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.