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The Bravest of the Brave….. Israeli Children Battling Cancer |
Sukkot Celebrations at Zichron Menachem
02.10.03
Zichron Menachem inaugurated its new Day Care Center in Jerusalem with a festive "Simchat Beit Hashoeva" party for children with cancer and their families on Chol Hamoed Sukkot. Volunteers danced with the children whilst Yishai Lapidot of "Of Simchas" fame performed, accompanied by Amosi Dikan on the organ. A magic show by "Sweetie the Magician" topped off the party.
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The event was held in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality - Israel Heritage Department under the auspices of Mr Yoram Levi and Mr David Harari.
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The children were very excited to visit the new purpose-built Day Care Center and are eagerly awaiting the many exciting activities to be held on a daily basis including arts and crafts, occupational therapy, pet and horticultural therapy, music and sports. Naava's Club, a special project for teenagers, in memory of National Service volunteer Naava Applebaum z"l who was murdered at the Caf? Hillel bombing, is also due to open this month.
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On Motzei Simchat Torah, "Hakafot Shniyot" were held in the oncology ward of Hadassah Ein Kerem. Volunteers and family members joined in the lively dancing with the children who had been in hospital over the Chag. The children and their families thoroughly enjoyed the "simcha" and holiday atmosphere brought to the ward!
Shloshim for Naava Applebaum, HY"D
7th October 2003
On the Shloshim (30 days) for the murder of Naava Applebaum, HY"D, an evening of remembrance was held at the new Day Care Center. Former National Service volunteers, active volunteers, family and friends of the Applebaums and of the Sand family attended the event. Harav Motti Elon, Rosh Yeshiva Hakotel delivered an emotional and profound shiur, dwelling on the importance of the "present" which is especially evident in the work of the Zichron Menachem volunteers. Coming on the heels of the Days of Awe, Rav Elon compared the period of persecution and slaughter of Jews when the "Unetane Tokef" prayer was written and the situation in Israel today.
Harav Elon spoke of the importance of remaining solid as a "rock" despite all the trials and tribulations we are experiencing.
The evening was held under the auspices of the new Teen's Club at the Day Care Center that will be used by the volunteers for after-hours activities starting with s monthly Torah lecture to be held each month in Naava's memory.
At the end of the evening, the visitors toured the new Center and were greatly impressed by its design and functionality
Children's Oncology Wards Decorated
1 October 2003
The Children's Oncology Wards at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, Jerusalem and Rambam Medical Center, Haifa were especially decorated for the Festivals. One of Zichron Menachem's aims is to make the child's stay in hospital as pleasant as possible. Decorating the wards is an important part of this mission - bring color and humor to drab hospital corridors.
For Rosh Hashana large banners with timely slogans were hung up whilst apples and honey jars were hung from the ceilings.
Two weeks later, the wards were transformed into Sukkot with green branches and festive decorations on all sides.
Patients and their families as well as the hospital staff praised the efforts made to bring some festive sphere to the wards. Many thanks to Shira Guttentag, a very talented and devoted Zichron Menachem volunteer, who has been responsible for decorating the wards for many years.
Zichron Menachem's Dinner
29.9.03
Zichron Menachem's Dinner was held on September 9th 2003 at Hadar Dimol Banqueting Suite, Ramat Gan to celebrate Zichron Menachem's 13th year of activities and the opening of the new educational, social and rehabilitative Day Care Center in Jerusalem.
Hundreds of friends and supporters of Zichron Menachem attended the event that was emceed by Yoram Arbel, the T.V. presenter who opened the evening with a short history of the organization. Keshet Lazar, the mother of Gal, z"l, described what an important role Zichron Menachem played in her daughter's life during her illness - the support of the wonderful volunteers, the special birthday party and of course the adventure camps that Gal so enjoyed.
Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, Honorary President of Zichron Menachem addressed the guests and stressed the special importance of supporting the sick child and his family. The Minister of Welfare, Zevulun Orlev described his moving visit to the Zichron Menachem Summer Camp on the eve of their departure for Holland and stressed the important role that organizations like Zichron Menachem play in filling the void that the State does not cover.
The guests enjoyed a sumptuous meal that was served to the accompaniment of musicians from the Jerusalem Symphony. Professor Jacob Rowe, head of the Bone-Marrow and Hematological Unit at Rambam Hospital, Haifa described his experiences accompanying the Adventure Camps and praised the professional and sensitive way in which Zichron Menachem gives its support to children with cancer and their families. Chaim and Miri Ehrental presented Prof. Rowe with a photographic collage of smiling faces from the recent camp in Holland.
