January 17, 2003/Shevat 14 5763, Vol. 55, No. 21
Positive reflections from IsraelMIM BOTTNERSitting here in the Ben Gurion Airport, I'm filled with feelings of sadness to be leaving Israel after such a short trip. I was here on a United Jewish Communities "Stand With Israel" Mission, Dec. 8-13. These missions, which run monthly, have as their primary goal the showing of solidarity with our Israeli brothers and sisters.This week was jampacked with opportunities to meet Israelis and to learn from scholars and political leaders, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, about the situation here in Israel. Of all the meaningful experiences we had, three stand out that I want to share with you. The first was a day we spent with our Partnership community, Kiryat Malachi. It is situated just north of the Gaza strip and is an impoverished community with many social and economic challenges. What I saw there warmed my heart and touched my soul. I visited an after-school program for Ethiopian children who are not only kept safe by being in a supervised situation, but also are receiving much needed tutoring to boost their academic levels in a comfortable learning environment. The smiles and hugs I received reminded me that the dollars we send through our annual donations to the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix are not about programs and agencies but about people - people whose lives are better because we cared to help, people we'll never meet, or people who live around the corner. I'm so grateful for the opportunities I've had to receive their thanks on behalf of our community. I pass them on to you, with smiles and hugs. I also saw the preschool, which has now been encircled with a new six-foot high security fence to protect the children and teachers from potential terrorist intruders. The teachers all have new walkie-talkies and intercom systems in their classrooms to improve communication in case of an emergency. There are plans underway as well for a new above ground bomb shelter, in case of a U.S. war with Iraq. The second event was a dedication ceremony of the 39 new police vehicles for the Israeli volunteer civil guard. The cars are all equipped with the latest high-tech communication devices. Sharon was there to thank us for our generous contributions that supplied these cars. Our federation's Israel Now campaign this past year raised these extra dollars to send to Israel for the security our threatened homeland desperately needs. The fencing around schools, communication devices, and funds for victims of terror are only some of the needs that have been addressed by this campaign. Phoenix alone raised more than $1.2 million through Israel Now for this emergency. The last experience I want to tell you about is the meeting I had with a family who had just made aliyah from Argentina two weeks before. Having left that country to find a better life, the Saas family arrived in Israel where terror is a daily threat and jobs are difficult to find. Eduardo, 53, and Christina, 45, have three children. Michelle, 13, and Fernando, 9, are living with them and a third child, 18, will arrive in Israel soon to start a special educational program for children of new immigrants. They are living in a small, temporary apartment until they can find an alternative when they secure jobs. In Argentina, Eduardo was selling insurance to professionals, and Christina used to work in the cosmetic industry. Their three children had not yet started school because they weren't sure where they would be living permanently. With the conditions so difficult in Israel today, it's hard to comprehend how terrible their life must have been in Argentina. We welcomed them and wished them all the best. The tears in their eyes told us how thankful they were to be in Israel. As I leave Eretz Yisrael, Jerusalem, the Kotel (the Western Wall), and my friends and family here, I look forward to the work ahead of me. As the local federation's annual campaign chairwoman for 2003, I am committed to the survival of Israel and the Jewish people. That means I believe in supporting and enhancing Jewish life no matter where - in Phoenix, in Israel, in Argentina and in 58 other counties throughout the world. Mim Bottner can be contacted through the federation office at 480-634-4900. For more information about federation, visit the Web site, www.jewishphoenix.org. |
