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Notes from Sderot / Far from miserable By Avirama Golan Tags: Israel, Sderot It is not easy to identify the exact moment Sderot was first associated with misery. It is also difficult to determine absolutely that responsibility for this lies beyond the city's boundaries. Sderot, despite all it has suffered in recent years, despite the dozens of television news pieces depicting it as a forgotten, Qassam-battered city, is far from miserable. The city's every problem, down to every detail of Sderot residents' lives and livelihoods, seems to be attributed to the security situation - but this should not be the case. The drop in the city's birth rate, for example, must be assessed in a less short-sighted manner. Since the establishment of the state, the birth rate has risen dramatically following every military conflict. This fact may be explained as a deeply visceral response, a sort of primal attempt to heal our loss and wounded sense of security. Advertisement If the cease-fire with Hamas holds, the birth rate may indeed rise to previous levels. In any case, economists and social workers teach young families to expand responsibly, and in a manner appropriate to their lifestyle. Who can call the parents of Sderot into question for waiting for more favorable circumstances to have a family? School registration is a more complex matter. For one thing, parents in Sderot tend to register their kids at the last possible moment. Also, for reasons unrelated to Qassam rockets, many parents who have the means (and some who do not) prefer to enroll their children in schools in nearby kibbutzim, which are considered better than those in the city. A third explanation for the drop in school registration lies in the Education Ministry's new prohibition on schools giving entrance tests or practicing any form of student selection. A nice rule, perhaps, but one which has led many parents to refuse to enroll their children in the city's schools, claiming that the level of instruction has dropped. None of the aforementioned, however, is intended to dismiss the damage caused by the Qassams. Children who grow up in an atmosphere of constant fear, will doubtless carry deep emotional scars throughout their lives. Nonetheless, the tendency to see Sderot residents as helpless victims is harmful, and it is not how Sderot residents see themselves. The works of art produced here tell a different story. Not one of misery and victimhood, but of communal spirit and a deep love of home. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Killing spree Police conclude Jerusalem bulldozer killer acted alone. The Bar exam Attention celebrities: Israeli start-up company can save you from paparazzi   1.   SURE, THEY ARE HAVING A BALL!!! 14:50  |  Robert 06/07/08   2.   ever spent more than five minutes in sderot 20:16  |  spencer 07/07/08

Read & React Akiva Eldar: Terrorist reflected mood of thousands in J'lem Responses: 40 Yehuda Ben Meir: For a united J'lem, spare the terrorist's home Responses: 30 IDF to step up campaign against Hamas in West Bank Responses: 96 Israel to exhume bodies of Hezbollah men ahead of swap Responses: 33 More Headlines 20:20 Israel signs prisoner swap deal with Hezbollah 18:10 Barak outlaws 36 NGOs for Hamas fundraising 19:22 Two Israelis won't face charges in alleged rape of Danish tourists 19:24 Gaydamak tells student to 'go to hell' over Angola question 16:37 Gaza militants fire mortar shells at Karni border crossing 19:18 Ahmadinejad: Israel and U.S. won't dare attack Iran 16:12 Dead Sea tablet suggests Jewish resurrection imagery pre-dates Jesus 18:13 Just 10 of 66,000 Holocaust survivors' heirs get assets back 19:00 Abbas meets with Islamic Jihad leader in Syria, but no sign of Hamas encounter 16:28 Relative: Initial police failure to kill bulldozer terrorist cost victim her life 15:09 Israelis sue U.S.-based Lebanese banks accused of aiding Hezbollah 16:17 Want to be a priest in the new Temple? A Jerusalem shop has just the outfit 15:30 71% of Americans say U.S. gov't shouldn't take sides in Mideast conflict Previous Editions Select Day 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun 23 jun

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