Dear Friends,
With heartfelt appreciation I thank all of our generous contributors for
enabling us to provide our seventh annual Passover retreat for widows and
orphans. It is only through your generosity that makes it all possible.
For the first three days of Passover, NAVAH hosted 120 widows and orphans at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Bear Sheva. Together we enjoyed a festive, inspirational Holiday Seder and a tremendous amount of special rehabilitative programming for the adults and children.
The holiday time is always the most difficult period for those that are still struggling, so this year our programs focus was on "Happiness". We concentrated on being happy, sharing happiness and seeing the positive in everything. Actors from a professional Jewish theater joined us for the holiday and with their hilarious stories and shows, succeeded in lightening the atmosphere and making it a truly happy and relaxed environment. There was plenty of singing and dancing!
The Passover Seder was headed by a renown cantor, Shimon Bitton. As in previous years, this Passover retreat provided everyone with tremendous strength and support and was an inspirational and beautiful experience.
Below is just a small taste of the thoughts expressed by participants that I
would like to share with you. Their feelings of appreciation and gratitude
towards our supporters worldwide are indescribable.
Thank you for taking part in this important program and for
your continued support of our initiatives throughout the year.
With Best Wishes,
Tehila Friedman
Executive Director
The NAVAH Organization
Annual Passover Retreat Provides Strength and Hope to Terror Survivors
Participants Share their Experiences
Just four short months ago, my 49 year old husband died of a sudden heart attack. Just writing this makes me want to burst into tears and shatter into a million pieces. In one split second my entire world came crashing down. I am now a widow. I have 10 young children to raise alone. Passover was approaching and there was no way that I could put myself together to even think about the cleaning, the cooking, my husband's empty chair on Seder night. There was absolutely no way I would be able to get through it. And then we were invited to spend the first three days of Passover with NAVAH and other widows and orphans. I can not explain to you the relief and the overwhelming appreciation. NAVAH welcomed us with open arms. We felt their tremendous love and desire to help us celebrate the holiday properly. Everything was organized perfectly. There were many programs for the children. Programs together with other children that understood what it means to lose someone you love. I myself was embraced by women who I now consider great friends. Women who empathize with my plight, understand my immense loss and who showed me that you can survive years of being alone despite the difficulties. Their strength, guidance, love and support will carry me and help me through. My children and I came into the hotel sad, confused and lonely. But we all left smiling. Thank you to NAVAH and its wonderful supporters for enabling such incredible programs to exist.
Bruria B.
”I just wanted to drop a note of thank you for the tremendous kindness that you did for my children and I this Passover. A few years ago my husband was killed in a terrorist attack which turned our world upside down and left our lives in terrible turmoil. Alone, with my children to care for, it was a daily struggle just to survive. Since we have no family in Israel, the holidays became an especially difficult and challenging time. This year we had nowhere to be for Passover and I couldn’t bear to do the Seder alone. Feelings of loneliness and depression encompassed us all and the pain was too much to bear. However, that all changed once we were invited to share the holiday with NAVAH at the hotel in Bear Sheva. It was so uplifting to meet such caring and wonderful people and the children and I had a wonderful time. Happiness was now part of our holiday, as well as a professional support system with various workshops to help us through emotionally. It was so perfect for us and just what we needed. May all those who take part in this incredible kindness be protected always and may G-d repay you many times over and may He shower you with endless happiness… “
Thanks Again,
Shoshana G.
Pictures from Passover
If you like to support next year's Passover retreat or
NAVAH's all-year-round rehabilitative programs for victims and their families,
please email us at main@navah.org.il or
visit www.navah.org.il.
Your tax-deductible contributions can be mailed to:
NAVAH Organization
616 Corporate Way, Suite 2 - 4560
Valley Cottage, NY 10989-2050
USA
Or:
NAVAH Organization
P.O. Box 368
Kiryat Yearim
D.N. Harei Yehuda 90840
ISRAEL