Editor's Letter
Our Part in Restoring Resilience
L
dents said their studies were hampered and they are fighting
ast summer, during the Second Lebanon War, I went
more with their friends since the war. Thirty-nine percent of
to Israel on a national Hadassah solidarity mission.
students believe bad things will happen again. Two-thirds of
We were the only guests at a major Haifa hotel. City
elementary school students and half of high school students in
streets were quiet and barren; most businesses were closed.
the north reported functional problems as a result of the war.
We experienced the mad dash for shelter when the sirens
The personal stories and research are compelling, yet Prime
sounded, signaling incoming Katyushas. We shared cramped
Minister Ehud Olmert pooh-poohed the notion of lingering
bomb shelter space with Israelis in
trauma and stopped short of saying diaspora dollars are nec-
their apartment buildings. We were
essary in the aftermath of the war.
awed by the shreds of rocketed build-
Instead, during a meeting with our group of journal-
ings and humbled by the wounded
soldiers waiting atop a herd of gurneys ists, where it was stipulated that no direct quotes would
be allowed, he insisted there is no trauma in the north, the
to be treated at Haifa's hospital.
This summer, I was in Israel exactly economy is booming and incomes were higher than ever. He
said media reports of problems were exaggerated and artifi-
one year later; this time with journal-
cial, and that people were suffering from disappointment, not
ists from American Jewish newspa-
trauma,
because the war was not a knockout victory.
pers on a press mission sponsored
His
cavalier,
out-of-touch response prompted the key ques-
Keri Guten Cohen by United Jewish Communities, the
tion
—
are
American
Jewish IEC dollars for all these pro-
umbrella organization for American
Story
grams unnecessary?
Jewish federations. Our goal was
Development
Olmert backpedaled a bit, admitting that some people had
to see how the $232 million raised
Editor
suffered
and were inconvenienced in this war that killed 43
quickly through the Israel Emergency
civilians and sent thousands
Campaign (IEC) had been utilized in
south to safety. He said he
northern Israel and in Sderot near
respects
what American Jews
Gaza, now in its seventh year of daily
do
out
of
solidarity and is
rocket attacks.
happy
with
the contributions,
One year later, damaged buildings are
finding
them
helpful, signifi-
repaired; crops are plentiful in the valley
cant
and
important.
close to the Lebanon border; businesses
However, he did not take
and tourism are making a comeback. In
the
opportunity to thank the
Sderot, the pile of spent Kassam rockets
American
Jewish community
behind the police station has nearly
nor
to
say
the funds were nec-
doubled and people still are determined
essary.
but tired. The damage that lingers is to
JDC and UJC staffers began
the human psyche.
damage
control. They had
The need for psychological services
painstakingly
lined up an itin-
in the north soared after the 34-day
erary
filled
with
children, par-
war and still continues. Post traumatic
ents,
teachers,
counselors,
stu-
stress is an underlying current, espe-
dents
for
us
to
talk
to
—
real
cially among youth who exhibit fear
people who needed no coercion
of loud noises, bedwetting, insomnia,
to say thank you for the help.
poor concentration in school and esca-
Though Olmert knew he was
lating violence.
speaking
to journalists from
We visited many programs — most
American
Jewish newspapers,
spearheaded by the Jewish Agency for
UJC
staffers
suggested he was
Israel and the American Jewish Joint
preoccupied
by a prior meet-
Distribution Committee, with backing
Spent Kassam rockets behind the Sderot police
ing.
Maybe
he
didn't want to
from IEC funds — that deal with psy-
department have multiplied since last year.
portray
people
in the north as
chological healing. Grateful participants
needy,
traumatized
and in cri-
talked freely of the benefits. (See story
sis
because
it
might
prod
Hezbollah
to
action
again.
on page 23.)
Whatever the reason, it didn't really matter. As journalists
A recent poll of 500 northern residents showed that more
and
Jews, we saw the good the money from our communities
than 40 percent of adults and 60 percent of children fear
already
has done to help restore the resiliency so characteris-
another war.
tic
of
our
Israeli brothers.
"Go one step further in conversations and you find we are
In
the
end,
that's all that really matters. I
not OK — there are other layers': said Rami Benbenishty, a
Hebrew University School of Social Work psychologist and
professor who is analyzing research data for the Israel Trauma
0 :
What is the relationship between Israel
Coalition. He shared early findings from the study that had
I— •
and the diaspora during war?
not yet been presented to the government.
I—
0
Information from schools suggests 28 percent of students
Z z
Is American Jewish monetary support
show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Twenty-five per-
0 0
to
Israel seen as necessary?
a. 12
cent of elementary school and 20 percent of high school stu-
-
W
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;RANT
271 WEST MAPLE
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August 23 • 2007 5