Hundreds of Terror Victims Gather in Netanya for Evening of Solidarity
Netanya has suffered from numerous Palestinian terrorist attacks aimed at Israeli civilians
December 28 2007
At a special event in Netanya for terror victims, hundreds of Israelis who survived terror attacks and/or lost ones in the many attacks against the city gathered for an evening of solidarity and inspiration.
The evening was sponsored by the Netanya branch of the Israel National Insurance Institute (NII) with the participation of Chabad's Terror Victims Project.
"It was a special opportunity for families to come together and draw strength from one another," said Rabbi Menachem Kutner, Director of Activities.
A highlight of the evening was the inscription of letters into a new Sefer Torah being commissioned by Chabad in honor the recovery of all terror victims and the memories of the fallen. Each family was called upon to inscribe a letter. The Torah has been made possible through the generosity of the Ritri family of Switzerland and will be dedicated at the Kotel after its inscription by terror victims throughout Israel.
As families entered the hall, CTVP volunteers handed out toys and presents to the children. These gifts were generously collected and sent to Israel by Chabad houses throughout the United States at Chanukah time.
Ms. Ahuva Aviv, director of the NII branch in Netantya, and Ms. Eti Shafrir, director of rehabilitation, praised the families for their determination and perseverance in the face of their adversity and trauma. They cited CTVP for its dedication and support of the families and for their close and productive cooperation with NII during the course of the year.
The evening also featured music, singing and dancing. The evening's main speaker representing the families, Micha Fuchs, was the first Israeli wounded injured during the Second Lebanon War. After nearly losing his life, Micha has spent most of the last two years in rehabilitation and in surgery to save his badly severed arm.
One woman described the angst and pain in her family some two years after her brother was murdered. "My mother has barely left the house since her son was killed," she said. "Our home is filled with sadness and darkness. But this evening was the first time in a long time that I saw my mother smile."
According CTVP, which recently participated in a similar NII event in Tveria, more events are being planned for terror victims throughout Israel.
