Dear Friends,
Words cannot express my gratitude to each of you, for your continuous support to NAVAH and for enabling us to provide our sixth annual Passover retreat for terror victims and bereaved families. It is only through your generosity that makes it all possible.
We know that the holiday time is always the most difficult period for those that are still struggling. Widows, orphans, injured terror victims and bereaved families all joined together to be with us at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Bear Sheva. This year we had about 200 participants. Together we enjoyed a festive, inspirational Holiday Seder and a tremendous amount of special rehabilitative programming for the adults and children.
As usual, this Passover retreat provided everyone with the strength and support they so desperately need.
Below are just a few samples 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 NAVAH
" 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.
For Daniela, life will never be the same. Eight years ago, her 29-year old son was murdered in a suicide bombing while traveling in a minibus on the Wadi Ara Highway. Daniela says that while some claim that “time heals all wounds” that is not the case, and her pain only intensifies with the passing of years. “Seeing my son under his chupah (wedding canopy) or playing with my grandchildren from him,” says Daniela, “that will never happen.” Daniela admits that when the holidays approach, especially Passover, she finds it to be a particularly difficult time. “Even just going to the supermarket, brings out my emotions,” she says. “My son used to come with me, and help me do the shopping. Now he’s gone, and I don’t even feel like leaving the house to make the necessary preparations leading up to the Holiday.” “However”, she continues, “thanks to the NAVAH organization and their Passover retreat, I know that someone is out there for me, and that I am not alone. NAVAH thinks of every minute detail to ensure that we are all comfortable for the Holiday. They truly understand our pain, and are so careful to ensure that we have as joyful of a holiday possible despite the circumstances.” Daniela also raves about the children’s programs that NAVAH offers so that surviving children, many of whom have experienced similar tragedies, can see firsthand that there are others like them. “In short,” says Daniela, “I love to be with NAVAH for the holidays. I don’t have enough words, to give NAVAH my thanks.
Dr. Bergman is a licensed Jerusalem psychotherapist, specializing in psychodrama. He was invited to this year’s retreat to offer numerous group psychodrama sessions to NAVAH’s program participants. “My goal,” said Dr. Bergman., “was to help the participants express their troubling thoughts and emotions in a group setting using psychodrama, so that they could rid themselves of extremely negative and disturbing feelings. There were numerous sessions throughout the retreat, in which men and women, separated by gender, had the opportunity to role-play, and act out their life situations in order to help ‘put to bed’ unfinished business.” “The sessions were extremely moving and powerful,” said Dr. Bergman. "Those involved were able to express themselves and really channel their feelings. There are so many family issues that come into play during the holidays, especially since many people at the retreat, actually lost a family member during the holidays themselves.” “The main focus at our closing session at the end of the retreat was to teach the participants how to express optimism about the future, and how to focus their positive energies on surviving family members and other aspects of life that might emit some degrees of happiness. I truly believe that by our closing session, the participants were given some very important tools to cope throughout the year” Dr. Bergman concluded, “This entire experience was extremely rewarding. I commend NAVAH for taking on this important initiative.”
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:
The NAVAH Organization
616 Corporate Way, Suite 2
Valley Cottage, NY 10989-2050 USA