November 9, 2023
Dear Friends,
At Neve Hanna everything is fine so far. We have mostly returned to our usual schedule. Some of the children are back to school, some longer, others shorter, others have zoom lessons. This creates a lot of work in terms of fine-tuning, driving them and team availability.
We are still not complete, as there are still some children and their parents among the evacuees, scattered somewhere in the country. I can also report that last week we took in a child who urgently needed this solution. He’s settling in well.
The daycare centers are still not complete, but more parents from Kiryat Gat are now agreeing to send the children in the afternoon. The rocket fire has subsided significantly, although everyone remains suspicious.
We also returned to our usual model at night. The Shinshinim (Israeli volunteers) continue to sleep in the living groups, but otherwise the night watch service is present again. And another word about the Shinshinim. Among them are some kibbutzniks who have lost friends and are therefore having a difficult time. They also need the Neve Hanna family more than usual.
The changed reality is present everywhere:
• Our three children in military service are very busy and need a lot of support. This is particularly the case for a girl who was at Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7th, where many Hamas terrorists carried out a terrible massacre. This kibbutz community is missing around a quarter of the 471 members who were either murdered or kidnapped.
• Several of our former children have been called up for reserve duty, including two who now work in Neve Hanna. We also keep in touch with them.
• In addition, we lack the presence of a social worker if our team who is, with her family, among the evacuees and no longer has a home to which the family can return to. Of course, Neve Hanna has offered a solution, but the family has not yet made a decision.
• Otherwise, you can tell that many others from our team are affected by the shaken-up security situation. We have quite a few employees who live in villages and kibbutzim in the region. They all volunteered for armed night patrols; an additional burden alongside full-time employment.
Nevertheless, we are in good spirits, we must be, not only for the children of Neve Hanna, but also for ourselves. And to raise morale, Dudu, who has been making pottery for years, has just offered a workshop today. All made flowers in memory of the fallen.
Sincerely for today,
Antje C. Naujoks, Public Relations and Resource Development
Neve Hanna Children’s Home, Kiryat Gat, Israel
American Friends of Neve Hanna 