza Strip without proper approval from the commander of the Southern Command. Apparently, Hiram felt that his soldiers were at risk due to intelligence indicating that tunnels were located under the university and decided to destroy the complex in a controlled explosion. The problem was that he skipped the necessary approval process, a decision that got him reprimanded by OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman. Finally, there was the news this week that despite these two incidents – and maybe specifically because of them – decided to interview Hiram for the role of military secretary to replace Maj.-Gen. Avi Gil, who will step down in the coming months. There is little doubt that Hiram is an accomplished officer who has years of combat experience under his belt. According to IDF sources, he is highly motivated and the kind of combat officer any military would want to have in its ranks, someone who pushes forward, engages the enemy, and runs into fire as opposed to away from it. Barak Hiram (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT) What exactly happened in Be’eri on October 7 is an incident that we will not be able to judge. That day was full of rapid decisions that had to be made by commanders who were on the ground with little, if any, intelligence. While the ending was tragic, the circumstances under which Hiram made his decision were complex. Nevertheless, his story raises some serious questions, particularly the decision to reprimand him by officers whose future is under a cloud. Finkelman is the head of the Southern Command. It was under his watch that the Hamas invasion occurred on October 7. When the war winds down, he is expected to step down alongside , who approved the reprimand, and several other high-ranking officers such as Military Intelligence head Maj.-Gen. Aharon Haliva, who amazingly still remains in his position. Five months into this war, how are these officers are all still safe in their jobs and even reprimanding a division commander for tactical decisions? What about their role in all of what has been happening? How come none of them think they need to pay a price? As of now, they apparently don’t. According to sources close to several of these officers, both Halevi and Haliva, for example, plan on resigning at some point but not yet, as does Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) director Ronen Bar, another person responsible for the intelligence failure that led to the Hamas massacre. But this doesn’t stop them from reprimanding Hiram or from summoning Brig.-Gen. Dan Goldfuss – who gave a speech on Wednesday telling the government that it needs to better appreciate its soldiers – for a dressing-down. Has anyone reprimanded Halevi or Haliva for the mistakes that they made? No. But Hiram and Goldfuss are fair game. The stories of Hiram and Goldfuss feel like examples of what in the army is referred to as the “Shin Gimel” phenomenon, a term used to describe how probes end with the punishment of junior commanders and not the more senior ones.  I don’t know whether Hiram deserves to be reprimanded and I also don’t know if what he did in Be’eri on October 7 was right or wrong. Goldfuss might have spoken out of turn, but what he said needed to be heard by the public and particularly the government. What I do know is that there is something wrong with the fact that a bunch of officers whose future is uncertain are judging the officers who are fighting the war with unbelievable courage. The problem is that there is no one to show them the way.  It is legitimate to discuss whether officers should step down while the war is ongoing – even though things have been winding down in recent weeks – but the main problem is that there is an accountability deficit in Israel. This deficit was evident last week when the state-appointed commission of inquiry which investigated the disaster at Mount Meron in 2021 released its findings. Forty-five people were killed on Lag Ba’omer in what remains the greatest civilian disaster in Israel’s history. Somehow, though, the man who was the prime minister then is still the prime minister today, the police chief then is the police chief today, and the minister of public security then actually received a promotion a year ago and is today Speaker of the Knesset.  This is despite the fact that the commission of inquiry established to investigate the disaster – why it happened and who was responsible – found that Netanyahu was responsible, that police chief Kobi Shabtai was responsible, and that the police minister then, Amir Ohana, was also responsible. Nevertheless, they all are still in government jobs. When you think about it, the Meron disaster was the writing on the wall for the disaster that struck the country on October 7. It showed us already three years ago how human life is viewed by the government, how ministers don’t really care for their people and how the “everything will be okay” culture of Israel prevails over everything. That is until it is simply not. Israel does not have a culture of accountability. This is evident from Meron, from October 7, and from the way the top IDF brass remain in their positions while reprimanding lower-ranking officers like Hiram and Goldfuss.  October 7 needs to be the catalyst for change on many levels – how Israel manages the threats it will continue to face in the Gaza Strip and how the people in charge of this country view their roles and what responsibility actually means. Unfortunately, right now, it doesn’t mean very much. The writer is a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) and a former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-13

