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To my deep regret, Israel is experienced with all types of big scale catastrophic events, and therefore has formed a big team whose sole existence and equipment are to deal with those kinds of terrible problems. : The team consists of many psychologists, doctors, nurses, field operating rooms, heavy machinery experts and dogs that are trained to find people buried under the rubble.
Israel sends that team to areas outside Israel as well, when help is needed.
Now the story, that was not recorded in any media, and only then and now in 2003 in ours:
When that Earth Quake happened in Turkey (which is about 2 hours flight from Israel), that team with equipment and tons of medical supplies, water, and food was ready in a very short time to rush on the rescue mission.
They worked day and night, with other countries that had sent help, and rescued what could have been rescued. When it was finished and no more survivors were found, Israel sent a huge amount of caravans to give the people shelter. A whole neighborhood of caravans was established.
Another mission that replaced the first one, that consisted of many psychologists, with Professor NAOR, a specialist in post-traumatic treatment as head, teachers and others, came to that valley of despair.
They found people in deep depression and desperation, looking completely lost. In one of the caravans they found a sign on the door: “CHILDREN DON’T CRY, IT WILL SADDEN YOUR TEACHER”. The team worked with them for a long time.
It is also the story of Nihal that was 22 hours!! under the ruins talking to her only son (I think he was 11 years old) who called his mother and his father, who was killed when their house collapsed, to help him. Nihal was rescued, her son didn’t survive.
Their need to talk about their fears, their guilt feelings, their anguish - to get support was enormous. The Israeli team worked for many hours a day, providing during that time many of the needs. With time, flowers were bought to plant around the caravans, paint brushes and colors for paintings, and many other means to help take them out from the Ashes.
The relationships formed there are beyond words and beyond politics. It is just plain, very close human relationships between those who needed it with those who could, and were ready, to give it.
"WE ARE HERE, IT IS POSSIBLE TO CRY” is another picture of the unknown Israeli face.
Pnina Evental
SI Givatayim Club
Or, in Hebrew, means light - and Or the man, is a light to many people, but he is especially lighting the life of many children in the emergency Shelter Institute for Children in Danger, (about 15 of them, ages starting from 3 to 14 years) where he works as a computer- and general-maintenance man.
I've known the man for quite a long time, as he is a photographer as well. Both of us are members of the Tel-Aviv Photography Club. Only lately have I learned what a special kind of human being he is.
On the left: a humorous photo of Or, wearing a tarbush to "show that he is from the Middle East"
I will start with the " ordinary": Once a week Or meets with his woman friend to keep her company (he is in his early 50s, she is over 80 years old). Another day of his week he meets with another friend of his, to keep him company and do all sorts of errands for him (the man is over 90 years old), another day of his week he is doing volunteer work in a in a Tel-aviv hospital - this is the 7th year that he has been doing hospital volunteer work.
But what has really captured my heart was what his creative imagination did for these children in the shelter. In beginning of a file, which is full with "testimonial" report cards, that he beautifully typed for them. He writes, referring to these children: "A child needs to be appraised, and complimented of the good deeds and behavior he is showing. He does not need something fancy, he needs the truth, and somebody that he likes to tell it to him: "you are special, you are gifted, and I appreciate the efforts you are doing".
That, according to Or, will build his self-esteem. The idea to prepare these "appreciation cards" came to Or's imagination from the children themselves. He observed how much the children wanted to know what he thinks of them, while they were helping him in his work, as he treated them as equal helpers. While I was reading the many "appreciation cards", I was smiling broadly, it was so fascinating and sweet.
To let you get the idea, I will translate, 2 or 3 of them that I liked the most. It will be a free translation. It is beautiful in Hebrew, I will do my best………
One of them was given to little Miryam, about 5 years old. She received the estimation card and was titled as: "The little signs finder". She received it as a token for her help in finding the sign of the air-conditioner in the tutors room…….. She was nominated to be: "The Chief Searcher for Signs in the Shelter" !
Another one was given to Victor, about 11 years old: For his good will and joy to help in every needed work. For his help in taking the chair to fixing. He was nominated to be "A Member of the Chairs' Keeping Group".
And the last and the sweetest is the one for Stephany, about 11 years. She was nominated as: The Professional "Putting to Sleep". The estimation was given to her as a token for her will and effort to help put little Miryam to sleep last Saturday night. She was nominated to be a member in the shelter's team of "Putting to Sleep"…………. All the cards are given to the children in front of all the others in the class, in a small "ceremony".
