Aid to Terror Victims, Their Families and the Israeli Public

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Many Paths to Aid Israeli Victims of Terror

Israel NOW and Forever "You think it's just a few people in a country of millions, but when you know someone who was killed, you realize that each number is a world unto itself." -- Yaniv Cohen, Jerusalem 10th grader. (1)

"It can be more difficult to deal with terrorism than with war. War is limited to geographical and time boundaries. Terrorism knows no boundaries." -- Solly Dreman, Clinical Psychologist, Ben Gurion Universtiy. (2)

"The emotional injury is worse than the physical one." -- Dalia Shemsh, Jerusalem resident who was injured in both the attack in Sbarro's and the recent shooting on Jaffa Road. (3)

Since September 29, 2000 (the outbreak of the current security situation), terrorist attacks have killed 285 people (Israeli citizens and security forces) and injured 2,886.*

The psychological and emotional effect on the people of Israel must not be underestimated. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, survivors of past traumas, particularly the Holocaust, and new immigrants are especially susceptible.

Available Government Assistance:

The Government of Israel, via National Insurance, provides assistance to terror victims under the Law of Compensation to Victims of Terror and Hostile Acts (1970). This assistance includes:

Monetary compensation during the period of medical care;

Monthly disability stipend;

Monthly stipend and other special benefits for dependents (widow/er or parents);

Medical and hospital care, special medical appliances, rehabilitation;

Special benefits including: loans and grants for housing, assistance in purchasing a car and its maintenance, assistance with private medical and other services, convalescence grant, stipends for clothing and professional retraining.

You can help:

The impact of terrorist attacks on Israel has taken its toll on an emotional, psychological, and economic scale. By contributing to your federation's campaign, you can play a tangible role in addressing Israel's vital needs.

Below is a partial list of non-profit organizations which supplement the support offered by the government. Through the dollars and generosity of the North American Jewish community -- expressed through contributions to UJA federation campaigns in communities across the continent -- these organizations work to ensure Israel's needs are met.

Jewish Agency for Israel

Fund of the Benefit of the Victims and Survivors of Terrorist Activity and Their Families: The purpose of the fund is to provide psychological counseling, burial costs, transportation to and from the hospital and therapy, special equipment or subsidies for home care to victims and their families.

Psychological Support for Terrorist Victims and their Families: Support for NPOs providing direct aid in the immediate aftermath of crisis situations and ongoing sustained contact programs to help develop the coping skills needed in the long healing process.

Psychological Support for Young New Immigrants: Young new immigrants living in absorption centers receive information and tools needed to deal on an individual and group basis with fears and anxieties about cultural differences, emotional problems and the current security crisis.

JDC

JDC's programming targets three groups: the elderly, new immigrants, and children and youth at risk. In response to current needs, JDC has added new programming and extended existing programming.

Elderly:
Supportive Communities -- community-based assistance that provides essential but low-intensity social and other support that enables older people to continue living in their own homes. JDC added a new, specially designed community in Gilo when it came under gunfire, and is developing 34 others in confrontation line areas. (60 existed prior to Sept. 2000.)

Warm Homes -- home-based social clubs that bring isolated immigrant elderly together so that they can build social networks from which they can draw emotional support. JDC is establishing 100 such homes along the confrontation line and in other high-risk areas.

Emergency Response Teams -- this new program trains emergency response teams in homes for the elderly to ensure that residents are appropriately protected in time of emergency.

"Hard-to-absorb" Immigrants:
Community Liaisons -- veteran Hebrew-speaking Ethiopians and Caucasus-Israelis serve as liaisons to bridge the cultural and linguistic gulfs dividing immigrants from the community services which offer the essential help, support and information to ease fear and anxiety. JDC is now involved in the preparation of emergency information material for non-Hebrew speaking immigrants and the development of distribution mechanisms.

Disabled Israelis (new program) -- JDC is assisting in the developing of: a) Supportive Communities for disabled Israeli living alone in confrontation-line areas; b) accessible information for those with disabilities, particularly the blind and deaf; c) short-term training to enable professionals and volunteers to address the special emergency-related needs of the disabled.

