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SELAH Healing Retreat for Bereaved Families from the Former Soviet Union

Kibbutz Nachsholim, June 26-27, 2009

Twenty-five immigrant families (62 people) joined SELAH's June 2009 healing retreat for the bereaved, mourning loved ones lost in rocket attacks, war, accidents, drowning, sudden medical emergencies and violence.

Each family had received critical emotional and practical support at the time of their tragedy. At the retreat, they joined peer support groups (one for bereaved parents, the other for widows and widowers) led by trauma professionals, designed to strengthen the bereaved through expressing and sharing pain and together developing tools for coping with loss.

While the children participated in separate activities led by experienced youth guides, the adults toured nearby Caesaria and the Tel Dor antiquities, enjoyed an evening song performance in Russian, and also had the chance to swim and relax with healing treatments of their choice. For many, it was the first time they had traveled in Israel outside their home town.

Limor and Frima Dr. Pinchas Chanoch with Victoria, K., and daughter Nicole

Left: Limor (r), SELAH's retreat coordinator, on hike with Frima S., whose son Alex was killed in battle during the second Lebanon War.

Right: Pinchas Chanoch (r), SELAH volunteer, with Victoria, K., and daughter Nicole. Victoria's husband died suddenly of a heart attack two weeks before Operation Cast Lead.

Christina L. with son Zachar Bereaved immigrants visit Tel Dor antiquities

Left: Christina L. with son Zachar, 4. Christina's husband died suddenly in September 2008.

Right: Bereaved immigrants visit Tel Dor antiquities during SELAH healing retreat: From right: Almaz R., a single mother of two children now also raising her late sister's two children; Dr. Alexander A., whose son Grigory, a reserve soldier, was killed in a rocket attack during the Second Lebanon War; Lydia S., whose son Pavel was killed in a Hamas attack on an IDF tank in June 2006; Oleg (behind Lydia S.) and Tatiana M., whose teenage daughter Katya was killed in September 2007 in a car accident; and Anna T., whose son Yevgeny was killed in battle during the Second Lebanon War.

SELAH social worker Orian with Maya G Volunteer from Toronto Jessica with Michael M

Left: SELAH social worker Orian with Maya G., whose mother died when she was one month old. She is being raised by her father and her grandparents.

Right: Volunteer from Toronto Jessica with Michael M., whose father was killed in a work accident.

Paulina G. and Ludmilla M.

Paulina G. (r), whose husband Shimon was killed in the Second Lebanon War, and Ludmilla M., who lost her son Alexander in Operation Cast Lead.

Retreat for Survivors of Rocket Attacks,

Kibbutz Ginossar, May 15-16, 2009

SELAH brought survivors of rocket attacks from Sderot, Ashkelon and Ashdod – all of whom received individual emergency aid -- together for a healing retreat on the shores of Lake Kinneret. Suffering from physical wounds, severe damage to their homes and continuing emotional trauma, the 46 men, women, youth and children, shared their personal ordeals in professionally led support groups, experienced healing treatments of their choice, and discovered new strengths alongside their peers. An evening song concert ended with the participants dancing their hearts out even with their handicaps. One woman suffering from severe post-traumatic stress after her home was hit by a rocket, said: "I have not left my house in Sderot for so long. It's good to be away and to breathe air again without fear. I think this will help me when I am back at home".

Left picture: From right to left: Adam Tachtarov, whose home in Sderot was hit 3 times by rockets; Galina Zilberman, severely wounded in a rocket attack and still recovering; Raisa and Yuri Bisrayev, suffering trauma after a direct rocket hit on their home; Rima and George Haimov, the parents of Yossi , 11, who suffered severe injuries in an attack.

Right picture: Selah social worker Alex Altshuler with Galina Zilberman, who was seriously wounded in a Grad rocket attack on December 29, 2008. She was hospitalized for a long time and is still recovering.

Left picture: Genady Gonsky, a widower, previously disabled from a foot amputation, was wounded in the other leg when a rocket hit his apartment in Ashdod in January 2009. His life was saved by a neighbor who applied a tourniquet to his leg. Just three weeks later, Genady's only son died of cardiac arrest.

Right picture: Yossi and Maria Haimov, then and now: (1) just after Yossi was seriously wounded by in a rocket attack in February 2008, and (2) at SELAH retreat May 2009. He is slowly beginning
to recover the use of his injured arm.

Photographer: Edward Kaprov

SELAH cares for 25 Russian visitors wounded

in fatal bus crash near Eilat

December 16, 2008…A bus filled with Russian travel agents from St. Petersburg crashed near Eilat, killing 24 and wounding 25, some critically.

