Monmouth welcomes Sderot teens for summer
By Lauren Matthew
July 4, 2008
Chabad of Western Monmouth County, along with the community that supports it, will welcome 10 children from Sderot into their lives and homes this summer to offer them a reprieve from the southern Israeli city under constant rocket fire from Gaza-based terrorists.
Ten girls between the ages of 12 and 14 will spend a month at Chabad's
On June 30, the community was still planning activities for them, and sorting out how to keep them occupied during their time here.
"We have some arts and crafts programs at night (planned), jewelry making, a sort of a beauty makeover night... an Israeli beauty shop owner from north Jersey will be doing that," said Hal Crane, who helped coordinate programming for the girls. "There's a barbeque, we're taking them
And this Shabbat, the girls will be a welcomed with a Kiddush in their honor at Chabad, Barbara Crane, who has been involved with publicizing the visit, added.
The goal was always to give these children, who live somewhere so disrupted, a break.
"We want to give the kids a worry-free summer in a loving community," said Rabbi Boruch Chazanow, director of Chabad of Western Monmouth County. "We also want to show the people of Sderot that the American Jewish community cares about them."
Since 2002, Sderot has been living with rocket and mortar fire from the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip. Sderot is less than a mile from
According to research by the Tel Hai College Resource Center, one out of every three Sderot children suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and all of these children have a least one parent who suffers from PTSD. Anxiety symptoms in children include sleeping difficulties, nightmares, developmental regressions, bed-wetting, and fear of the outside.
"These girls are from a community where they can't even be outdoors," Barbara said. "They're really stuck. This is a great opportunity."
School in Sderot ended on June 30, and the girls arrived while camp had already been in session for a week. The children have undergone a screening process to determine their capability to adjust to being away from home. They are accompanied by two Israeli counselors, Chani Piamenta and Sara Mauda, and will be hosted in homes opened to them by members of the community. Events planned for the girls will also be hosted in homes by volunteers, Barbara said.
"So many are offering their homes, any talent they have... whether it's jewelry making... any interest that they have," she said.
The main strain on the community, she continued, is funding. Taking in 10 people is no easy feat, and requires a lot of money for the camps, trips, food, visas, plane tickets, and insurance.
"We're responsible for everything," Barbara said.
The girls will have a make-your-own pizza night at Levy's in Manalapan, Hal said, and
On July 10, they'll get a chance to go to a Trenton Thunder baseball game; it's Jewish heritage night, Hal noted, and the girls' attendance will be recognized.
"People who volunteered are so excited about this," he said. "I thank people, and they say, ‘don't thank me, it's my pleasure'."
The girls, who do not speak English, are part of a group of 110 young people that will be brought from Sderot to visit Chabad camps for the summer around the country and in
"We hope to raise awareness of the plight of the families living in Sderot," Chazanow said. "This is not just newsprint. We will be seeing the real faces of kids who are affected by what's happening there.
Hal agreed, saying that this program is "really something that the state-wide Jewish community should be participating in."
"We'd love to see it grow," Barbara said, "to have people aware of it and the need for it."
This is not the first time that the community has rallied in support of the people of