by One Family staff. Under fire and incessant sirens, OneFamily evacuated 300 victims of terror from the Southern Region yesterday for three days of therapeutic support. We sent families from Sderot, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beersheva, Nitzan and the surrounding areas on a retreat . Three days are too short to repair years of damage; however, three days allow a family to regroup, regain composure, and sleep safely for a few hours.
OneFamily:
From the attack onward, OneFamily is in touch with each injured or bereaved family; providing emotional, financial, and legal assistance to more than 3500 victims of terror and their families – ensuring ongoing support in their journey of rehabilitation from terror.
Carmit Edel (mother) here with her children (3 girls, 1 boy), her husband is in the air force, she works in advertising, lives in Sderot. A Qassam Rocket landed next to them at a restaurant in Ashkleon two years ago, now Tal (girl with feeding tube) lives with post trauma and has developed a rare disease that requires a feeding tube. Carmit is very strong and determined not to let the rockets disturb their daily life, however, it has become really difficult these past weeks with her daughter, Tal.
Photo credit Howie Keenan
In the weeks leading up to Operation Protective Edge, Southern Israel became a constant target for incoming rocket attacks. Residents of the South were constantly on heightened alert to run to shelter at any given moment. As warning sirens rang, previously injured families dealt with constant triggers from the attacks that they survived.
The Therapeutic Retreat combined time for families to regroup and relax, receive therapeutic support in the form of support groups, hydrotherapy, yoga, Pilates, and special programming for children.
Chelsea Polaniecki, OneFamily intern with Talya* name changed
For many, the time away is a blessing and relief – but also one that has a constant shadow. Each family has relatives and friends that are still in the region under the current barrage of rockets. Families are in touch, checking in with their loved ones, making sure everyone is okay. But for now, these phone calls are happening from a place of security and healing.
OneFamily
OneFamily