The wounded were rushed to hospitals for emergency treatment, and from these first moments, SELAH's Russian-speaking volunteers and social workers were by their side offering comfort and practical help. The most seriously injured are still recovering in rehabilitation centers in Israel and SELAH remains with them.

Immediately after the crash, SELAH’s emergency teams mobilized to come to the aid of the injured Russian visitors, who had been in the country for less than an hour when their bus crashed.
SELAH teams fanned out to all the hospitals throughout Israel where the survivors were sent for treatment. Our Russian-speaking trauma professionals and trained volunteers were by their bedsides, to comfort them and provide for essential first needs, including helping them contact their families back in Russia, desperately awaiting news.
When these relatives arrived in Israel, SELAH met them at the airport and accompanied them to the hospital.

Each survivor had their own personal tragedy: One injured woman had lost her best friend. Another had suffered many losses in her life and was left alone. Yet another had to cope with every parent’s nightmare: her 28-year-old daughter was been killed in the crash. SELAH was with her husband when the news was finally broken to her in the hospital trauma unit, where she had lain unconscious for days.

February 24, 2009: Recovering Russian bus crash survivors visit Jerusalem

The SELAH caregivers who accompanied the crashsurvivors and their families from the time of the accident took them to Jerusalem on February 24, 2009 for their first organized trip in the country. For some, it was the first time they had left the rehabilitation center.

Bus Crash survivors

Recovering crash survivors visit Jerusalem with SELAH

"It's like coming out into the free world!"

They ranged in age from their twenties to their sixties. They had suffered terrible wounds, but on this day, they walked on their own, with SELAH caregivers nearby ready to give a hand. Their recoveries had been described as remarkable by the doctors.

The excitement of the wounded visitors at coming to Jerusalem was tremendous, especially when they visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Western Wall. The rabbi of the Wall told them how he had been in contact with the rabbi of St. Petersburg, where the travelers came from, and that the people of both cities were praying for their recovery.

Selah trip Natasha Kurtz

Luba S., who suffered severe head injuries and whose son and husband were killed in two separate car accidents in Russia, said, "I feel so many things, appreciation and gratitude, most of all, for the humanity you invest in people. The rehabilitation center is a good place, but today, it's like coming out into the free world!

Vladislav D., 30, who suffered many broken bones, a crack in his spinal column and a head wound, is already planning for the future: "This is not my last time in Israel. As soon as my health permits, I am coming back."

SELAH update… Some of the wounded were able to return to Russia soon after the daytrip. Others are staying on in Israel for continuing treatment, and SELAH remains with them.

Daytrip for Grandparents and Grandchildren

in Ben-Shemen Forest

On Friday, May 16, 2008, seventy immigrant grandparents and grandchildren enjoyed a day of fun, picnicking and challenging activities in the Ben-Shemen Forest. The children, orphaned after a family tragedy, are now being raised by their grandparents.

The Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel company sponsored the day-long event, and company representatives, including country manager Ofra Feinmesser, joined volunteers and participants in drum workshops, music-making and games and activities.

Photographer: Edward Kaprov

From misery to joy,
from mourning to a holy day,
and from deep darkness to great light.

(From Passover Haggadah)

In the tradition of holiday giving in Israel, The Pfizer Company, in cooperation with SELAH - Israel Crisis Management Center, initiated an activity in nature for new immigrant grandparents raising their orphaned grandchildren. This activity was meant to give an embrace, strengthening and support to new immigrants, while deepening their connection with the country, its landscapes and people, as Israel marks 60 years of independence.

"Identifiying familiar Faces…"

Social Gathering for New Immigrants Living in Kiryat Shmona

The Israel Crisis Management Center, SELAH, in helping new immigrants (olim) in crisis situations following the second Lebanon War. SELAH's professional caregivers and volunteers have made hundreds of home visits in Kiryat Shmona. Through these visits, human presence and open ears and hearts, SELAH identifies their individual needs and lends a helping hand in response to these special needs.

For the upcoming holiday, Pesach, SELAH organized a social gathering and concert with singer Yelena Grishkov, winner of Israeli "A Star is Born" competition. The theme being "Identifying familiar Faces…" as described in the song written by Yelena "A minute and Eternity". Each oleh presented a childhood picture and shared their life story with the other olim.

Many of the olim that attended the event are participants of the community project run by SELAH in cooperation with The School of Social Work, Tel Hay College, headed by Dr. Shira Huntman. The project is designed mainly for elderly people with limited mobility and/ or living on their own. The project is composed of home visits and social events through out the year, conducted by SELAH personnel and 3rd year social work students.

Photographer: Sasha Alechov

ניווט