Jerusalemites open their hearts

GAIL LICHTMAN ISRAEL PRESS SERVICE

An estimated 300,000 of the one million residents of northern Israel fled the area in the wake of Hezbollah missile attacks. Ironically, some 30,000 sought refuge in Jerusalem, a city which was often the focus of conflict for much of Israel's history.

Although a ceasefire was implemented on Monday, Aug. 14, the vast majority of northerners have not yet returned to their homes, in accordance with the instructions of the Home Front Command.

Miri and Chaim Ben Simone from Kiryat Shemona feel very lucky to have found a place to stay for themselves, their two daughters, three grandchildren (ranging in age from 11 months to five years) and son-in-law.

"We're delighted to be here," enthused Miri Simone. "The Chassid family of Arnona, who've never met us in their lives, donated an empty apartment to us for as long as we want. They even had it furnished!

"Before we came to Jerusalem, we had been wandering around the country – a few days with friends here, another few days with relatives there," Simone continued. "My older daughter even spent 10 days in a hotel until she ran out of money."

One of the hardest things facing northerners in the capital is what to do with their time. With no jobs to go to and no summer camps for the children, there's nothing to occupy them and keep them from thinking about their homes and their financial futures. Many are not sure if they will even have jobs or homes to go back to.

Various Jerusalem institutions have been trying to help relieve some of the tension by providing cultural and fun activities for them during their stay in the city.

The Jerusalem Foundation, in conjunction with Joint Israel and the Association of Community Centres and Councils (ACCC), is offering northerners entry, for a nominal fee, to four cultural institutions in the city – the Ein Yael Living Museum, the Bloomfield Science Museum, the Tower of David Museum and the Tisch Family Biblical Zoo. In addition, the Jerusalem Foundation is helping provide summer camps and community centre programs for children from the north.

The foundation is also hosting a group of Lebanese citizens who live in northern Israel: former soldiers in the South Lebanese Army and their families who sought refuge in Israel in 2000 after Israel withdrew from the security zone.

"They are torn between Israel and Lebanon and don't feel at home in either place," noted foundation spokesman Liat Rosner. "When no other organization showed an interest in helping this group find a safe haven while the Katyushas fell, the Jerusalem Foundation decided to take a unique step and provide lodging for dozens of SLA families in the Goldstein Youth Village. This was a challenge, but reflects the spirit and vision of the foundation, which is to create an open, pluralistic and modern society in Jerusalem."

The Hebrew University is running a free summer youth science program for nine- to 18-year-olds from the north on its Givat Ram campus in Jerusalem. Many of the city's green groups are offering free tours and children's activities for youngsters from the war-ravaged region.

The Jerusalem municipality and the ACCC teamed up to place families from the north with host families. It was not an easy job and involved taking into consideration such factors as religious observance and children's ages. They even received requests from Arabs, who have been placed with families in East Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem College of Technology, Machon Lev, is hosting 300 northerners on its Givat Mordechai campus.

Beyond housing and transportation, the Jerusalem fire department sent its members north to help fight the numerous house and forest fires set off by the missiles. And the municipality sent a convoy to Kiryat Shemona that included a special arts department mobile unit, a mobile children's library, veterinary department inspectors, wheelchairs from Yad Sarah and even a petting zoo, courtesy of the Tisch Family Biblical Zoo.

Twelve-year-old Gilad Zvielli of Haifa was intent on having fun as he went from activity to activity in the Bloomfield Science Museum. "I love this museum," he said. "I'm so glad my dad brought me here. After all, this is my summer vacation."

Gilad has been in Tel-Aviv for the past week with his mother, while his father, David, remained in Haifa to work. "I wanted to give Gilad some taste of a holiday," he explained. "This is not his first time at the museum. I brought him here because I know how much he loves it."

The Twito family, longtime residents of Kiryat Shemona, were also enjoying the exhibits at the Bloomfield Science Museum. "We have been through Katyusha attacks before," said Eli Twito, who found refuge in Jerusalem together with his wife, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren, aged 18 months to six years. "But this time it's different. We were never in the shelter for such a prolonged period and we just had to get the children out."

So despite the fact that one son is needed in the north and had to stay, and the other son is in Lebanon, the family came south.

"We've been in the shelter constantly since the beginning of the war," Twito related. "The two days since we have arrived in Jerusalem have been pure joy."

Gilad is trying to make the best of the situation. "I was supposed to go to summer camp," he said, "but the camp was in the north and had to be cancelled. My friends are scattered around the country and I haven't seen them since the war started. I phone or SMS but it's not the same. Why couldn't this war have happened during the school year instead of during the vacation? I wouldn't have minded missing some school time."

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