The 60s Salute Gush Katif

On Motzei Shabbat (Saturday evening), January 9th, IY"H, the terrific cover band THE SIXTIES is going to rock the socks off Gush Etzion residents for the benefit of JobKatif. This is the third annual JobKatif benefit concert in the Gush. We've swayed to "Simon and Garfunkle", bopped to the "Beatles", and this year we're going to groove to the "Sixties".

Elvis, Led Zeppelin, Credence Clearwater Revival, the Monkees, the Beatles, Ray Orbison and more. The biggest names of the decade of hip and hips, groovy and "Peace, Man" are going to entertain the crowd. And all for a great cause.

Since the destruction of Gush Katif and Northern Shomron and the dislocation of 10,000 people from their homes and livelihoods, one organization has stood out above the rest in its efforts to reestablish the folks of Gush Katif and help them regain their self-respect - JobKatif!

Not only does JobKatif deserve our praise for putting 1300 Gush Katif expellees back to work, it deserves our help in order to help another 1000 who are still unemployed or underemployed.

SUCCESS, B'H

In addition to the 1300 jobs it has found for GKers, JobKatif also helped create 175 businesses and sent 250 people for retraining.

The government of Israel could not help these fabulous people, but B"H HaRav Yosef Tzvi Rimon (JobKatif Founder and Chairman), Judy Lowy (Executive Director) and dozens of volunteers have succeeded where the rest have failed.

MATCHING GRANT

Recently the government admitted its failures and JobKatif's successes, and promised JobKatif that it would match any monies it raised. Now when someone (even you :) ) donates to JobKatif, that donation will be doubled. So, if you've thought about giving to JobKatif, now's the time: http://www.jobkatif.org/ , 072-212-7121.

BACK TO THE CONCERT

Even donations to the Sixties Concert on Motzei Shabbat will help the matching funds for JobKatif. Folks have already generously responded, and it's sure to be a spectacular concert.

As a community theater and special event producer, I know that no happening or performance happens on its own. There's humongous hard work and determination behind the scenes.

The credit and thanks for Motzei Shabbat's show go to the unstoppable team of Risa and Alan Schuman (ad 120 b'yachad) and Valerie Pessin of the Rimon Store. These yearly concerts are their brain child. And all the dozens of volunteers who come forward to help the cause do so to benefit JobKatif and because they were inspired by Risa and Alan's dedication and fervor.

It's a great feeling when an event you produce is a success, and furthermore, when it's a success for such a deserving organization as JobKatif, it's just terrific.

I can't wait for Motzei Shabbat, IY"H. I'm ready to rock to benefit my brethren. To Risa and Alan and their team of volunteers, tizku lemitzvot. Olam chesed yibaneh.

You can read more about the concert and about JobKatif's latest projects in the December issue of Voices Magazine, which is in distribution right now. You'll be able to read it on line later this week at http://www.voices-magazine.com/ .