The difficult and threatening reality in which the residents of the northern border found themselves following the mass evacuation raised serious questions about the way forward. In the midst of the difficulty, there were those who chose to look at the glass half full and turn the crisis into an opportunity.
This article brings the stories of two brave women, Einat Par and Efrat Merav, who manage to turn the lemon into lemonade and create an opportunity for themselves and their family to grow despite the change forced upon them. The stories of Einat Par and Efrat Merav represent the human spirit, the Israeli spirit that turns challenges into opportunities while maintaining optimism and hope for better days.
Einat Par: to rebuild the dream
Einat Par, a resident of the evacuated Batza, tells about the unexpected process of evacuating her quiet place of residence after the increase of shooting in the area, to a hotel. "We were only able to spend a year in the expansion of Moshav Batsat, and since then everything has turned upside down," she says. "At first we moved to the Kedem Hotel in the Carmel Castle, where we stayed for six months. From there we moved to several apartments and eventually, after quite a few wanderings, we rented an apartment in Kiryat, and I hope we can stay there. Mayor Motzkin allowed the establishment of a school for the children of the settlements in the building of Ort Motzkin, and the management Together with the teachers they moved here.
"Moshav Batsat was relatively quiet. Before you, we lived in Nahariya and had a dream to build a house in an environment of nature and community. We were able to join the expansion of Moshav Betsat, and it was really a dream come true. Batsat in a familiar environment, this is our area, close to the workplaces and schools of The children.'
"On October 7th, we woke up to a shocking morning with what happened in the south, and all kinds of rumors and messages started here as well until the head of the council advised people to leave for a short time, not to take risks and see what happens. There was this talk for a short time, we didn't think it would last. We moved to The family and after about two weeks an organized evacuation began. There were hits in the swamp. A family's property and a business house were hit from the top, and because the moshav is small and quite close to Shlomi, there were hits and interceptions above the swamp."
Live in Kiryat until things clear up
Einat has a son and a daughter who are currently serving in the IDF and a young son in high school. "The evacuation was to Tiberias but we did not move to Tiberias, to be close to the children. We preferred to move to a family in the central area. After all, we moved to a hotel in Netanya and then to a Kedem hotel in the Carmel Castle. Everywhere we were the family, with the youngest son and of course we also took our dog with us. It's a big dog but accept it anywhere. From time to time we go to the swamp to get things.
We took a little with us because we didn't think it would last. There was a question for how long to rent the apartment, if they would make a deal and we could return home or if we would remain evicted for a long time. We didn't know and the apartment owners wanted peace and security so it was a problem to find an apartment without a clear schedule. It was a shock to us too, a sense of wandering without knowing what a day child is.
The dream is to return to the swamp. to return home Since this is not possible now, we decided to live in Kiryat until things become clearer. We rented an apartment for the long term and since it was impossible to get transport to take appliances, beds, wardrobes out of the house in the swamp, we had to buy again. This is the process, to do things with the understanding that we want to continue and develop and not take root in the sense of loss.
My partner works in Nahariya. When we lived in the central area it was complicated because he continued to work as usual. Now it is easier when we are in Kiryat. As far as the son is concerned, the friends dispersed to hotels and different areas of the country, but now that all the children of the evacuated moshavs and kibbutzim are studying at Ort Motzkin, I assume they will regroup.
In terms of my work, I had to postpone frontal work and focused on digital. Although I neglected a significant part, I strengthened another part and today the work is online. I accompany people to create profitable businesses. People who were evicted from settlements and kibbutzim have to re-establish themselves in other places in the country. It's a change, you have to adapt and reorient, but it's possible and it can be done.
Accompanying and practical tools for businesses that have been vacated
Einat comes from management positions in the banking system and specializes in building infrastructures for establishing businesses and marketing. "I help clients change direction and move their businesses to the places where they were evacuated. People from the service sector don't always know how to market themselves and the evacuation is dramatic for their businesses. It's not only financial, it's personal and mental, because one moment there was a working clinic and the next moment you're in an apartment instead New without work and without professional meaning.
