The Release of Gilad Shalit: Joy and Pain

With all the holidays and time off, it's been a while since I've been into Natal. The biggest news to write on is of course Gilad Shalit. Last week, the state of Israel rejoiced at the return of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas for the past 5 years. I remember when Gilad was captured; I was 18, Gilad only a year older. Hamas refused to allow the Red Cross access to Shalit and only released 3 letters, a tape, and a video him during his capture. I can't even begin to imagine how his family felt, let alone the terror Gilad faced. Shalit's capture and subsequent demand for prisoner release from Hamas has become one of the faces of the Gaza conflict. 

For many in Israel and the world, October 18th was spent glued to the television, watching multiple news channels hoping for new coverage. The whole state was buzzing. I awoke to helicopters flying around and everywhere, people were talking. Each kiosk had a news station on and all conversations were turned towards Shalit. Haaretz reported that 70% of country tuned in to reports on Shalit. Though I was at work, I kept refreshing CNN and Haaretz every few minutes, not wanting to miss a second. I, along with countless others, was overcome with emotion at the first pictures released of Gilad, his interview with Egyptian television, and the first moments of father and son reunited.

However, his release is not without controversy. In exchange for Shalit, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to release over 1,000 Palestinians from Israeli jail, with 280 serving multiple life sentences for planning and executing terror attacks. While many in Israel supported the prisoner exchange, there are also many who see it as a victory for Hamas and terrorists. The deal has raised a lot of tough questions. Firstly, is one soldier worth the price of 1,027 prisoners responsible for the deaths of almost 600 Israeli's? More importantly, will this deal lead to more kidnappings and more prisoner exchanges? If yes, will Israel go along with Hamas and continue to release prisoners in exchange for soldiers? What other implications does that have for the ongoing conflict? The deal also highlights the divide between Hamas and Palestinian President Abbas, their supporters, and the amount of power each hold.  

I personally struggle with all these questions. While I was happy to see Gilad alive and back home with his family, I couldn't help but wonder at what price. How many more families will have to go through the pain of having a loved one kidnapped and held hostage? Will the released prisoners go on to commit more terror attacks? I read an article about Wafa al-Biss, a released female prisoner who was caught before detonating a suicide bomb, giving a speech to children the day after her release. She was encouraging them to strive for martyrdom and fight the "Zionist arrogance in the land of Palestine". It's hard to maintain that happiness when I know that the released prisoners are gearing up to attack Israel again. 

Anshel Pfeffer for Haaretz writes, "In the end Hamas got its 1,000 prisoners, the Egyptians reaped the PR dividends, and Israelis were left with the bittersweet and voyeuristic pleasure of participating in the Shalit family reunion." One can see it as a victory for Israel and those who've lost loved ones and at the same time it can be a victory for Hamas and their so-called martyrs. I think it's hard to say that there is a right side and a wrong side and for now I can only hope that no more families have to go through what Shalit's did and be thankful that he has returned home. 

Sderot- trauma, children, and Natal

It was my first day at Natal last week. After a short tour and brief introduction to all the services provided, we were given a segment shot by Channel 10 news following Natal's mobile unit for a day in Sderot, a city in the South defined by conflict. Though short, this was a difficult video to watch. In the one day the camera crew followed Natal's unit, 40 rockets were fired at this broken city.


I cannot begin to imagine living in a state of constant fear, always of the edge, wondering when the next red alarm will sound. The population of Sderot has grown so used to the continuous attacks that after rockets have fallen, they play a game to find where craters have formed. The psychologists who volunteer to go to Sderot are well known there. Townspeople recognize them and often seek them out after attacks. We see a mother, so terrified after an attack, she can't even respond to her own children. After being evacuated to a hospital, the therapist stays behind to comfort the young children. Another rocket and another mother being taken away, again the children left behind wondering what has happened to their parent.


Watching this segment, I couldn't help thinking about the impact that the attacks have on the children, both long term and short term. This is not what a normal childhood should look like. These kids should enjoy being outside, playing with friends, not worrying about the next time a rocket attack will occur and whether it's safe to play down the street. Natal provides such important services to these families, with not only the mobile units that travel to Sderot and other towns being rocked by constant attacks, but also with a hotline dedicated to children, and visits to schools to begin to introduce therapeutic exercises to both the students and teachers.


Without these crucial services that Natal provides, the effects of trauma will continue to be hidden, with its victims suffering in silence. I think it's incredible that Natal has so many volunteers that travel to Sderot and the South with their mobile units, putting themselves directly in the front lines to be able to serve these populations that desperately need someone to talk to, someone to begin to help them deal with the trauma. Natal's professional therapists and volunteers are giving residents of Sderot as well as others who've experienced trauma a light at the end of the tunnel; someone who will be there, listen, understand, and provide tools to move on.

First Impressions- Natal and beyond.

My name is Rachel. I'm 23 years old, originally from Phoenix, Arizona. I graduated in 2010 from Ithaca College with a B.A. in Sociology. I have been volunteering and working in the non-profit sector for almost 10 years and love helping others. I am working not only at Natal but also at Rounds, a social media start-up. I am also volunteering a few hours a week with the Tel-Aviv SPCA. 

I first came to Israel in 2008 through Birthright and fell in love. I have always wanted to return for a long-term program and the Oranim Tel-Aviv Program gave me that chance. I am now here for 5 months, living in central Tel-Aviv, working and volunteering. I've been here for almost 3 weeks and it already feels like home. My apartment is in a great location, 2 blocks from the ocean and each time I see the Mediterranean I fall back in love. In the short time I've been here, I've already met so many great, interesting, caring Israeli's who are genuinely interested in why I am here and grateful that I am spending my time here working and learning more about this beautiful place. I can't wait to keep exploring Tel-Aviv as well as venturing out and experience more of what the country has to offer. 

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I first heard of Natal through my internship coordinator and was immediately drawn to the organization. Their mission is simple; provide victims of terror acts a place to express themselves and begin to heal. I think it's incredible the amount of different types of therapy and research that Natal provides and how it started out so small and has grown over the past decade. 

I was given an introduction video to watch, which shows interviews with those who have dealt with trauma and loss and the impact Natal has had on their lives. It was the perfect way to introduce me to who comes to Natal for guidance and how Natal can help them get their lives back. Each person they interviewed experienced trauma in a different way and each needed Natal for different reasons. I thought it was a good way to expose people to all the work Natal does and who can come to Natal for help. 

The question has come up on the differences of how American's react to trauma when compared to Israeli's. I think in Israel, because of the constant threat and acts of terror being committed, it has become easier to ignore the trauma. It's become part of every day life for some in this country, especially for those in the South, and somehow, it has become harder to talk about, more "taboo" to express the need for help to cope. That is not to say there isn't the same stigma in the States, as many of our soldiers who return from war do not receive the necessary help they need, but I do think that there is more exposure and knowledge of Post-Traumatic Stress-Disorder. 

That's why the work that Natal provides, not only with the center and hotline, but also the mobile crisis units, are so important. They provide a holistic approach to therapy, reaching outside of solely traditional methods, and also create communities for their clients. There is also a focus on children, with a hotline dedicated to them and workshops provided for schools. I also think the research that Natal does is incredibly important. By breaking the cycle of silence, I think Natal is empowering its clients, generations to come, and Israel. It's bringing to light an important and prevalent issue and is encouraging victims to break free from their trauma and begin to live again. 

I am thrilled to given the opportunity to work here for a few months and looking forward to what I can do to help Natalsucceed.