At this crucial moment, there’s a troubling silence about preserving the evidence of the harrowing events of October 7. Rushing to rebuild, demolition crews are already erasing the scars of tragedy, bulldozing destroyed homes in Be’eri. It’s unacceptable. Life must go on, but the lack of a clear plan to protect vital artifacts and potential memorials is problematic. The demolitions need to stop.  During recent visits to Auschwitz, the Supernova site, and Nir Oz, I witnessed the profound impact of allowing evidence to speak for itself. Countless solidarity and educational trips have already visited the October 7 areas to bear witness. My group was the 78th such cohort led by just one guide, a first responder after the attacks. Our journey was tied to a minimum donation for rebuilding Nir Oz which is pursuing a two-year, $83 million reconstruction plan. Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, had visited Nir Oz just days before. The first stop on our solidarity trip was near Tkuma, where about 1,800 destroyed vehicles are stacked, several deep. There was no room for our group to enter, due to the jam of other buses and groups of touring soldiers. The smashed vehicles are already quite rusted. Noting this, one woman asked how they would be preserved. The reply was “there’s no plan yet.” Next was the Supernova massacre site. No signs remain, as all vehicles and venue remains were removed. The lightly wooded area is bustling with diverse groups, such as soldiers and religious female students who come to pay respects, sing group songs, and share words of encouragement. Only a little scorched earth is still visible from beneath a layer of lush ground and blooming scarlet anemone wildflowers. It was a natural choice for a music festival. At Nir Oz, we saw the posters of hostages and victims that are plastered across the country. Here, the posters are on the doors of the homes, where those pictured were snatched, assaulted, and murdered; providing a physical anchor to the tragic stories we all know. There’s , with baby Kfir’s toys still spilled around the porch, waiting for him abducted at 9 months, to come home.  Nearby is the home of Yaffa Adar, the 85-year-old great-grandmother and Holocaust survivor infamously hauled off to Gaza on a golf cart. It felt like stepping into a crime scene. Residents shared the vivid stories behind the scars on every home. Plastic chairs are still positioned near mounds of ash, where recovery workers sat and sifted for human remains. Some on the tour asked about preservation plans, but it seemed there were none. As weeks go by and the ashes are blown away, evidence of the devastation is disappearing. This began with the repainting of roadside bomb shelters. Lacking doors, these tight concrete spaces were intended to shield people from projectiles landing from above. Israelis sought cover from terrorists inside them, only to be killed with grenades. Those who tried to flee were gunned down. In January, the transportation authority hastily painted over the charred walls without consulting the authority responsible for reconstruction.  In Sderot, by the end of October, there was no trace of the destroyed police station. Although a memorial is planned nearby, the rubble was recklessly removed by an unvetted contractor and illegally dumped in a nature preserve. Environmentalists tracked down the debris after discovering that the police superintendent’s personal effects were among it. One group of visual researchers, from the Ben-Zvi Institute, is racing against time to recover and save thousands of key items from being lost.  It’s difficult to preserve such sites while maintaining authenticity. In , 80 years and two million annual visitors take a toll. The rusting barbed wire is regularly replaced, the wooden barracks are reconstructed and weather-proofed on new foundations, and the once-barren muck is now mowed grass. The 4,000 pounds of hair and 100,000 leather shoes are decaying, losing much of their colors. The crematoria are rebuilt or propped up in a last stand against time.  Some say the Birkenau camp should be reclaimed by nature. During a visit, however, you’re shocked by the 430-acre vastness of a purpose-built death factory. It’s an experience that cannot be interiorized through a Netflix special or even from firsthand survivor accounts. The main effort to memorialize , led by Israel’s Heritage Ministry, is a digital simulation of what the area looked like after the attacks, using scans to create a “Yad Vashem 2.0.”  But there’s a reason why countless people divert for day trips from Krakow or from Tel Aviv. In a world rapidly moving toward virtual reality, what’s tangible is what truly makes an impression. During his Nir Oz tour, Argentina’s Milei drew parallels with the Holocaust, reflecting that, “When we saw the pictures, we were filled with horror; but now to see things for myself, up close, it is an all the more disturbing and powerful experience.” It’s also understandable not to want to dwell too much on these tragedies. Some, like People Love Dead Jews author Dara Horn, caution against centering Jewish identity on these grim locations. Former parliament member Moshe Feiglin once likened Jerusalem’s Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, to a metaphorical Third Temple “of our existence, the place where we bring all the visiting dignitaries, explaining to them that we are here because, if not, they burn us to ashes.” He argues that Israel’s destiny is “intertwined” with the Temple Mount. Right now, preserving the memory of October 7 prompts a needed confrontation between the West, Hamas, and the embattled “Never Again” mantra. Holocaust survivors were again abandoned to face the brunt of monsters hellbent on repeating history.  