A helping hand for victims under fire
THE mental toll of the constant torrent of rockets being fired from Gaza into southern Israel often goes unspoken.
THE mental toll of the constant torrent of rockets being fired from Gaza into southern Israel often goes unspoken.
But not only do residents of Sderot and other areas near Gaza suffer from physical injuries, studies have shown high incidences of post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of rocket attacks.
Many Sderot residents are unemployed or are supported by National Insurance, following an exodus of wealthier citizens escaping the rocket barrage.
It is for this reason that Israeli charity Ezra LeMarpeh intends to build a state-of-the-art rehabilitation day centre in Sderot, based on its already successful centre that operates in Bnei Brak.
Ezra LeMarpeh founder Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Firer will be joined in Australia next week by leading strategist and former national security adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Uzi Arad, to promote and raise funds for the project.
The pair will speak at events in Sydney on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by engagements on Thursday and over Shabbat in Melbourne.
“The purpose of the day centre is the rehabilitation of the disabled and sick, helping them restore their physical and mental strength and capabilities, and thus resume their regular lives and activities,” Ezra LeMarpeh volunteer Elie Lederman, an Australian oleh who has coordinated the visit, told The AJN.
“By establishing the medical rehabilitation centre in Sderot, vital medical services will be accessible to thousands of sick and disabled who live in the southern part of Israel.”
Ezra LeMarpeh already plays a vital role in Israeli life. As well as matching patients with the best doctors and treatments, it also provides medical equipment, facilitates videoconferences with medical experts, cares for children suffering from cancer, operates a rehabilitation centre for stroke victims and much more.
Rabbi Firer personally gives his time to provide medical advice, guidance and referrals to those who need it.
“Knowing that at least a thousand people will be approaching Rabbi Firer during the time that he’s away, there’s an incredible responsibility to ensure the financial success of this mission,” Lederman said.
GARETH NARUNSKY
The proposed centre.
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