Trauma and Disaster Intervention Training (new program) -- Drawing on the expertise of the Tel Aviv Municipality, JDC is creating a training program for local healthcare, welfare, education and other professionals in smaller communities throughout the country to ensure that local government agencies (hospitals, schools, etc) respond to attack or disaster in an effective, coordinated way.

In addition, JDC was approached by the Israeli Government and IDF to help in: a) training and preparing/adapting information specifically tailored to those living in institutions; b) training local level professionals in how to work with families/victims immediately following terror attacks, military or other emergency.

SELAH – Israel Crisis Management Center:

SELAH is the only countrywide volunteer network of assistance and support for new immigrants hit by sudden crisis, terror or tragedy. SELAH's 700 volunteers and eight paid staff tend to individual and family needs, creating a support system and serving as advocates. The events of the last 16 months have greatly increased the burden on SELAH, as there has been a disproportionate number of new immigrant victims, especially the victims of the bombing at the Dolphinarium Disco and the recent attack at the Bat Mitzvah celebration in Hadera.

NATAL – Israel Trauma Center for Victims of Terror and War:

Aims to treat victims and families who have suffered trauma directly or indirectly as a result of war, military service or terrorism. Services include subsidized therapy, toll free Hot line, psychological training and support for health professionals in stress afflicted areas, therapeutic social club offering informal therapy (art and movement), interactive website and library. From 1998 (when it was established) to 2000, NATAL's Hot Line received 600 calls. Since the outbreak of the current violence, the Hot Line has received close to 3000 calls. NATAL receives up to 150 calls within several days immediately following terrorist attacks.

Loewenstein Hospital Rehabilitation Center:

Loewenstein Hospital, established in 1973 to treat injured soldiers, is considered one of the top rehabilitation centers in the world and is the only center in Israel specializing in head injuries. Today, the hospital also treats civilians (especially the most difficult cases) who have been paralyzed by acts of terrorism, accidents or disease.

ERAN – Israel Association for Emotional First Aid by Phone:

ERAN provides a free 24-hour phone emotional support help-line, in Hebrew, Amharit, Russian and Arabic. The security situation since September 2000, ERAN has led to a sharp increase in the number of calls stemming from anxiety and fear (with a total of 99,000 calls in 2001). To meet this increased need, 175 new volunteers were recruited in 2001 bringing the total number of volunteers to 850 in 10 branches throughout the country.

Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital:

The Center offers specialized trauma treatment to individuals suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since September 2000, referrals of terror victims have more than tripled. In addition, the Center has initiated other activities, including a school project providing workshops for teachers and counselors in Jerusalem schools and workshops and training programs for psychotherapists working in public mental health services. The Center is currently in the process of setting up a network of organizations involved in trauma treatment to facilitate cooperation and mutual support.

Community Stress Prevention Center, Tel Hai College:

Initially founded with the aim of giving support to the population of the northern border. CSPC's services have been expanded to include other areas of the country. Thousands of professionals in Israel and abroad have been trained in the integrative resiliency model "BASIC Ph" and in other techniques to develop individual, family, group, system, organization and community coping skills. On the Web at www.icspc.org (the site will be running in approximately one month)

Amcha – National Israeli Center for Psychological Support of Survivors of the Holocaust and the Second Generation:

Amcha provides psychotherapy for Holocaust survivors and their children. Events of the new security situation have re-awakened traumatic memories causing a significant rise in the number of clients and treatment hours . Amcha's expert counselors and psychiatrists provide immediate crisis intervention and/or longer focused post-traumatic psychotherapy in four branches and five affiliate locations throughout Israel. Amcha also makes house calls and visits to hospitals. Amcha provides a voluntary debriefing service to Magen David Adom personnel and to the general public after major terrorist attacks, to the municipality after major catastrophes, and to official bodies that require supervision in special cases of collective trauma.

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