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A new settlement has been established in the Gilboa ridge, and may be the solution to polarization in Israeli society

The emerging community of Meital, attracts secular and religious families looking for a diverse and tolerant community life with a view of the valley. "It's a dream come true, feeling a partner in something powerful," said a new resident. At this stage, the construction plan is releasing about 270 housing units, and the infrastructure work will soon begin there

• Gilboa
• Springs Valley Regional Council

Eli Ashkenazi

Two old friends from Kibbutz Beit Alfa came last week to see with their own eyes an unusual thing that is happening these days on Mount Gilboa above their house - a new settlement has been established. The picture they saw was exactly what a settlement that had just come up on the ground and the first settlers had moved to live in; 14 caravels, exposed land, several young couples and their young children.

"When they came in here and talked to us, they reinforced in me the feeling that I was a partner in something strong, in the fulfillment of a dream that I was really happy to be a partner in," Sagiv Lerner said. The Lerner-Sagiv family, his wife Meital and their three children - is one of the founding families of the community "Meital" which these days has really hit the ground running.

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Meital is located next to Malkishua, a rehabilitation village for drug and alcohol victims in the southern part of Mount Gilboa, above the northern settlements in the Jordan Valley and right on the Green Line. To the west of the settlement is the separation fence and another look to the west is the houses of the city of Jenin and its satellite settlements.

Meital's location, adjacent to an existing settlement and where an approved construction plan has already been given, prevented possible objections in view of the establishment of a settlement at the expense of the beautiful nature in the area. In the past, a plan to establish a settlement in Gilboa has been removed for these reasons.

The head of the settlement division, Gal Greenwald, told Walla! NEWS that "the initiative to establish the settlement began when together with the Emek HaMa'ainot Regional Council and the KKL-JNF we came to the conclusion that we need to strengthen our hold on the Gilboa ridge." . The process took about three years. Now that the families are already in place, I can say that we have been privileged to establish another settlement in the State of Israel. "

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Yoram Karin, head of the Emek HaMa'ainot Regional Council, in whose area Meital is located, has already been granted the privilege of establishing a new settlement, or rather - a new neighborhood called "Shelafim". This is a neighborhood that was established between Kibbutz Reshafim of Hashomer Hatzair and Kibbutz Shluhot of the religious kibbutz.

The choice of the same location was intended to address mixed families - religious and secular, or families who wanted to live in a locality that declared in advance that its residents wanted to live in a religious-secular locality. Karin said that "this concept has proven itself and we have seen that the 'product' is very special, that it is in demand and that young families are interested in living in such a locality."

He noted that Shlefim, and now Meital, are attracting young couples to the area, including those who have left and now want to return to the north, and are also leaving families in the area where one or both spouses were born and raised in the area. "Despite the feeling that there is polarization in Israel today, there are quite a few young guys who want to live in communities where there is openness, tolerance and connection. We have moshavim in the council and there are religious and secular kibbutzim and a common neighborhood. For us this connection is natural," Karin added.

Omar and Efrat Ben-Yishai grew up and were educated on the knees of national-religious education. Today the two do not maintain a religious lifestyle, but according to Omar they are "still connected in many ways to this world". He said that "after examining the question of where we want to live, we realized that what is important to us is to live in a mixed community. It is important for us that our children know the nuances of our society. I grew up in a religious session where everyone is the same and I did not like it."

They are 33 years old and are raising three children. Until last week, they lived in Kochav Yair, where Efrat grew up. Despite the move from a large and well-established settlement in the center of the country to a tiny and quite isolated settlement at the tip of the Gilboa, Omar said that "our friends and families told us that they admired us and that they would take turns with us. For the move I made, they think I'm a little crazy. "

Along with the community life they sought, one of the bonuses that accompanies moving to Meital is the view seen from the new settlement - the valley that stretches north, on the shades of fields that change according to the seasons and of course much more comfortable weather than in the center and below.

But the main satisfaction in the face of the decision they made stems from the sense of creation and originality; "I am happy to be a partner in something new that starts from scratch. Our sense of responsibility has an impact on how this place will look. It has given us drive," Ben-Yishai said.

Lerner also noted that "despite the challenging conditions today, of living in a caravan in a community that still has nothing and looks a bit like a military outpost, the sense of community compensates for that. We are only here for a few days and already feel the pleasant atmosphere."

Lerner defines himself and his wife as "belonging to the national-religious current that accepts everyone. Our religious affairs are important to us, and at the same time - we will not force our way of life on our neighbors." He said, "What is important to us is that there be as few definitions here as possible and more 'live and let live.' Let there be mutual respect."

This model, which will still have to stand the test of time and the process of growth and maturation of the locality, is a drop in the ocean of polarization to the point of hatred in Israeli society. Lerner, who now relishes the pleasant breeze in the evening, knows that it will still be rainy and cold. "It will be challenging here in the winter days," he observes, and certainly also refers to social challenges that may yet come in the future. "There will be things that will require speech and incense."

Greenwald noted that "the model of a religious-secular settlement that has already proven itself is a blessed and important thing. Today we have a lot of work to do in the country in the need to unite and find the common and not the divider."

The settlement plan allows for the construction of 270 housing units. Infrastructure work will soon begin and then the construction of the first houses will begin. It is estimated that in two years the first residents will move to permanent homes. The founders say that the ambition is not to turn the place into a settlement of real estate investors, but of people looking for community life in a mixed, religious-secular society.

Currently, the newly born settlement already has 35 small children. Each family will send their children to schools of their choice. State-religious or state-owned. According to Karin, "There is currently no demand for a mixed education system. If such a demand arises in the future, we will discuss it. "