From this thought, I created a platform that allows to be reborn, to give women in the field of service, owners of clinics, trainers, therapists and consultants, tools and practical support so that their marketing is on the one hand pleasant and gentle and on the other hand gives results. We don't talk about it, but it's not easy to lift yourself up after you've created a community of therapists or counselors for yourself and suddenly you leave, even if you had no choice. Your consulting patients also probably mostly had to evacuate the area and there is a big fog in the first stage. That's where I come to help.
I call it the 20% club, according to Pareto's principle, according to which 20 percent of the actions lead to 80 percent of the results. Many business owners brag about a lot of actions that do not promote. There are all kinds of barriers and it's not always easy, so you need the guidance, the tools and the practical support that I give. This allows women who were forced to evacuate, to move their businesses to a new place, and instead of stopping, to continue growing."
The Wilfredo Pareto Principle, also known as the Pareto Law or the 80/20 rule, is a statistical phenomenon used to describe the fact that in many cases, about 80% of the results are due to 20% of the causes or factors. This principle was derived from the observations of the Italian economist Vilfredo Perto at the end of the 19th century. He noticed that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population, and from there he developed the idea, which became a broad concept used in various fields such as economics, management, and marketing. In business it can be seen that the company's revenues may come mainly from 20% of the products or customers. Similarly, 20% of the efforts may bring about 80% of the desired results. The principle helps to focus efforts and resources in the area where there is maximum potential for significant results.
Efrat Merav - Optimism and creativity
Efrat Merav She was evicted from Kibbutz Rosh Hankara and currently lives with her 15-year-old daughter in a rented apartment in Haifa. Her son is in a military boarding school in Haifa, and the children's father, who is also an evacuee from Rash Hankara, now lives in Pardes Hana. "The house in Rosh Hankara is 200 meters from the border. There is a mountain that seems to guard us and usually Rosh Hankara does not behave like a border settlement despite the location.
After October 7th, the head of the council Mata Asher, Western Galilee, decided to evacuate all the settlements of the fence even before the government's decision that came only a week later. It was a shock. A big shock. My thought was that what happened in the south would not happen to us and in my character I am a bit indifferent, the children even sometimes say that I am a bit detached, because I am not very afraid of anything. But I couldn't stay in the settlement because there was nothing left there. The kibbutz is abandoned, and of course I have children to take care of. The security situation causes anxiety.
There was a thought that it was for a few days until the sale ended. I left with a small bag for three days. The son already lived in Haifa a year ago because he is in the military boarding school. He has a grandmother in Haifa that he is with a lot. The daughter felt unsafe because of the security situation and preferred to be with her father and her cousin. Now that we settled on an apartment in Haifa, she returned to live with me and will go to study with the children of the settlements in Ort Motzkin. For all of us, it means waking up to a new reality, releasing the fracture and building ourselves here. I am optimistic.
New and great companies in Haifa
"Since the evacuation, we are constantly going to pick up things. At first I lived in my mother-in-law's small apartment. I am very grateful, but it is a small apartment and after eight or nine months I realized that I needed a home. I decided that I am renting an apartment for the long term, that I want my own space and I have been in an apartment in Haifa for two months. When I moved to the apartment, I did a slightly more massive move from the kibbutz, because I needed some furniture, kitchen utensils and other objects to make the empty apartment into a home.
Three weeks ago I went again because suddenly winter starts, you need clothes, you need things. I don't know what a day is, for now I'm here in Haifa, the house is empty in Rosh Hankara, my studio is empty. When I went to get things I turned on the water and everything was rusted. It's sad because the house goes bad when it's empty.
I find myself here, in Haifa. I connect I feel good here. In terms of work, I have been working very part-time for the last ten years. By profession I am a product designer specializing in soft materials. In recent years, I have been leading a school enrichment study program of learning through art, a program I built and I am already in my tenth year with it. I am an artist. And actually the desire was to open a studio, but everything unfolded differently.
