Help Israel : Help Terrorist Victims

Since the beginning of the intifada over 4 years ago, nearly a thousand people of all ages have lost their lives. One woman was 90 years old. Ninety-four others were between the ages of 60 and 80. Another one hundred and sixty-eight ranged in ages from 40 to 59. The greatest death toll was among those who were between 20 and 40. This number reached almost four hundred. In addition, forty-six teenagers died along with thirty-two children, some of whom were only babies...I could not hold back my tears as I looked at their pictures.

We know that sickness, disease, and accidents happen to us all. Even in war, casualties occur. However, these deaths were not caused by any of these things. These deaths were the results of one thing - hatred for the Jews! Some might say, "But what about the poor Palestinians?" To this I [Alice] would reply: "Show me one Jew who has blown up a bus because there were Palestinians on it. Show me one family where a Jew crept into a house and murdered Palestinian children as they slept in their beds. Give me one example of where a Jew has shot a pregnant mother and her children at point blank range. Yes, there were some Palestinians' children who have died but they were not deliberately murdered by Israelis."

A few years ago I met a woman whose fourteen-year-old son had been brutally killed by a group of young Muslims as he was playig in the woods behind his house. His mother asked if she hated those who killed her son. She said, "I have no time for hate...it was hate that killed my son." Later she started a summer camp for children who had lost siblings through terror attacks. It's called the Coby Mandell Foundation.

Hands of Mercy

During my last visit to Israel I visited some of the organizations that help terrorist victims. I began with a ministry called "Hands of Mercy." This is a relatively new ministry whose founder is Ye'shi Reinhardt. The main focus of his ministry is to help terrorist victims and disabled soldiers. Having heard about this ministry through a mutual friend, I called Mr. Reinhardt to set up an appointment. His jovial attitude made me feel as I had made a new friend. After a brief converation, he graciously invited me to have a Shabbat meal with him and a couple of terrorist victims. One of his staff members provided me with a delicious meal. Afterwards Dr. Valerie and his wife Nellie (who is also a doctor) shared about their traumatic experience of being shot by a terrorist while driving home from their work at the hospital. In spite of the trauma and physical problems they had endured, they were both thankful to GOD that their life had been spared.

To learn more about this family and other victims of terror, you can contact Hands of Mercy.

Terror Victims Association

Another organization I visited was the Terror Victims Association. Sheila Rosnik, the social director, told me about the many things their organization is doing to help victims overcome their emotional trauma. I was impressed by the number of events and special activities they have for victims. However, the thing that touched me most was Sheila's own story. Her husband was killed in a terror attack when she was seven months pregnant with their fourth child. She also showed me a children's book she had written after the death of her husband. Since the book was written in Hebrew, I couldn't read it, however the pictures amply expressed the family's grief, and their own process back to a life of peace and joy. Her willingness to share her own grief revealed her courage and strength of character. I left her office feeling I had seen the true heart of this organization.

For more information check out Terror Victims Assocation.

Kids for Kids

Kids for Kids is an organization that brings together siblings who have lost loved ones or friends in terrorist attacks. The staff helps them work through their own grief in a variety of ways, such as writing their experiences down and putting them on video. My friend, Rabbi Benowich, was the one who graciously introduced me to the director. He does much to help Kids for Kids.

Staff of Life

Staff of Life is another very good organization. The founder and director, Ann Clark, is truly a woman of love and compassion. In addition to meeting with terrorist victims, she helps bring in medical equipment and supplies, which are very much needed in Israel due to the many terrorist attacks.

For more information check out Staff of Life.

Volunteers from most of these organizations are there to help the victims from the moment a tragedy occurs. After meeting with the victims in the hospitals, they make personal visits to the home to offer food and other assistance. They also establish weekly and monthly meetings to help the victims get their lives re-established.

One Family Fund

One Family Fund is an organization that also provides rehabilitation equipment and computers for those who are paralyzed or have other permanent injuries.

For more information, go to a One Family Fund.

NAVAH

NAVAH is another organization that does a great job supporting terrorist victims, and certainly deserves our support. NAVAH is mentioned in Alice's account "Rachel Weeping for Her Children."

For more information, check out NAVAH.

ZAKA

In conclusion I must tell you about ZAKA. Their volunteers are often the first ones to arrive on the scene when a terrorist attack occurs. In addition to assisting the victims they also have the difficult job of collecting body parts so the individual can have a proper burial. Such work really requires a lot of love and compassion for people.

Help Terrorist Victims