On Monday (16 February), in hundreds of Israeli schools, former residents of Gush Katif will mark Gush Katif Day, permitting the refugees to tell their classmates what life was like in the once vibrant community, which flourished for decades until Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expelled them from their homes, uprooting any trace of the former Jewish life in the area.

While participation in the event is not mandatory, left up to each individual school principal to decide, the day does enjoy the approval of the Ministry of Education.

Students will also discuss the hardships of their lives following the government expulsion, their difficulties at home, earning a livelihood and the other painful social and economic realities that are the direct result of the government’s policy.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

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