Children at special Jerusalem home under fire
by Debra Stahl
Courtesy of AMIT - Network of Educational Projects in Israel
November 6, 2000
Photo: Joe Malcolm 
Beit Hayeled, Gilo
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In the still of the fall night, the sound of automatic
gunfire reverberates through the rooms of the AMIT Beit Hayeled child haven
in Gilo. Beit Hayeled is part of AMIT's network in Israel in which over
14,000 children-at-risk are cared for in 55 schools, youth villages and child
havens.
"We never thought about borders until the house next door was fired at,"
explains AMIT president Sondra Sokal.
Gilo is a working class neighborhood located in the southern part of
Jerusalem, bordering the Arab Christian village of Beit Jala. Nearly every
night, around 7:30 p.m., members of the Fatah paramilitary youth movement,
Tanzim, enter Beit Jala and begin firing at the Jewish homes. According to
the Israeli press, the choice to attack Gilo is a politically calculated,
carefully thought-out Palestinian strategy. Many Vatican institutions,
including a church, monastery, education center and orphanage, are located in
Beit Jala. When the IDF responds to Tanzim shooting, the fire is exchanged
over Jewish and Christian homes and institutions, not Muslim ones. The
Palestinians believe that the destruction of this mostly Christian village
will lure the Vatican into taking sides against Israel. Caught in the
crossfire, of course, are innocent civilians, many of whom are children.
"Sometimes the violence can last well into the night," explains Mrs. Sokal,
who left for Israel with only a few hours notice during the Sukkot holiday to
join the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organization's
Solidarity Mission to Israel.
AMIT Beit Hayeled is a mere block away from the front line. The children can
hear everything. "They are living on the edge," she explains. The IDF has
brought in tanks, built a seven-foot high cement wall as a barrier and called
for a blackout on several streets.
In response to questions regarding why the children have not been relocated
to a temporary facility, Mrs. Sokal reported, "The children are safe and
there is no need to evacuate them. However," she continued, "the situation
is being evaluated on a daily basis by our AMIT director-general, Dr. Ami
Ze'evi."
When Diana Schiowitz, chair of the Israel Executive Committee, heard about
the attacks on Gilo, her heart went out to the 180 AMIT children living in
Beit Hayeled. She wondered what she could do to ease their level of stress.
She thought of her own 18-month-old granddaughter, Sara, and how much the
toddler enjoys watching her family of six lovebirds play in their oversized
cage.
Diana placed a call to Nitzchia Eldar, the director of Beit Hayeled, and
asked her if the children might like to keep the birds. Mrs. Eldar agreed,
and the very next day, Diana borrowed an AMIT van and delivered the birds,
along with their large cage and a generous supply of food. "Naturally the
kids were delighted. They were very surprised by the size of the birds," she
commented. It took three people to carry the cage inside.
The same afternoon, Mrs. Eldar held a meeting for the children and staff of
Beit Hayeled. She praised the kids for their wonderful behavior during this
very difficult time, particularly how well they maintained order amidst all
the chaos. She then instructed the children to always keep their shutters
closed, keep their rooms dark and stay away from the windows. She further
explained that because of the current wave of violence, the children could
not leave the building unescorted. They would have to ask one of the
counselors to accompany them. In addition, she made arrangements with the
local convenience store to have candy and other items brought into the
facility, so the kids would not have to go outside.
Mrs. Eldar was in touch with Israel's Ministry of Welfare and requested
additional protection for the children. A guard was placed on duty from 2
p.m. - 8 a.m. for extra security. Mrs. Eldar also requested that a
psychologist, specializing in trauma, be made available to the children and
staff of Beit Hayeled. This request was also immediately approved. However,
Mrs. Schiowitz is hoping the joyful chatter of the birds, playing with their
bells and ladders, will offer a more informal therapy, replacing the harsh
sounds of violence with their peaceful song.
AMIT cares for 14,000 children-at-risk through a network of 55 schools, youth
villages, and child havens in Israel.
AMIT
Head office:
16/18 Dov Hos Street
Tel Aviv 63416
Tel. 972-3-5233154
Fax: 972-3-5278230 |
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Office and Tourist Center:
8 Alkalay Street
Jerusalem
Tel. 972-2-5619222, 5617082 |
New York office:
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New York, NY 10003
Tel: 212-477-4720
Fax: 212-353-2312
Contact: Mark Cohen
e-mail AMITcomm@aol.com