Residents of North Rally to Aid of Southern Israelis

Bombed out apartment in Kiryat Melachi, Israel, hit by Gaza missiles. Photo: Arsen Ostrovsky.

Over one million citizens of southern Israel have been subject to repeated rocket attacks by Gaza terrorists in the past few weeks, causing much stress and emotional fatigue.

With the objective of offering respite to the residents of the south, several organizations have rallied to their aid, inviting them to stay at their homes and enabling them to experience a calm atmosphere for the first time in weeks. A special telephone service center has been established for the purpose of coordinating these activities.

The residents of Samaria have made arrangements to host families from the south. Gershon Mesika, head of the Samaria Regional Council stated: “The residents of Samaria would love to host, and to receive with a warm hug and with much love, the residents of the south. The residents of Samaria previously hosted families from bombarded cities during the Gulf War, the Second Lebanon war and Operation ‘Cast Lead’, and we will be glad to do so now.” The community of Neve Tsuf in Samaria has made preparations to host some thirty families. Neve Tsuf is known for the rioting in neighboring Nebi Tsalach, but Yechi Kapach, a resident of the community, stated: “Generally speaking, it is safer here than in many other parts of the country. We are a community that volunteers a lot, and when it’s a national mission as is the case today, we are sure to be a part of it.”

A new Facebook page was established to connect the hosting families with residents of the south. The page, established by Shimon Levy from Meron in the north, has over 1,500 members.

The members of the community of Shadmot Mechola in the Jordan Valley are scheduled to host twenty families from the south. The connection was established through their Facebook page. Yoel Tovina, a resident of Shadmot Mechola told Tazpit that the community’s guest house was open for free to those fleeing the rockets. “This area used to be considered a dangerous area. Now we enjoy the calm; we have become the peaceful center of the country.”

Im Tirzu, a Zionist student movement, has taken a young girl from the south on a Bat Mitzvah trip to the north after her planned celebration was canceled due to the rockets striking her home town. The girl, Romy, from Netiv Haasarah on the Gazan border, was scheduled to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on November 11^th. The celebration was canceled, and her story was publicized. Im Tirzu heard about the story and decided to do something special for her. Tsachi Buchnik, a student at Haifa University and a resident of Alonei Habashan in the Golan, contacted local businesses and asked them for help. They all agreed to host special events for her today. One business donated breakfast. A tour guide will take them on a two hour jeep trip. They are scheduled to have a celebration this evening; and she received a free night at a local guest house. Tsachi explained: “The bottom line is no child should experience what she did. We want to show her that all of the Jewish Nation embraces her and wants to help her alleviate some of her pain.”