These destroyed areas mark the paradigm shift in Israel’s existential struggle.  While Hamas (and potentially some Israeli politicians) may celebrate the removal of evidence, these remnants are “Exhibit A” to justify a new reality in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]. For those who don’t see Israel’s destiny in a religious or historical context, places like Nir Oz offer a chance to stand at the event horizon separating barbarism and civilization.  The situation presents a dilemma of preserving history and supporting displaced families still waiting to return home. The return of thriving families to these communities is the ultimate comeback to Jew-hatred. There must be a middle ground that also respects the victims’ sacred memory, and shows the world that so long as Hamas survives, “Never Again” is no guarantee. For this opportunity to remain even a year from now, there must be a pause to demolitions. A compassionate review process, led by residents, preservationists, and international Jewish organizations, is sorely needed. The writer is a Middle East analyst and was a sergeant in the IDF’s Nahal infantry brigade during the 2014 Gaza War. He holds an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from The University of Chicago. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-10

Jordana Golding is a watercolor artist who paints “building portraits.” Clients come to her, she says, “with photos of buildings that have great significance in their lives, such as the café where they went on their first date with their spouse, or their childhood home, or somewhere else, and I paint it in watercolor.” Since , Golding has been reaching out to people from the South and the North who have lost their homes or been displaced. She wants to get the message across to any of them who would like a painting of their homes. “For those kinds of commissions, I do it free of charge. Obviously, I couldn’t take money for such a thing, and I would just love to reach more people.” Golding just wants “to help everyone have that memory because it must be so terrible for them,” she says. DESTROYED HOUSE (credit: Jordana Golding) SHE BEGAN painting buildings at age 21, when her parents sold their family home in the UK. “I wanted a picture for me and my family and I love painting, so I went back to London to visit and took photos of the house – and then came home to paint it,” she explains. “I painted it, and then my sister-in-law, who is very artistic herself, said: ‘Great! I want you to do the house I just bought with your brother.’ So I did that. And then, through word of mouth, I got more and more commissions. I used my marketing background and started to advertise, and then I got strangers asking me to do buildings of significance to them,” she recounts. “And then, in the war, it occurred to me that people were losing their homes for the worst reasons possible – not for good reasons such as I am used to, like clients who say ‘We got married and had to leave our childhood homes,’ but for really sad reasons. “And I thought: ‘These people deserve to have that memory framed – a picture of their house as they knew it before it was destroyed.’” Golding has already completed half a dozen commissions but is averse to sharing pictures of those paintings out of respect for the owners’ privacy. They are very personal, she says. “I have done half a dozen for people from the South, mostly Kibbutz Re’im, one in Be’eri, one in Kfar Aza,” she says. “It’s emotional when you are painting it, knowing that none of that is there anymore, and it’s probably an army base right now. It’s emotional sending them to the clients, as they haven’t seen their houses in a while and I wish that they could only remember the good memories from it.” IN TERMS of technique, Golding first makes a pencil sketch, which she sends to the client to approve. “It can always be fixed at that stage.” While she copies exactly from the photos she is given, it can happen that “the images I copy might not be exactly the same as they are in people’s memories. The building might look two-dimensional in the photo and then after I draw it – because they see it in their memory, not from the photo – they say, for instance, ‘Actually, that door looked a bit different...’” Once they confirm that they like the look of it, she goes ahead. “Then I carry on with the rest of the painting by going over the pencil lines with a black pen and then erasing the pencil, and then going in with watercolor paints and touching up here and there with the black pen.” Golding then continues, using very light brush strokes of opaque color (“because you really can’t move it around too much once the pigmented paints are on the page”) and keeps adding layers – “until it’s what I want.” “All the little bricks that you see,” she says, “I do