A second
consecutive independence day in Netzer
Hundreds of visitors to the hill, arriving by car or foot, the nation's flags
waving in the Gush Etzion
winds – Eretz Israel air. Jeep tours drive by the smoothly worked fiels adjacent to the roads
to the hill, almost every meter fought over with Arabs. Here a plot planted two years ago
in honor of Jonathan Pollard, there a plot planted a year back by Suseya graduates; a field planted
a year and a half ago by
an Efrat family celebrating a daughter's bat-mitzvah. Here a field redeemed by the youth of
Gush-Etzion, there a plot in
memory of Deborah Frank z"l, resident of Bat-Yam and a fighter for the Land of Israel, and many more
.
Stubbornness – a needed trait in Netzer. Without the perseverance of tens
of activists and supporters,
all the hills between Alon Shevut and Elazar would have been in Arab hands a long time ago.
Eretz
Israel is
full of
idealists. There are the constant activists in Netzer all year long, and there are those who
use the free hours of Independence Day, to fill them with Zionistic content, climbing to Netzer with
their families.
A wonderful sight is revealed to those who arrived in Netzer: A mountain
bathed with a sea of flags,
proof of our sovereignty. Metal poles supported squares of fabric, granting shade to barbeque-ing
families. Running water was improvised from the sprinklers that water the Jewish plantings
year round, and a special wooden structure was raised to make ecological bathrooms. The
stage carries a large sign,
reading: "Guarding over you, beloved land".
At the top of the hill kids enjoyed magician Rabbi Viktor Attiya, an art
class with artist Shmuel
Lonhagdim, balloons with El'azar Brandt and more. Adults got their fill
of Zionism from
the speeches by Gush Etzion mayor Davidi Perl, Efrat Mayor Oded Ravivi and Gush Etzion Rabbi Gideon Perl –
Gush Etzion regional Rabbi and rabbi of Netzer, advising and pushing to action on the hill.
Mr. Davidi Perl made it clear that Netzer and the battle for the land is
a top priority of the Gush
Etzion local council. Amongst other things, he said: "A firm grasp of the land, settling
it,that is our future – it is the revival of the Jewish people and the essence of Zionism." Davidi
Perl arrived at Netzer with his whole family. This was a very clear statement about the Gush Etzion local council's priorities, and their
growing involvement in Netzer.
Professor Israel Aumann, the Noble prize winner, arrived with his wife,
taking a jeep tour to see
the struggle for the land with their own eyes. Later on Professor Aumann
spoke about our
right to the land – "Our right to be here, in Netzer as well as Tel Aviv, is based on
thousands of years of Jewish history", adding that we should stop using security arguments as a reason
for our being in Israel but rather to talk about our right to the land, because "If we do
not have a right to the
land, we do not deserve security.
Adam Tzachi and his band "Adama" came with a ready playlist, from
the first years of our country to this day. They finished with a string of songs that just
forced you onto your feet
to dance.
Celebrations in Netzer ended in dancing, singing HaTikva, and Ani
Ma'amin. Tears of happiness
and excitement shone in the eyes of all, including the AFSI group
members, headed
by Helen Friedman, who had surprised the Netzer dwellers with their appearance, climbing
to the top of the hill to feel
independence.
Indeed, an exciting day in Netzer with hundreds of people, from near and far
– all corners of the country.
The location, the cause, wonderful people and perfect logistics made possible thanks to
tens of hardworking youth and adults who had set up the entire event, yielded more activists –
good people expressing their wishes to be active and give their personal time for settling and
redeeming the land.
The responses were excited. One of them said: "It was electrifying!
You thought of everything – from icicles to tanning lotion, with an Eretz Israel
atmosphere, an atmosphere
of hope – Am Israel Chai!"
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