World
elieve
sir
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Metullah is Israel's most northern
point. From this overlook its clear how
close Hezbollah rockets were to the
border. Many launchers were hidden in
homes in the Lebanese village on the
opposite hill..
Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor
Kiryat Motzkin, Israel
T
hough the Second Lebanon War
lasted only 34 days, its effects still
linger one year later in northern
Israel, where more than 4,000 Katyusha
rockets fell, forcing residents to either flee
south or make do with few supplies and
outdated, under-equipped bomb shelters.
Physical evidence of the war with
Hezbollah is almost non-existent.
Damaged homes and businesses are fully
restored; only scorched trees on the hill-
sides remain as visual reminders.
However, less visual damage still is
taking its toll on the people in northern
Israel, many of whom anticipate another
war will touch their hometowns. Post-
traumatic stress disorder as well as educa-
tional and economic stresses continue to
cause hardships for many.
Some relief comes from various pro-
grams sponsored by the American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and
the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), with
funding from Israel Emergency Campaign
(IEC) dollars that began pouring in from
Jewish federations as soon as the war
broke out in July 2006. American Jews,
under the United Jewish Communities
(UJC) umbrella, along with Canadian Jews,
raised $360 million, with $15.2 million
coming directly from Detroit.
So far, $232 million has been allocated,
primarily for services to the most vulner-
able — children, the elderly and disabled
— and to upgrade public bomb shelters
with air conditioning, toilets and televi-
sions. The remaining $128 million will be
allocated when the pledges are paid.
Some IEC money also was used to fund
programs in Sderot and surrounding com-
munities in Israel's south. The area borders
the Gaza Strip and has been under con-
stant rocket fire for the past seven years.
A small group of journalists from
American Jewish newspapers toured many
of Israel's northern cities and Sderot ear-
lier this month as part of a UJC mission
to see how the areas were faring one year
after the war. Of the many programs we
visited, these stood out:
SPACE Outreach Centers
The sound of drumming drew us into the
youth center, a converted bomb shelter in
the northern town of Kiryat Motzkin near
Haifa. There, Ethiopian Israeli teens beat
out traditional African rhythms in unison,
with increasing volume and intensity.
In the room next door, a bank of com-
puters and printers stood ready for action.
On other days, instructors teach tradi-
tional Ethiopian dances.
"This is the goal — to keep Ethiopian
traditions alive in this generation:' says
Dege Chanoch-Levi, who studied educa-
tion and art at the University of Haifa. "I
learned how important culture is, and it's
the best way to get in touch with children."
Ethiopian Israeli teens are considered
at high risk for dropping out of school,
partaking in criminal behavior, violence
or substance abuse, and for finding them-
selves on the fringe of Israeli society. As a
tO
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Teens at the Ethiopian National Project's SPACE Youth Outreach Center in Kiryat
Motzkin practice traditional drumming.
Photo by Vivian Henoch
whole, 90 percent of the 110,000 Ethiopian
Israelis are below the poverty line.
The Ethiopian National Project opened
SPACE Youth Outreach Centers in nine
northern communities in partnership with
municipalities, including Nazeret Ilit and
Migdal HaEmek in Detroit's Partnership
2000 region. Nearly $5.5 million from the
IEC is earmarked for program expansion
in the north and in Sderot.
Teens attend a variety of clubs and
activities and also workshops on self-
image, personal identity, substance abuse
and violence. Meanwhile, their parents can
learn about coping with adolescents who
are caught between old and new cultures.
"Before I was a student, I was like every
teen — a hip-hop girl who wanted to be in
and cool;' says Chanoch-Levi, who teaches
Ethiopian dance in the youth outreach pro-
gram in Yokneam.
"I was ashamed
of the language
and traditions;
then I went to the
university and I
understood.
"It was very
hard for me in the
Dance instructor
beginning, hard
to go slowly. Now Dege Chanoch-Levi
I'm very happy
to reach my goal. The teens learn about
themselves; they feel safe, and everyone
can see. Wow! Their parents come and
see them perform and they are glad and
proud. I teach them that their past is really
important.
"They were stressed and worried about
Emergency Aid on page 24
August 23 • 2007
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