them by hand with a tiny brush. I draw the little square and fill it in. I don’t have like a stamp or something.” Golding calls International Women’s Day her favorite day of the year. “I am definitely the biggest feminist I know,” she says. “I come from a line of hard-working women who are self-made, with their own businesses – even in generations where it wasn’t so acceptable to be a woman owning her business.” Her grandmother, she recounts, was the first woman in England to have a credit card without the need for her husband as a signatory. In those days, if a woman wanted to spend over a certain amount on her card, her husband had to authorize it. “That’s the kind of stories that I grew up on, and now to be a small business owner on my own is very rewarding,” she asserts. Golding also hails “from a house of mainly men: brothers, uncles, and my dad, of course.” She considers them all “a wonderful influence,” pointing to her relationship with them as making her more boisterous and tough. The artist says that Nana, her paternal grandmother, was very artistic, “and she passed it on to my dad and on to me. “Nana was also a business owner in London all her life with her husband, my grandfather – and so was my mother.”  Golding’s mother was a stay-at-home-mom, which her daughter defines as “a big job.” Later, she “decided she wanted to make some money, and so she went out and did.” Golding recently discovered that her mother also liked to paint and “was actually very talented.” “So maybe I got it from her, after all,” her daughter says with a laugh. WHILE SHE knows it’s , she insists that “I don’t want to forget my dad in all this because from a very young age, I was asking him to shlep me to all parts of the country, to take me to art exhibitions, to find the best art equipment and the best place to sell things. I would drive him nuts my whole childhood, and he always encouraged me. “He was always there to kick me up the backside, saying ‘You can do that commission, that’s not above you – you can do that.’ He dragged me to all my universities – I got accepted to the London College of Art and to five other universities to study art.” Golding’s parents insisted that she was only allowed to attend a school away from home if she first spent a gap year in Israel. “My parents insisted on it,” she said. “They said that there was a lot of ; that I had to be prepared and really needed to understand and know how to defend Israel against things like apartheid week, antisemitism and anti-Zionism – which we are now unfortunately seeing a lot of.” She came to Israel on a gap year program and fell in love with the country. “It backfired on them,” she says, “because I came back to England after the year and said ‘I am not staying here: I want to live in Israel – and to live in Israel, I have got to do what all the other people my age are doing, which is to join the IDF.’” Golding looks back on the past few years with pride. “I gave up all those places” in universities and instead “became a combat soldier at checkpoints and fought a lot of terror attacks,” she said, but “always painted during every five seconds of free time I had.”  Curated by Fiammetta Martegani, “The Beating Art of Tel Aviv” exhibition comprises works by Jordana Golding, Tanya Past, and Tamir Yehuda, completed “long before the war began,” Golding explains. Since 2022, “The Art and Soul of Tel Aviv project” has combined various artists with differing techniques who, together, “become the storytellers of the city,” explains Martegani. “What brings them together in their artwork is their love for the White City, the Bauhaus movement, its light, and its vibes,” the curator says. “Like an orchestra, each uses a different instrument, and all together they play the symphony of this unique place in the world, where the conductor is the city itself. “After five editions of this exhibition, October 7 arrived, and we asked ourselves if we could and should put together a new edition, including all the works selected just a few months before the Black Shabbat.” As curator, Martegani held many discussions with Hagit Shahar, director of the Drahi Center, “about our next move.” “I felt so heartbroken, that I suggested changing the title and – at least for this edition – calling it “The Broken Art of Tel Aviv” instead of “The Art and Soul of Tel Aviv project.” But Shahar responded: “We are not broken, we are beating!” “This is how we conceived this new exhibition, “The Beating Art of Tel Aviv” explains Martegani, “asking each artist to add to their works the feeling of ‘beating,’ to show the resilience of Israel in a time of war. For me, as curator, this is a crucial message to spread during such a difficult time in our lives. “Because, despite everything, we are still in the middle of a very long journey; we are still beating,” she says: “Like the heart – and the art – of Tel Aviv.” The exhibition is scheduled to run until April 1 at the Sport and Culture Community Center, Kalisher 5, Tel Aviv. For more information, 073-3844151 or [email protected]  “I did an Instagram post for my clients abroad,” Golding said. “I took a very beautiful commission of a random picture and I destroyed it, I burnt it and punched a hole in it – and it looked horrifying and it was like: ‘If this horrifies you, imagine people losing their homes and their life.’” She posted: To all my clients outside of Israel, A home is where one is supposed to feel safe. You’re greeted by familiar voices and the smell of home-cooked meals. You fall asleep with the comfort of knowing that your loved ones are just in the room next door.  