All winter I knitted. Because I can't be idle. From the first week I arrived in Haifa, I volunteered at all the academies that deal with fashion design and schools that have sewing, who volunteered sewing for the army. There were huge shortages for all the reservists they recruited. Since I can't sit at home doing nothing, I started this volunteering and there I met the person who has a company that sews equipment for the army. That's how I found another job here, and it suits me right now. What is missing is that my studio remains in the top of the hill. I haven't reached the point where I can rent a studio in Haifa yet. I am still paying a mortgage in Rosh Hankara. In Haifa I have great new friends and it seems that I am putting down roots here.
Sustainability and environmental quality through art
Efrat's father, also from Rash Hankara, moved to live in Ein Hafaretz with a friend. , he calls himself the cheerful refugee. An optimistic person. I inherited the basis of optimism from my father. He is 88 years old, full of life and humor. I was born in Kibbutz Yehiam and when I was 12 years old the family moved to Rosh Hankara. Mother was a seamstress and also worked at the woodworking site, a bit in the factory, and in the end she had a seamstress. A very creative woman. Dad spent his whole life in bananas. They divorced years ago and lived in a kibbutz not together.
Five years ago mother left for Nahariya and she still lives there. I am a combination of both. Optimistic like dad, can't sit around doing nothing, and creative like mom. The fracture of the evacuation is mainly personal, not just communal. The community activity continues for those who want to be a partner in the connections. For me it's a little different because I was less connected to the community and more in need of my personal space. Since I have the apartment I feel really good. I have a job, I have an apartment, the girl is in school and I know everything will work out. Even if we left without a choice, I can't sit and cry over the loss of the dream.
I prefer to take us to a new place. It took as long as it took, it's not easy but I feel good for me. I don't hold a grudge and I don't sit and cry about the past. I'm practical, and I'm in hyper action all the time. I know people who are having a very hard time, who are in great trouble. The difficulties are great, it's a new place, it's losing the dream. People with young children who worked hard and built themselves in the kibbutz, now have to start over. I'm in the works. If it is instead of dealing with the crisis? No, because I feel like I'm rejuvenating.
"Trash Art" is an art style that focuses on creating works of art from recycled materials or waste. The artists involved in this style use everyday objects, which are usually considered garbage or materials that are no longer needed, such as plastic, metal, paper, old clothes, glass, and more, to create sculptures, performances, pictures and even furniture.
The goal of trash art is not only to create an aesthetic work, but also to convey a social or environmental message. This can include raising awareness of issues such as pollution, sustainability, and over-consumerism. The use of recycled materials in this art encourages the viewer to rethink concepts such as waste, resources, and the way we treat the environment.
In addition, Trash Art allows artists to express themselves in creative and innovative ways, by using a non-traditional medium. It is a way to create art that is not only unique, but also has a deeper meaning, linking art to everyday life and the challenges facing modern society.
"I am an artist and hope to open courses in the context of trash art, sustainability and environmental quality. I found a school for adults and plan to invent a course for them on my subjects, environmental quality through art. It seems, this thing is in the making. I meet people, check what, and know it will happen. Items I design They are currently shown in the gallery in Acre, but there is no tourism, so I am thinking of moving the works to the gallery in Haifa.
I have a great capacity for action, and I am faced with organizing the house to be a home in all respects, to see that the girl who is going to the 10th grade is fine, and I am optimistic about what will happen next. At least three years I will stay in Haifa, until the girl finishes school. I like Haifa. Yes, I miss home and the rural way of life, but I don't see myself right now going back to an area where the girl doesn't feel safe, to a house that needs rehabilitation in an abandoned space. Although there were no direct injuries, there is damage to the kibbutz from the site. I understand that at this stage, it is best to stay in Haifa, and maybe it will be forever because I feel connected, and open to the experiences that await me."