EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
The Power Of Hope
ir
onatan Horwitz was born 2'/2 years ago — three
a laptop. So his parents could take him to the park, to thera-
months early. It was no exaggeration to call him tiny
py or just around the building.
at about 1.9 pounds with lungs not yet formed.
"For the first time," Ayala said, "we felt like parents."
He was the size of a half bag of sugar. His upper arms
At Alyn, pirents become doers, not just spectators.
were so small a wedding band could go around them.
"You're told, `OK, now we're going to teach you how to
There was no parental bonding.
-
take care of your child,'" Ayala said.
The high-risk child breathed through a ventilator, which
Sure it's scary, but it's also fulfilling.
eventually required a tracheotomy. The bulky device con-
"Without any pressure," Ayala said, "they work with you
fined him to his room in a general hospital in Jerusalem.
and before you know it, you are doing almost everything.
"We were unable to walk around with him," said his
They really empower you as parents and allow you to
mother, Ayala. "We were unable to lift him and hold him
become a parent."
independently. Therefore, we were not
I think of Palestinian parents powerless to do anything
allowed any free, private time with him."
about a mangled public school system that teaches kids to
Ayala Horwitz made aliyah from New
hate Jews and despise Israel so virulently they long to be
York City with her parents when she was
shahids — martyrs for Allah.
12. She shared her son's inspiring story, one
One month into his Alyn stay, Yonatan went home for a
of the most heartrending I've heard involv-
weekend. "I don't think that we slept for more than one
ing a preemie, at a June 14 benefit held at
minute," Ayala said. "But what an incredible experience. We
the Jewish Community Center in West
were home with our child by ourselves for the first time. I
Bloomfield for the Detroit Friends of Alyn
think at that moment, I really did start to
),
ROBERT A. Hospital.
believe there would be a future here.
SKLAR
. Alyn is a place of succor,
Alyn weaned Yonatan off so much sedation
refuge and hope for Israeli
that for the first time, he smiled and interact-
Editor
kids and young adults bat-
ed.
ding physical, developmental and behavioral
Said his mother, "I think his first smile,
challenges. The hospital must raise nearly $6
which is a moment that I personally will
million to meet basic treatment needs left
never forget, was just him saying, 'Hello, I'm
vulnerable by an 11 percent cut in Israeli
get
here. Fight for me. Believe in me.
health system reimbursement rates, said Dr. ,<f).
there. Just hang on and wait for me.'"
The bond between mother and child was
Shirley Meyer, Alyn's director general.
What made the Horwitz story so gripping
building.
for the audience of 300 was that it was told
As time passed, Yonatan learned how to sit
against the unspoken backdrop of
up, bear weight on his arms and crawl.
Palestinians who turn kids into human
Standing, talking and feeding himself also
Yonatan rides a toy car.
bombs to blow up Jews or who use them as
were practiced.
human shields in fire fights with Israeli sol-
Yonatan left Alyn after 6 months, notwith-
standing how hard home care is because of
diers.
Israeli kids are not off limits to terrorists.
Israel's overburdened health services.
Just this week, Afik Zahavi, 4, was killed, as
"It was one of the hardest moves that I
was Uzbek immigrant Mordechai Yosepov, :6",
think we had to make," Alaya said. "We
49, when four Kassam rockets fired by
became an incredible family there. Every dif-
Hamas from within Gaza hit a road near a
ficult thing I experienced was addressed."
Zahavi
Yosepov
kindergarten in the" Negev town of Sderot.
Ayala levelled when Yonatan had his first
At least four others, including Afiks mother, Ruti, were hurt,
friend over. "This was a remarkable achievement for a child
JTA reported.
who was so sensitive to any kind of germs and to any kind
At nine months old, Yonatan was still being ventilated 24
of interaction with other children," she said.
hours a day and was almost vegetative. He didn't respond to
At 18 months — with unyielding support of his parents,
toys, music, voices or any means of stimulation.
grandparents and great-grandparents — Yonatan was strong
"He didn't indicate there was anything within him that
enough,. at last, for his long-anticipated bris.
wanted to live or that could live," said his mother.
Yonatan now goes to the Alyn day care nursery four hours
But he was alive so there was hope.
a day. That lets his mom run errands or relax. "He has been
But his parents, Ayla and Yossi, knew a regular neonatal
the focus of my life since he was born," Ayala said. "Though
ICU wasn't their angel.
he still is, my freedom is very normal and very necessary."
"We needed a place that would enable us to care for him,
At home, Yonatan plays with blocks and drives a toy car,
that would empower us as parents and that would allow him
signs that he can balance himself. Just before Ayala came to
to develop," Ayala said. "At that time, we didn't know what
the U.S., Yonatan took his first steps.
would become of him."
Yonatan's odyssey is not over. The tracheotomy needs to be
So they turned to Alyn and its Independent Living
reversed and he needs to catch up developmentally.
Neighborhood. And what looked bleak suddenly looked
The past 2'/2 years have been an emotional roller coaster
bright for their only child.
for Ayala, but so rewarding.
The Horwitzes found a hospital brimming with activity
"My relationship with Yonatan is a unique one," she said.
and stimulus. Yonatan's battery-run ventilator was the size of
"The world has not yet heard the end of him. I'm sure that
he will achieve many wonderful things."
To reach the Detroit Friends of Alyn Hospital, call (248)
God willing. I I
559-ALYN or log on to alyndetroit@yahoo.com
Monday-Saturday 10- 6
Thursday 12 .
Suiday
k4 `1‘.
7/ 2
2004
5