This is no longer the case in Israel. Our homes are being bombed. They’re being burnt to the ground with families inside. Terrorists broke doors down to have their way with whoever was inside. They graffitied the walls, ripped down curtains, smashed windows, and left bloody footprints. Everywhere.  Thousands of Israelis right now are living out of frantically packed suitcases in unfamiliar environments. They’ve had to leave behind family heirlooms, photos, toys, and bodies of relatives because a terrorist organization within our midst saw it fit to destroy everything and everyone in their wake, the elderly and babies included.  A home is so much more than walls and windows, it’s where memories are built and preserved. Nobody should have it taken away from them. “If you or someone you know has lost a home or a business in this dreadful war and you wish to remember it for how it was before, please be in touch. I’d like to help you preserve that memory, free of charge. We’ll get through this. We don’t have a choice. Jordana. “It was like a ‘shock-factor’ kind of post for people not living in Israel,” Golding said, “and the curator, Fiammetta Martegani saw the post and said that the painting of the destroyed house should be in the exhibition – and the exhibition should be about continuity and hope.” For more information, see Jordana Golding’s website: artbyjorderz.weebly.-com ...قراءة المزيد

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2023-12-08

In the light of the , a haunting story unfolds of unshakable resilience and a ray of hope in the midst of darkness. The hanukkiah, with its eight flames, symbolizes a miracle from ancient times. In Jerusalem’s Holy Temple, a single day’s oil illuminated the darkness for eight days. But this year, the hanukkiah’s message resonates with an even deeper, more poignant significance. In the aftermath of the devastating attacks on in southern Israel, my journey brought me to Be’eri, a kibbutz scarred by conflict. Here, amid the desolation, I witnessed a scene of profound sorrow and quiet strength. A man, crouching, almost kneeling, in the remnants of what was once a family home, personifies the essence of loss and perseverance. The home, now a landscape of rubble and ashes, was his wife’s family’s dwelling, a place that once echoed with the laughter of loved ones. Clad in overalls, a light blue kippah resting gently on his head, he moves with solemn purpose through the debris. His face, partly concealed by a mask to shield him from the pervasive smell of death, is a canvas of intense emotion. His brow furrowed, his eyes a well of unspoken stories. Each movement is careful, reverential, almost sacred, as he lifts each broken, charred fragment of lives once full and vibrant. On that day of tragedy, Simchat Torah, a time of great joy, became a time of sorrow. The house had been full, as grandparents, children, and grandchildren gathered to celebrate. But terror struck, brutally claiming the life of his wife’s father and abducting eight others. The photograph captures not just a man sifting through ruins but a soul searching for the scattered remnants of a past violently torn away. His body, folded over amid the ruins, speaks volumes about his inner turmoil – a blend of despair, anguish, determination, and the need to connect with the fragments of his shattered world. As he sifts through the remnants, each piece he touches is a connection to a memory, a moment in time that once was. CLAD IN overalls, he moves with solemn purpose through the debris. (credit: CHEN SCHIMMEL) And then, amid this solemn ceremony, he makes a stark, poignant discovery. His hands, blackened with soot, uncover a hanukkiah. This single eight-branched menorah is twisted and contorted, a stark symbol of the horror that befell his family, bearing the scars of the tragedy. Found amid the wreckage, it encapsulates the essence of the Hanukkah message. It is not just a relic of a home lost; it is an emblem of light persevering in the darkest of times. The twisted menorah speaks to the endurance of the human spirit amid unimaginable trials and grief. As the man cradles this symbol of his family’s past, the scene captures the heart of the Hanukkah spirit. It is a reminder that even in the depths of despair, the indestructible light of hope, tradition, and resilience flickers on. In the discovery of this hanukkiah, we see a reflection of our own ability to find strength and light, even when surrounded by the ashes of destruction. Advertisement This , as we light our candles, we are reminded of more than that long-ago historical miracle; we are called to recognize the enduring flame of hope that burns even in the darkest of times. In that man’s cradling of this twisted hanukkiah, we find a powerful symbol of unwavering resilience and the inextinguishable light of the human spirit. It stands as a profound testament to our capacity to find light amid darkness, to kindle and keep alive the light of hope when black despair seems all-consuming.  As each flame flickers, our hanukkiot vibrate with the message that it is in our darkest moments that the light of hope and enduring faith shines the brightest.  ...قراءة المزيد

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