Children in EMUNAH Western Negev Nurseries Reeling from Barrage of Rocket Fire 5/22/08

Written by Rita Goldstone It is a role that small children should not have to assume; bellwether of the state of the Jewish State. Each day children in the Western Negev stand on the front line, a symbol of Israel’s security and of the nation’s determination not to succumb to terror. Acting on orders of the Ministry of Defense, for the past 8 months the children from the EMUNAH Kfar Maimon Day Care Center have been housed in a local yeshiva. This building, ill-equipped for little children, is their shelter while the entire modern EMUNAH Day Care Center building is reinforced to withstand all rocket attacks. This town, only 6 km from Gaza, has been living in constant fear of kassam rockets. Most of the residents rely on the EMUNAH Day Care Center to provide their children with safe and secure day care while they work, trying to survive the difficult emotional and economic challenges they are facing. Last week there was a direct hit on Moshav Bet Hagedi, adjacent to Kfar Maimon. In what has become a tragic routine, the terrorized children were rushed to the yeshiva shelter. The caregivers have a brief 15 seconds to get the children, some as young as 3 months of age, from any unsecure part of the building to safety. It is a harrowing experience, and the young children are exhibiting the effects of trauma. The problems are only getting worse throughout the Western Negev. Having “upgraded” to Grad missiles, Hamas has been firing these larger, longer range missiles toward Ashkelon. Recently, one hit the shopping center in Ashkelon with tragic results. The area is also threateningly close to one of the two EMUNAH Ashkelon Day Care Centers. In the recently opened EMUNAH Crisis and Intervention Center in Sderot, Tami Beck, the center’s director, related that last week, while she was leading a support group for victims of terror, a kassam rocket fell nearby, cutting off the power in the Center. “The group sat in the dark. Some were hysterical, but all took strength one from the other,” recalls Tami. “It is eerie to be treating trauma victims while the cause of the trauma is literally at your door.” Ten EMUNAH facilities, located in the Western Negev, are facing the danger of rocket attacks; The Crisis and Intervention Center in Sderot, two EMUNAH Day Care Centers and a Counseling Center in Ashkelon, the Kfar Maimon Day Care Center, EMUNAH Day Care Center and Family Counseling Center in Netivot, Counselling Center and Community Center in Netivot, and the EMUNAH Day Care Center in Sdot Negev. In constant contact with the Home Front authorities, EMUNAH staff is acting on official orders, adding personnel, safeguards, and emergency equipment and supplies. The staff has expressed the urgent need for an additional 8 social workers, a full-time child psychologist for the day care children, help to refurbish shelters and to bring them up to the new safety standards, (previously there was a 3-minute warning period before a rocket hit; this has been reduced to 15 seconds), additional games and toys for the children in the shelters, and funds for more psychological counseling for families. Each time a code red sounds, there is a child who becomes the standard bearer for the resilience of the citizens of Israel. And while EMUNAH is determined to make life just a little easier, a little less traumatic, the organization can only be as effective as the support it is given by the Jewish people throughout the world. “In light of the terrible situation in the Western Negev, EMUNAH Israel is asking for help to assist the children and families in the southern part of the country,” stated Liora Minka, Chairman of EMUNAH Israel. If anyone would like to help the families by contributing to the EMUNAH Western Negev emergency campaign, please call EMUNAH at 212-564-9045 ext 303.