With thanks to Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC)**

“CFOIC Heartland Brings you a Personal Message from the People of Gush Katif – As we mark three years since their expulsion from their homes, please take a few minutes to listen to their heart-wrenching message. View an 8 minute YouTube Video HERE “Gush Katif: 1000 Days Without a Home” telling the story of the Gush Katif families who lost everything 3 years ago.”

Update: Rachel Saperstein of Gush Katif is one of the first interviewed on the video above.  She and her husband Moshe were called upon many times by the press and visitors to Jewish Gaza during the days before being expelled from Gush Katif.  Mr. Saperstein wrote many very thoughtful vignettes during this time.  Many of these may be found at “Jerusalemdiaries” HERE (membership in group required), HERE, and blog HERE, and are worth the time to read in order to understand the Gush Katif community mindset at the time. One of Moshe Saperstein’s posts can be found at Katif.net in English “LIFE IN JEWISH GAZA“. 

Recently, Rachel Saperstein wrote “Behind the Lovely Face – She was the cruelest of them all”, an opinion piece about the aftermath of the expulsion from Gush Katif, found HERE at Israel National News.  Mrs. Saperstein reflects on Tzipi Livni’s active role in these expulsions, noting the possibility of her becoming the future Israeli Prime Minister when PM Olmert leaves the government.

“I remember Gush Katif” at Jewish Journal’s “Bloggish’ posted by Orit Arfa captured the many emotions and thoughts of people who went through this horrendous and nightmarish experience:

“We’ve forgotten about the good people of Gush Katif, Gaza — their spiritual and physical suffering after being left homeless by the State of Israel for three years. (Not to mention the suffering of Palestinian Gazans.) It’s old news. It’s uncomfortable news. It’s (gasp!) right-wing.

Sometimes, in my moments of cowardice, I too am afraid to talk about the Disengagement. It’s too painful. People don’t want to hear. I easily get labeled a right-wing fanatic for caring so much about the settlers, for being so opposed to the Disengagement, for calling it an ‘expulsion’ — because that’s what it was: the forceful expulsion of men, women, and children from their homes because they were Jews….” Read the whole thing

July 13th, Israel National News brought word about a new museum in Jerusalem telling the story of the people and events at Gush Katif - “Enthusiastic Response to Gush Katif Museum” HERE

“Some visitors thought that we should be a bit more militant,” Miriam said. “They felt that we should display the numbers of unemployed, all the government’s broken promises, and the like. We do have an impressive room with some stark photos of the actual expulsion, but in general our goal is not to weaken, but rather to strengthen.  We are not blurring over the difficult reality we face, but we want to give a positive sense of what life in Gush Katif was like.”  More Israel News  

Update:  Israel National News is currently doing a series on the expelees of Gush Katif, the first of which “Expelled: A Powerful Video Documentary of the Tucker Family” is HERE. …”This broadcast is the first in a new 4-part series called “Expelled,” documenting the stories of 4 families who were evicted from Gush Katif 3 years ago this month”

Also, recently Previous posts about Gush Katif are HERE, and HERE 

** Note that CFOIC’s website is asking for funds to help support what they do in Israel: Christian Friends of Israeli Communities, PO Box 50833, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80949-0833    800-551-3207.  (See message HERE)