By Smadar Shiffman | Project Leader, Volunteer
Dear Supporters and Friends,
This quarter, Israeli TV Channel One broadcasted the documentary Saving Nur by Nili Tal. This documentary tells the story of two Palestinian children that were assisted by Road to Recovery volunteers. The film was also screened at both the Tel Aviv and Haifa Cinematheque theaters on International Peace Day, September 21. The trailer of the documentary can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/175830047. Our volunteers continue to take Nur, one of the patients shown in the film, to Rambam hospital in Haifa for periodic checkups.
We had a busy last quarter of 2016. With your support, in September and October our chartered minibus made 13 trips (with 14 patient passengers per trip) from Gaza to Jerusalem hospitals. The number of trips was slightly lower than typical due to the High Holidays. In November we resumed our regular service level with 7 minibus trips. Several volunteers worked to produce a Hebrew-Arabic phrase book with terms that are commonly used in hospitals, to help patients communicate with caregivers. The phrase book will be distributed among drivers and patients, and will be available on the internet for download. We renewed our monthly two-hour tours along the Israel-West bank separation barrier near the village Jayyous. These tours are organized by a Road to Recovery Palestinian coordinator, who hosts lunch at his home after each tour. The tour provides an opportunity for volunteers to learn more about their Palestinian neighbors.
The following report by a Road to Recovery volunteer demonstrates how volunteers and patients experience closeness and growing trust. “This is the second time I have driven a 16 year old patient who is undergoing radiotherapy, and his father. The father was eager for me to visit their home for a cup of coffee. They welcomed me very warmly to their home. The mother immediately went to the kitchen to prepare a vegan meal for me. They took me to visit their 90 year old grandmother, who lived in a village nearby. We walked around the village, they showed me an empty old stone house that belonged to the grandparents and I enjoyed the quiet scenery. They offered me dates, a pomegranate, and a bunch of salvia leaves. The pleasant and heart-warming visit lasted almost three hours. It was difficult for us to say goodbye—they were so warm and generous. This was a simple, innocent, and heart-lifting experience of a little peace.”
We continue to observe small gestures of mutual understanding between Israelis and Palestinians through our work as volunteers with the Road to Recovery. Your support enables us to provide much needed trips between Gaza and Israeli hospitals, and to encourage volunteers to contribute additional trips. Please consider our organization when planning your end-of-the-year donations.
We are grateful for your help and support,
Yuval Roth and The Road to Recovery US volunteer team
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