Chaim Ehrental, chairman of Zichron Menachem thanked all the devoted volunteers who do such wonderful work, to those who help each and every day and to all those who played a part in the building of the Day Care Center. A slide presentation of photographs of the new Day Care Center, taken by Baruch Greenberg, was very impressive. A short video of Rachel Aboutbul, a former Zichron Menachem girl, describing the wonderful way Zichron Menachem helped her through her ordeal, especially the warmth and support of the Ehrental family and all the volunteers. When this very moving video clip came to an end, Rachel, herself, looking the picture of good health, came on stage and once again thanked everyone at Zichron Menachem for helping her to overcome her illness.
As the desserts were served, Hanoch Rosenne came on stage and gave a world-class performance of pantomime that had the audience laughing at his impressive skills.
All in all, for Zichron Menachem and the hundreds of guests who came to honor its activities, this was a very successful and enjoyable evening!
Why hasn't she come?
17.9.03
Naava Applebaum, who just finished her year of National Service at Zichron Menachem, together with her father, David, a renowned Emergency Medicine specialist, was murdered by a suicide bomber last Tuesday, the eve of her wedding day, outside Cafe Hillel in Jerusalem.
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Naava was a very special young woman who, during the past year, devoted herself to the children of Zichron Menachem and their families. Those children who were well enough to attend were so looking forward to her wedding. Naava had called each one personally and invited their parents too, ensuring that they all would be coming. She had planned a party at Hadassah Hospital on the morning of her wedding for those too ill to attend. They waited in vain - their parents too distraught to tell them why she had not turned up.
'But I made a bunch of pictures for her!' cried Hanna. 'Why hasn't she come?'
'How are we going to tell her?' sighs Hanna's mother. 'Naava was so wonderful - she made Hanna laugh and forget her pain and suffering. She stayed by her hospital bedside at night so that I could go home to care for Hanna's brothers and sister. Naava was so wise and reassuring, giving us the strength to deal with this terrible disease. ...And now Naava is gone - taken in the prime of her life, on the day she was to be married!'
Zichron Menachem is dedicating the teens' club at its newly opened Day Care Center in memory of Naava. Naava's Club will provide a program of support for teenagers with cancer, a service previously unavailable in Israel. Until recently, teenagers with cancer received support and assistance from Zichron Menachem in hospital, at home, and at the three annual holiday camps. There was no support on a daily basis other than activities initiated by devoted volunteers who visited them and arranged parties and outings whenever possible.
Zichron Menachem recognizes the special needs of teenagers with cancer, offering exciting activities and events to provide teenagers with independence, as well as peer communication and support. Being a teenager is hard enough as it is, but when cancer is added to all the common tribulations of adolescence, the challenge is daunting.
'What will happen to my hair?' 'How will cancer affect my personal life?' 'What about school?' 'Am I going to die?' Psychologists, social workers, and trained counselors are available at the Day Care Center to help these teenagers deal with such issues. Sports and entertainment, movies and performances will help these anxious youngsters deal with boredom and lethargy in a safe environment (while their blood counts are low, cancer patients are unable to attend school, mix in large crowds, etc.).
Naava's Club is a spacious, colorful room on the upper floor of the Day Care Center with a large balcony overlooking the beautiful Jerusalem skyline. The room includes a multi-media projector and giant screen, stereo equipment, kitchenette, snooker table and table-tennis.
On Thursday nights, Naava's Club is open to Zichron Menachem's devoted young volunteers. Counseling is available for those who need emotional support; lectures are given on a wide range of subjects; and ongoing training for volunteers is included in the program.
Israel-Holland Summer Adventure Camp
14.9.03
109 children being treated for cancer at 11 different hospitals in Israel, recently took part in Zichron Menachem's 39th Adventure Camp. This is the fourth time that the camp has traveled abroad, visiting France, England and this year once again Holland where volunteer, Mrs Debora Maarsen, the Dutch Jewish community, the Red Cross and many others joined forces to organize an action-packed week of exciting outings and activities.
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During the first days of camp in Israel, the children got to know each other and their counselors and were quickly transformed from "sick children" to "excited children", having fun with a magic show, a visit to the Kotel, visits by the Ministers of Welfare and Police and a festive party. The next day, the children were thrilled to be the guests of the Police Anti-terrorism Squad who treated the children to jeep rides, omega, dog and horse demonstrations, and an exhibition on crime and terrorism prevention. The children were even allowed to climb all over the police helicopters!
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Thursday morning, after having "checked-in" at the camp headquarters in Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem, the children were taken directly by buses onto the Ben Gurion Airport tarmac where they boarded the chartered flight to Amsterdam. Once again, at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam the children were treated to a welcome usually only accorded the Dutch Royal Family when they were allowed from the airplane to board private buses that transported them directly out of the airport! No waiting on line for passport control and luggage for these VIPs!
