Leo Baeck Education Centre News
Friday, 09 January 2009
The Leo Baeck Centre in Haifa is hosting as many children and youth from the south as possible to offer them at least a short-term escape from living under fire.
Carol Brauner, Director of International Development says: "Reaching out to the south as they reached out to us in the north during the last war has been the natural response to this situation. Last Shabbat, we brought 200 children from Sderot for a Yom Kef at the Leo Baeck Community and Sports Centre and yesterday, we bussed 40 Ethiopian teenagers up from Kiryat Gat for a 3 day mini-break here. They are sleeping in sleeping bags in the Judo Room!"
In the meantime, counseling is being provided to Leo Baeck children and youth in schools and social outreach centres who are showing signs of stress and trauma. For many this is simply 'round two' of the last war, with fathers, brothers and loved ones fighting and in danger yet again.
Sadly, the brother of Druze Leo Baeck high school student Dima Mouadi, 19 year old Corporal Yosef Mouadi, was killed in Gaza earlier this week. Dani Fesler arranged for coaches to take Dima's classmates to the funeral which was attended by everyone from the school which is in mourning.
Nineteen year old Leo Baeck graduate, Tom Grinstein, was seriously wounded near Gaza some days ago and is hospitalized in Tel HaShomer hospital.
Expenses for endeavours to provide support to young people are low. The only additional funding needed is for two things - transportation to keep bussing kids up to Haifa from the south, and counseling for Leo Baeck pupils exhibiting signs of stress and trauma. The one way cost of a coach up to Haifa is 3000 NIS (approximately £500) and the cost of PTSD counseling is 180-200 NIS per session depending on whether it is one on one or group therapy.
The centre would be tremendously grateful for whatever support you are able to offer. A donation of £500 has already been recieved from a member of Bromley Reform Synagogue. If you can help, please contact Carol Brauner: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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