Not Just Another Gush Katif Video

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Parshath Wayehi 5768

Lately there has been a video going around of the 5765/2005 Jewish Expulsion From Azza. I received the link from How To Measure The Years who received it from Batya who received it from Tamar Yonah. Like I said, it's been going around.

I believe all of the several videos connected to Azza, the expulsion, and to the on-going plight of the expel lees are important. I would like to share one video with you which I found to be particularly poignant and personal, as it documents the history of the Tashnady Family, from the beginning to the end of their residency in Neve Deqalim in Azza. Actually, it is more of a montage to music, than a video.

I obtained this video from a one of the sons of the family, Moshe, who was then a college student at the religious, science school Machon Lev. It was produced by his brother Pniel. I had the opportunity to meet the Tasnady brothers right after the Expulsion.

At the time, I was working at an Internet Cafe in Jerusalem. Some of you may remember it, the "Internet Shtiebel," the "frumest" Internet cafe in Israel, if there is such a thing. The owners, Yekutiel Ben-Ya'akov and Ezra Stein sent word to the Jerusalem hotels housing expellees that they could use our computers for free. The expellees were able to edit and print out resumes or just try to stay in touch with friends and family, their communities having been ripped apart. In the fall, some students from the Neve Deqalim Ulpana (Girls' Torah High School) would come and do their homework. Once in a while, a Neve Deqalilm resident, doing her second year of national service at a school in the U. S. would be called from our VOIP Phone, and receive updates, powerless herself to do anything but stay connected with her friends, including Pniel.

I do not believe I have seen a more depressed group of people in my life. Those in their teens and 20's looked the worst for wear. They talked as if they had failed because they were unable to prevent such a catastrophe. Only after the fact, well into their "anger" phase, could they begin to realize the full extent of the evil they were up against,...we were up against.

They also realized the full extent of the Yesh"a (Judea, Samaria, & Azza) Council's collaboration with the government. Pniel and Moshe's father Efraim seems to express his disappointment in the local authorities and "rabbis" in this Arutz 7 article in Hebrew from a year and a half ago.




Two years, and four months later, 85 percent of the expellees are still in temporary housing.

The Internet Shtiebel was shut down by the Erev Rav Israeli Police. I still do not fully understand why,...My analysis suggests it has something to do with the threat of those who hold Torah above the "almighty state."

But, I still end this post on a happy note. Pniel was recently married. He can be contacted via his YouTube page, where you can also find links to other related videos. You will not need to understand Hebrew in order to understand these videos.