Page 17 - HaMizrachi TuBiShvat 5784 North America

led him to rarely mention the great love North African immigrants to the periph- Moroccan and Tunisian immigrants, pio-
that the first generation of North African ery can only come from a Zionist point of neers that Israeli society should recognize
immigrants had for the Land, nor the great view, from those who accept the thesis and cherish, enabled the establishment of
dedication of the absorption workers. that the State of Israel is the state of the these towns during difficult and challeng-
entire Jewish people and not a country ing years. Negev towns are much more
Lova Eliav, the head of the team that estab- of immigration like the USA or Australia. attractive today. They are not filled with
lished Chevel Lachish, aggressively forced
the new immigrants to get off the truck In countries of immigration like the USA, new immigrants who have no choice, but
an immigrant arrives at his own expense,
with people who choose to come there
that was taking them to Moshav Otzem – and in the best case scenario, the receiving of their own free will. Young people who
but he also stayed with the immigrants
that entire night. The immigrants talk country gives him a work visa. He must grew up in these towns choose to return
there to build their own homes, and many
find housing and a livelihood on his own.
about the difficulties, shock, and manip-
ulations they were subjected to in order He must come with a certain amount of others are also choosing to relocate there.
money in his pocket, or otherwise he will
to convince them to travel to those dis- not be allowed to enter. No country of The major correction that Israeli society
tant places – but they also describe how must make is to properly acknowledge
their parents warned them not to speak immigration brings in destitute people at and respect the pioneering work of the
its own expense, takes care of housing for
badly about the Holy Land. Bina Katsover, residents of the development towns. The
who moved to Yerucham with her family, them (which may be problematic, dilapi- initiative to establish museums about the
dated, or temporary – but at least it takes
relates: “We drove and drove, and early in care to do so!) and feels an obligation to foundation of the development towns is
the morning they dropped us off. [All we an important corrective step. The pio-
saw was] sky and sand. I said to my father: take care of their livelihood. Only in this neers who built the Land without fanfare
context – the fact that Israel is the home
‘What is this? Is this the Jerusalem you deserve to be added as pearls in the crown
wanted to bring us to?’ He responded: ‘You of the Jewish people and not a standard of Israeli pioneering.
country of immigration – can the Zionist
will not speak slander about the Land of act be criticized. The first generation of The poet Erez Biton beautifully captured
Israel!’” The actress Ruby Porat-Shuval,
who also grew up in Yerucham, quotes immigrants understood this, and felt that the feelings of the first generation of
they had arrived home.
immigrants, quoting his father:
her mother who said: “This yellow will
become gold.” Today, after more than sixty years, it is “Better half a house in the Land of Israel
difficult to continue to look at the devel- Than many good and beautiful houses in
The development towns were not the opment towns as fate-stricken places the Diaspora…”
penal colonies of Israeli society. They were that one should stay away from. [Former]
part of a large state program to spread the  Originally published in Hebrew in Makor
Jewish population throughout the coun- Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri argues Rishon, April 2018
that the presentation of the southern
try. This plan, which due to its enormous
dimensions could not rely solely on the development towns in the Sallah series is Below: The city of Sderot (PHOTO: KRIFKIND PHOTOGRAPHY)
a heinous injustice. He himself witnessed
inclination of the hearts of young ideal- the enormous change in these towns. In
ists and the country’s veterans, forced
those dependent on the state’s resources the 1980s, when he was the director of
the Ministry of the Interior, he met with
to respond to its demands. Indeed, over
the years the development towns suf- the mayor of Dimona, who asked him to
demolish buildings where most of the
fered from many problems. Many of the apartments were abandoned and used as
residents, whose dependence on state
resources diminished over time, left the drug dens. Today, Deri pointed out, not Dr. Avi Picard
only are those apartments full, but in
towns.
all the towns new agreements are being is a lecturer in the Department of
It is important to understand something signed to build tens of thousands of new Land of Israel Studies at Bar-Ilan
else: any criticism of Israel’s policy to move housing units. University and a resident of Yerucham.

| 17