Once again, the situation in Israel has deteriorated to the point that over 75% of the country is threatened by the recent wave of rocket attacks. No longer is the crisis confined to the southern-most part of Israel…very few regions are exempt from the ongoing tzeva adom (code red) alarms that pierce the air at a frighteningly frequent rate. (To get a sense of just how far technology has come in this war and how frequently these rockets are being deployed you can now download the app for these alarms on your smartphone.)
We have spoken with all of our programs individually, sharing our concern. In fact, if there is one overriding comment I hear it is that our “checking in” is so important — to know that people not involved in the day-to-day matsav (situation ) care and want to help gives everyone strength knowing that they are not alone.
Whenever there is a major crisis — a tsunami, a hurricane or, in this case a war affecting a region where we are already deeply invested, the question that always arises is “where do we, the Good People Fund, best use our resources to help in ways that are consistent with our philosophy?” Over the past few days I have been in touch with Rosa Naveh, a certified family therapist and supervisor who began The Center for Children and Family at Risk in Sderot in 2001. Rosa has often acted on our behalf with specific needs for her families that are not met elsewhere. When we met her several years ago we knew immediately that her “no-nonsense” compassion would serve us well. A few days ago I wrote to Rosa asking how the children and families she works with were managing in this latest war. Could we help?
Rosa explained that in Sderot there are many organizations that provide interventions for families who have been “hit” or suffer severe anxiety attacks. All of these services are emergency based. Rosa’s wish is to provide art therapy with the help of a nationally recognized art therapist and his team. The therapists will make home visits to help the children and their families process what is happening now, while it is happening, so that it doesn’t develop into chronic PTSD. When this is done on a home visit basis it alleviates a sense of isolation when most families stay home. Also most of these parents need to continue working which means that they often leave their children at home. Providing them art therapy at home preserves their sense of childhood as opposed to being thrown into a tough reality with no emotional means to cope because “they are still children”. This therapy will also be offered to home-bound handicapped people who have a particularly difficult time in these kinds of situations.
Our plan is to provide at least 100 hours of art therapy which Rosa will monitor and is enlisting families as of this morning.
In addition, we will provide funds to Maya Englert, founder of our grantee, Fund for Needy Immigrants located in Beersheva, a particularly hard-hit city in the South. Maya reports that our urgent need in this context is to help these immigrants as much as possible, by distributing food, soaps and basic necessities for the immigrants, as well as games, toys and some candy to the children. … in addition to the immigrants in the Nachal Ashan neighborhood, there are 150 families of new immigrants in the Ye’elim absorption centre, who have similar needs.
Please click here www.goodpeoplefund.org/donate so that we can make these needs (and anything else we are asked to provide) a reality for Israel’s most vulnerable citizens.
