Tuesday, August 15th,

Dear Friends,

Finally, finally war is over

Many people asked me if the ceasefire resolution is good? I think it is marvelous. We couldn’t stand this war any longer. We were exhausted, nervous, afraid and tired.

Slowly we are returning to our daily routine at Or Hadash. Most of the children (80%) returned to our three preschools and to the first ever summer camp for 2nd graders. The children were relieved that they didn’t have to go to the shelter today and they might even go to the pool later this week (we are still cautious). The preschool teachers were so relieved to see some of the children they haven’t seen in a month (at age 2, children really change in a month). Only 3 families left Haifa or Israel permanently, the rest returned or will return in the next few days. After holding their activities for the past 35 days in the bomb shelter (for safety reasons), the children returned to the top floor at Or Hadash. These are wonderful signs symbolizing change for the better. Another sign is a very long traffic jam near the entrance to Haifa, at 10 pm. Many people who left the city during the war returned, suddenly the city is full again. There is a lot of traffic on the streets and no sounds of planes or helicopters. It is now 30 hours since the ceasefire came into effect, and we cannot begin to tell you what a relief it is not to hear sirens and news reports about soldiers being killed and wounded in battle. Not everything is alright though. Many children are showing symptoms of anger, anxiety and other suppressed feelings. We will need the help of an Educational Psychologist.

In Israel and in Lebanon people ask who won the war? I am convinced that all of us lost. Olmert and the Hizballa claim the victory. We, the people of Israel and the people of Lebanon only suffered from this war. The grim statistics teach us that 3,970 katyushas fell in Israel, 150 soldiers and civilians were killed (Jews, Christians, Moslems and Druze), 4,262 civilians were hospitalized (33 critically wounded and 68 seriously wounded). During this war, the sirens went on more than 200 times in Haifa. 217 katyusha rockets landed in Haifa and its suburbs (Krayot in Hebrew).

What was not mentioned in the statistics were many citizens like our board member, Roxana Reichman’s mother, Tamara Luka, dying of a heart attack as a direct result of the katyusha attacks. Yesterday I was informed that a senior member of our congregation, Marcel Graceheimer, passed away yesterday at the age of 103, after suffering from anxiety during the war.

More than 1,000,000 Israeli citizens became refugees or lived in fear for 35 long days. Seeing children and women running downstairs to the shelter in panic with fear in their eyes and feeling so helpless was humiliating. It would have been much easier to serve in a unit of the IDF. At least there you could feel that you can fight and that your destiny is in your own hands more or less.

Or Hadash was open almost every day during the war (33 out of 35 days). I believe that we functioned so well during the war thanks to the letters, the conversations, the contributions , the support and the visits of our friends from abroad. There are no words to fully express how greatful we are for all of your support. On behalf of all the staff and members at Or Hadash, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It was very important to us to send you emails and tell you what we are going through. That way you had our perspective about the events, and what we actually went through, which is different than what you read in the news.

I am finishing this letter by sending some pictures and a big hug and kisses from Haifa, peaceful once again.

B’Shalom,