Yom Ha’atzmaut
Continued from page 14
from a former Gush Katif Resident by Anita Tucker
W
e lived in Netzer Hazani for 29 years. In 2005, we were forced to leave our home, farm and life that we built, by the thousands of young men of our own beloved IDF who were sent to do this by the Members of the Knesset of the State of Israel. On that terrible day, I wasn’t sure whether we still had a State of Israel, nor was I sure that it was still our reishit tzmichat geulateinu—the beginning of the redemption of our people. Beyond that, all our lifetime was now a pile of rubble. I, my extended family and my friends were all homeless in my Homeland perpetrated by my Homeland. I still remain shocked that these representatives of our beloved State did not have the moral fiber to stand up and say proudly and clearly that it is immoral to throw ten thousand people out of their homes, especially when all know that the terror will continue and intensify.
www.shiurtimes.com
I wanted so much that my grandchildren would continue believing in the State of Israel, in the beginning of the flourishing of our redemption. Our communities were fortunate to manage to salvage the spirit and values out of the rubble of our towns. We hope we will be able to build anew so that the spirit and values might blossom anew. Those who do not see importance in this spirit and those values have emptied the State of Israel of the moral strength that the values provide. I wish my dear State of Israel, on this sixtieth birthday, that it will fulfill one of the main functions that will bring the land of Israel, the People of Israel and the Torah of Israel again to its full glory with the justice and kindness–which will our light house awaiting the return of all as promised by our Prophets. Anita Tucker made aliyah in 1969 and was among first nine families to build Gush Katif in 1976. She now lives in an interim Ein Tzurim “caravilla”. They plan build anew in YesodotNachal Sorek. °
captured and eventually martyred by the Roman authorities. Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava went with these five students to a valley between two mountains, and away from the cities, so no city would be destroyed to continue training them for Semicha. The Romans discovered what was happening, and troops came into the valley. When Rabbi Yehuda realized that he was about to be captured, he quickly gave the five students Semicha, and told them to flee. “But Rebbe,” they said, “what about you?” “I am like a stone which cannot be turned,” he responded, and stayed where he was, so as to occupy the Romans and give the others a chance to escape. The Romans captured him and threw so many spears into him that his body resembled a sieve (Sanhedrin 14). The others succeeded in escaping. Thus Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava accomplished his mission. Rabbi Akiva at this time was 92 years old. (Seder Hadorot) He just sustained the worst blow a person can endure. Great credit would have been due Rabbi Akiva if he would have just not lost his faith. We would recommend trauma therapy. At the very least retirement. But behold Rabbi Akiva doesn’t take Continued on page 37
17