The man also writes poetry.
I hope you will enjoy it as I have.
Love Pnina
It is another picture of individuals that are donating to our society its additional value. Volunteering is very essential here, as we are facing difficult situations that government budgets are not able to always furnish. One drop and another are creating the ocean.
His nickname is Itzik, his real name is Itzhak, and the root of the name in Hebrew comes from the word laughter……. His name was so nicely " plugged" to his personality, as Itzik is a…….. can you believe it? A medical clown!!
It started nine years ago, when he was invited to one of the Israeli big hospitals to entertain the children in the surgical department. Someone from the personnel told him that there are children who are not able to attend because of their grave situation, Itzik started to volunteer entertaining each child who was seriously ill, near his bed.
His cheerful personality, the clown disguise, and his talent did marvels to the children, and he was adopted by the families, by the medical staff, but especially by the children themselves.
Medical research has proved that laughter is a healing tool, Itzik is a walking one!.
What is he doing? When he comes in the morning twice a week, he gets instructions, who are the children needing his attention and what is needed. He has a wheelbarrow that is dragged behind him, full of magic tricks needed for medical treatments, like whistles and soap bubbles for post operative breathing physiotherapy. Many other tricks for children who have problems to start walking after severe surgical procedures. Children in the Intensive Care Unit, children in the middle of chemotherapy treatments, children severely wounded after terror acts, and you name it.
He has "tons" of letters expressing the gratitude of children, parents, and medical staff. A touching paragraph in one of the letter: "You have changed the pain to something else, that can be looked at with a smile". Itzik is also a member of a group that is called "Life" that helps families of children with cancer to cope, by arranging activities that are taking them out from the hospital atmosphere.
"We are operating, you are the healer"…….. department doctors statement!
Hugs Pnina
I would like to tell you about a very special phenomenon that is occurring right now in Israel. It is the BIRD'S MIGRATION.
Israel has a very unique location. It is situated at the junction of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. That location has made it a political strife, and better still a passage and cross roads, for 500 Million! birds of all kinds, on the other hand.
That huge migration takes place twice a year. In spring (about February - May) and Autumn (about August - October) and longer. In Autumn the birds are leaving their nesting area, and usually fly to the south. In the Spring they fly back to their nesting locations.
The birds are roughly divided into two groups: those who are actively flying, and those who are using their gliding ability. The difference is connected to the relation between body weight of the bird and wingspread.
Most of them , the small species (they can weigh 10 grams!), are the active ones that are flying by wing beats. They can fly for hours on end and are looking for the shortest way. They are called “sea crosser” aswell, as they fly across large water (like the Mediterranean sea) and deserts. They usually fly at night. an example of that kind: the Quails.
The second group is the soaring birds. Their weight can reach 15 kg. For them crossing large water bodies is an obstacle. They have to make a detour to avoid it, as they need air currents for gliding, which do not exist on water. They are therefore flying on land, mountains, valleys, rifts etc. Example: the Storks, and Pelicans. They fly in daylight.
What dictates their migration is where food is available, and is bound as well to the seasonal climate changing. The birds know very well to determine the timing of migration. It is the shortening of day, or rain and cold that are earlier in coming.
All of them are navigating as well, according to geographical landscapes like rivers, mountains and shore lines.
How do they find their way?
The day flyer birds are navigating according the sun’s location in the sky, the night flyers are navigating according to the night sky (like stars, moon etc.) They navigate as well by sound waves, that people are not able to hear, (very low), and birds can hear from a very far distance.
They are fly over Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel on their way to Africa.
We know that there are storks that come every year to the same location (they are marked birds) in Israel.
Why do Israel and Jordan form a good route for soaring birds? As I have said, it is the geographical location. The Syrian-African rift, the mountains (Galilee mountains), the high temperature provides the best condition for gliding birds.
Israel has a very advanced national research center located in Latrun (between Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem, which is the western passage of the migrating birds) one can see many groups of birds in our sky these days, a very beautiful sight.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that birds don’t pay attention to borders…....…..
Pnina
My thanks to Dr. Yossi Leshem, from Tel-Aviv University, for his help and source of information.
The knowlege I have accumulated while reading, was very interesting for me and I wanted to share it with you.
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