Hallo ihr lieben,
noch gar nicht lange ist es her, da war Shuki Levinger in Deutschland und hat an dem Meeting für weisse Zwergschnauzer teilgenommen...
Er hatte viel Freude hier und jetzt sind er und die (geistig) behinderten Menschen, um die er sich kümmert mitten im Krieg!
Wir bekommen regelmäßig Post von ihm, in der er uns über die Situation dort informiert und sie sind wirklich mitten im Albtraum Krieg
Im Moment können wir ihm wohl alle nicht helfen, aber ich denke er und die Kishorit Familie können moralische Unterstützung gebrauchen!!
Ich kopiere hier den Text seiner letzten e-mail rein , leider kann ich ihn nicht übersetzen, da ich keine Zeit habe, aber da er in englisch ist, werden es vielleicht doch einige verstehen können.
Vielleicht seit ihr ja so nett und schreibt ein paar Worte der Anteilnahme, ich werde dann die gesammten Beiträge kopieren und ihm shicken...
LG
Daniela
July 18, 2006
Dear Friends,
Thank you again for your concern. Sustaining katyusha rockets isn’t part of our mission, but that has become part of our daily routine. As for the long-term consequences of this situation, we will examine this together once this war is over and we are able to do so in peace (in every sense of the word).
Meanwhile, Kishorit is on very high alert but we have had to admit that it isn’t feasible to keep our entire community underground in shelters for days on end. The effect is simply too terrifying for our members, who must “come up for air.” Since we are in the line of fire we have no alternative other than to stay indoors, close to shelters. When the sound of an exploding katyusha is heard, we all know to run to the nearest one.
Shabbat this week was not a day of rest at Kishorit. Twenty-five katyusha rockets rained down around us, hitting Carmiel and Majd el-Crum, both so close to us and both sustaining damage and injuries. These are not just our nearest neighbors, but where staff members live.
One shining light at the end of the gloomy tunnel is the success of the impromptu call to arms of the entire staff, Jews and Arabs alike, who have left their families in places such as Carmiel and Majd el-Crum to come to the Village to care for our members.
On ordinary days, the religious, cultural and political divides between all of us Galileeans, Arabs and Jews, somehow miraculously evaporate at the gates of Kishorit. At a time like this, however, these differences are more difficult to set aside. So it is an enormous source of pride to me that members of staff from the Arab sector have chosen to leave spouses and children (themselves in the firing line) to care for a community that needs them. This is no small thing.
As for the members and how they fare under the strain: there have been outbursts of weeping and a few panic attacks but, on the whole, I think this population of special people is deeply aware that we have not abandoned them and that, to the extent humanly possible, we are there for them and with them. So far, periods of calm outlast moments of crisis.
It has certainly helped that we have held various events designed to reduce tension. Since nightfall is the most difficult time of day, we have organized an evening of dancing (we called it a Tel Aviv disco), another evening was devoted to a sing-a-long, and last night we screened a movie marathon. In compliance with IDF Home Front directives, these events take place on the ground floor of the Clubhouse, which is the safest place in the Village for us to congregate in. Also, in accordance with the instructions of our psychiatrist, we have added carbohydrates to the regular menu, thus helping to decrease stress levels.
All our industries have shut down. Apart from the dogs and the goat herd which must be fed, there is no production at all. Riding classes have been cancelled, there is no manufacturing to speak of at PastelToys and the fields are not tended. Income is at a standstill – a heavy price we are going to have to pay when all this ends. At the moment, it would be foolhardy even to attempt to assess the long-term damage to our micro economy. That will be part of the aftermath with which we will have to contend.
For now, we are concerned with staying alive and well which, so far, we have managed to do very successfully.
Finally, you must know that your calls and emails are wonderful to receive and boost our morale no end. Sometimes Kishorit seems a long way away from Ben Gurion Airport and the world beyond but - at times like these - our friends suddenly seem very close by.
Yours,
Shuki Levinger and the Kishorit family
Keks(Gestern, 22:18)
