Tozeret Ha’aretz, a Gertzman Fund-supported organization in the past, is a nationwide network numbering 900 students who work every day to change the discourse and the reality in Israel, and to advance the cities in which they are active.
Since Monday, May 10, Israel is under a heavy rocket and missiles attack by the Hamas terrorist organization from the Gaza strip. The southern parts of Israel have been coping with this unbearable reality for two decades! Tozeret Haaretz’s communities in Sderot, Netivot, Kiryat Malachi & Nachal Oz are under unbelievable stress, many students have evacuated the cities, under pressure from parents and families to come back home. Many young members of our student communities and the young network members in the cities are coping with life under fire, continuing their social endeavors in the community, aiding the municipality emergency centers, helping the elderly population reach the bomb shelters, fixing the damages, handing out food and water and keeping their faith and strength. The situation within the Jewish-Arab mixed cities is extremely difficult, Lod being the center of all rioting and pogroms. Neighbors of many years turn against each other, cars and shops are burnt, people are attacked, and synagogues and yeshivas are burnt down. People, both Jews and Arabs, have been attacked on the streets by angry mobs in a few cities around the country.
The delicate coexistence that has been building for years, that we have been working and living to maintain, has crumbled underneath us. And we are heartbroken for it. We are holding onto our hope, although the difficulty is enormous. We are striving to bring back the light — to make the sane voice heard. To stop the madness, and the extremists.
The Community in Tiberius says NO to violence.
After riots began in Tiberius, all communities united to stop and prevent a wave of violence from washing over the city. Tozeret Haaretz Young communities joined hands with the municipality, the police, education institutions and youth movements to speak out, calm down the residents from both sides, talk to parents, youth and young adults to stop the madness.
Bringing Light, Love, & Sweets to Break the Darkness
Warm loving communities from all over Israel prepared cakes and goodies for the families in Lod. Our Lod Tozeret Community members spent their Friday morning delivering 1100 cakes and sweet packages to families of Lod residents. We at Tozeret Haaretz will continue to believe that the majority of Israelis from both sides wants to live together in peace and continue to coexist as neighbors in the mixed cities all over Israel. Although the times are very hard and painful, we will continue our efforts to build a better future for the young and future generation of Israelis.
