This year with Passover we helped again Holocaust Survivors to celebrate Passover, one of the most important feasts for the Jewish people, not only in Afula, but also in Jerusalem and Holon, a city near Tel Aviv. The Holocaust Survivors need more and more our attention, with our help, our comfort, our prayers. They are vulnerable. We continue the work by visiting them, bringing them to a doctor and listening to their howling stories. More than ever they have this need to tell their story. Even know them for years, they tell stories I haven’t heard before, because they were too painful for them.
Together with the Holocaust Survivors who are still able to come to Sabra (we pick them up and bring them back home) we remembered Yom HaShoah (Holocaust). Also the vice Mayor of Afula visited Sabra for this event. We shared memories and lighted candles. It was a beautiful day and despite the sad memories, they were happy for this moment together. A moment of recognition, sharing their painful memories and lighting candles. A sad day, also for me, but a warm feeling that we were together and were able to give them a little bit of comfort.
Below you can read some feelings of our volunteer from Holland, “Hannah-Leah”:
I have the privilege to live in Israel and to serve my God in Sabra and be a part of this precious work. Not always easy, but I am so in awe that I can do it. Momentarily my work is concentrated in Jerusalem, Holon and the boarding school near Gaza, but of course, I regularly go to Sabra in Afula.
For the meeting on Yom HaShoah I was present in Sabra. This day touched me so much, being together with the Holocaust Survivors. Not only sharing the pain of their memories, but also the loss of Salomon and the pain of Rima and Sophia who lost her husband Jacob. Beside that, there was sadness about the war Russia/Ukraine; many of them have still family there.
They shared their stories with us. One story touched me deeply: after surviving the horror of the Holocaust and managing to return to the city they lived in before, their house had been confiscated by other people and all their possessions were gone! They experienced very strong anti-Semitism even by their former neighbors. They were beaten and verbally abused. They had no place to go to and no one helped them. This was so painful. They were so ashamed, and therefor they never shared it with anyone. Again I felt so privileged to be a part of this holy work.
Please pray for them, for Sabra ~ Hannah-Leah
