Safe Rooms and Spring at the Haifa Home
Published on: 7.5.2024By Yudit Setz
The ICEJ is currently constructing a safe room in our newest apartment building at the Home for Holocaust survivors in Haifa. There are seven elderly Jews evacuated from the Ukraine war last year now living in the building, and we want them to feel protected from the threat of Hizbullah to northern Israel. Even though the work to turn a spare room into a safe place will be a little loud and dusty at times, resident Natalia came especially to say thanks.
“I do not mind the noise and dust because I am so grateful that you are caring for our safety,” she said. “It makes me feel much more secure in these very tense times.”
Sixteen residents of the current at the Haifa Home came to Israel after fleeing the war in Ukraine, and we are taking every measure to ease their minds about the war they now find themselves in.
‘Spring has arrived, and Pesach is coming’
Preparations were in full swing for Passover, the biblical festival of unleavened bread in which the Jewish people remember from generation to generation the Exodus from Egypt. Some young students from the school next door to the Haifa Home sang the well-known children’s song “Spring has arrived, and Pesach is coming” for our residents.
Every year we prepare Pesach packages for Holocaust survivors in the Haifa area who are in need and still live alone. Besides matza (unleavened bread) and other traditional Passover fare, some extra food items were added to this year’s packages just in case of emergencies. Groups from high-tech companies, the Maccabi Haifa soccer team, high school classes and IDF soldiers come to help pack parcels for a few hours each. Our Christian Embassy staff at the Haifa Home also had the joy of lending a hand to fill Pesach gift packages as well.
Despite the constant threat of war from the north, life goes on. In art therapy classes, the residents talked about the story of Pesach. In a great atmosphere topped with different kinds of tea and music, the survivors enjoyed painting their impressions of the Exodus from Egypt. We plan to hold an exhibition of all their work in May, and hope to invite their families and friends for the display.
Impressions of a resident
Manya, a long-time resident of the Haifa Home at age 91, spends daily time behind her computer. Besides writing a poem about whatever happened that day which she finds worthy of sharing, she adds a drawing with it. Having done artwork for many years, she taught herself to draw on the computer during the time of the corona virus.
Here is her recent poem about the dark Shabbat of 7 October, translated from Hebrew.
“A Glance at ‘The Black Shabbat’”
Rage painted Shabbat black,
not by paint, but by blood
my thoughts wandered afar,
as if my eyes could see all
the outcome, wanting to cry out
emotion overflows
the heart responds
grief, it wails
the soul awakes
the sights
brought back memories
from the distant past
then, the comparisons start.
Bringing comfort and strength
In recent weeks, the ICEJ has brought several Christian solidarity groups to visit the Haifa Home. The sight of tourists from abroad in this time of war is so encouraging and strengthening for our residents and Israeli staff. Israel feels so alone in this difficult war, where there is still no end in sight. The fact that Christians from all over the world show their solidarity and support means the world to them.
Tobi and Debora Schabel, a couple from Darmstadt, Germany, had taken a holiday from their work to help Israeli farmers. They also visited the Haifa Home to encourage the residents and staff. They came bearing gift boxes with very special flowers that do not need water, pieces of lavender soup, and a beautiful card, which were all distributed to residents, staff and caregivers. Afterwards, they wrote us about their impressions from the visit.
“The personal encounters with the survivors themselves and the loving relationships that the team maintains with the residents of the facility were moving,” they explained. “The entire atmosphere in the Haifa Home is characterised by appreciation, affection and trust. We were very happy to get to know different residents personally and to communicate in different languages and with our hands and feet.”
“We were able to celebrate the birthday of a Ukrainian resident who has been living in the Home for two years,” they Schabel’s continued. “And we had a long conversation with a resident who was born in Germany about the current situation of increasing antisemitism, especially back in Germany.”
“Two of the residents we visited had written down their stories and had them published in German. How special it was to have met them in person and to be able to read their story while at the Home.”
During lunch in the dining room, the couple met many other residents and staff, and were able to pass on greetings and gifts from their families and friends in Germany.
During this time of war, such small signs of solidarity and encouragement are received with surprisingly great appreciation and at the end of the day, the couple said goodbye extremely encouraged and blessed.
The Schabels concluded: “The work of the Haifa Home is a great blessing, and we greatly value the ministry that the staff and volunteers here provide to the Holocaust survivors on behalf of many Christians in Germany and around the world every day. Thank you so much!”
Thank you for supporting the ICEJ’s work in caring for Holocaust survivors at the Haifa home for Holocaust survivors.
Give today at: give.icej.org/survivors