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From this point on the children, accompanied by 60 counselors, three oncologists and four nurses had a non-stop week of exciting and exhilarating fun with visits to Adventure Parks, to a dolphinarium and fishing villages, leisurely boat rides on the Dutch canals, and a tour of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue. Avraham Fried, the famous Chassidic singer gave a concert in Zichron Menachem's honor during which he thrilled the children by allowing them on stage and sharing the limelight. "Simchadig" Parties were hosted by the Amsterdam and Antwerp Jewish communities whilst Zichron Menachem hosted a farewell Bar-B-Q at the elegant chateau where they stayed.
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After 10 action-packed days many a tear was wiped away as the children took leave of their wonderful Dutch hosts and flew back home to Israel where a huge crowd of anxiously-awaiting relatives converged on the arrivals hall at Ben Gurion airport. Once again tears of joy, tinged with sadness, flowed freely as parents were reunited with their precious children. In a short time many of these kids will return to hospital to once again face the pain and discomfort of chemo- and radiotherapy. Nevertheless, one thing is for sure - these ten days at Zichron Menachem's Adventure camp has given them renewed strength and vigor to fight and overcome their terrible disease.
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Having the time of their lives
By Ruth Beloff
Jerusalem Post, Aug. 13, 2003
Volunteers working with young cancer patients are finding the benefits are reciprocal
All my life I have shied away from confronting illness. My mother always used to say to me, "Ruthie, you have to learn to face reality. You can't just bury your head in the sand." My mother passed away in February. She had lived for decades with the aftermath of two forms of cancer, while I spent all those years in denial. So when, in July, I was invited to be the roving reporter for the Zichron Menachem (the Israeli Association for the Support and Assistance of Children with Cancer and Their Families) summer camp abroad, I took that as a direct message: It was time to wipe the sand from my eyes and look at life head on. It was an invaluable experience.
Finally, something for the parents!
30.4.03
Adventure Camp for Parents
"We want to do what the kids do at camp - we also want an experience packed with activities to relieve stress and have fun!" After a relaxing weekend at Kinar Classic Hotel on the banks of Lake Kinneret in January, such was the request voiced by participating parents to Zichron Menachem.
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When someone challenges Zichron Menachem, we accept the challenge. One family volunteered to arrange a date acceptable to all the families involved, and the staff of Zichron Menachem took on the task of arranging an itinerary both attractive to families and also appropriate to their diverse stages in life, ages, and worldviews.
"We decided this time to limit the number of families on the trip, so that we could ensure that each family would enjoy the attractions, and so that we could learn how best to bridge the social and religious differences between the families," explained Chaim Ehrental.
And the parents did indeed enjoy wonderful experiences together. Horseback riding in Havatzelet HaSharon, a fabulous lunch in Netanya, sailing on the Kinneret, a breathtaking jeep tour at the mouth of the rivers feeding into the Kinneret, the jeeps crossing rivers - the experience was singularly exciting. In addition, they rode down a 200-meter omega slide, went snappling down the 50-meter Manara Cliff, and took aim at targets in the shooting gallery in Kiryat Shemona.
A delicious barbecue at Ma'ayan Baruch topped off two days filled with adventure and fun. The last stop, per the parents' request, was to visit the Rabbi David Abuhatzera in Nahariya. The rabbi received the parents one by one, without any delay, and gave them words of inspiration and blessings for good health for their children.
For days afterwards, parents could be heard excitedly relating their camp experiences in the hospital wards. In all, it was two days of fun, two days of connecting with friends who understand one another, two days without doctors or medications, two days of relaxation and freedom.
Acrobatics troupe performs for ZM in Shanit
27.4.03
A fantastic, artistic performance was put on to benefit Zichron Menachem by the acrobatics troupe "Snonit" of Modi'in, under the orchestration of Ruti and Ophir Zohar and with the help of Ayalon Tzunz, director of Modi'in's department of culture and sports.
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An audience of hundreds attended the unique performance, stunning and impressive both for its choreography and for the talent of the troupe members. The performers were graceful, dressed in colorful costumes appropriate to the setting and musical accompaniment. The children of Zichron Menachem, their families, and our wonderful volunteers were grateful for the opportunity to attend this event.
Spring Camp an Enormous Success
10.4.03
A springtime retreat to the North in the days before Pesach to see the snow-covered Hermon and flowers blossoming, was "just what the doctor ordered" for the children of Zichron Menachem, following a cold, rainy winter of difficult, painful cancer treatments.
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The trip - whose goal was to help sick children become happy, contented children - paid off, thanks to careful planning and meticulous attention to detail. Even by the first lunch in "Ganei Levy" in Nahariya, where children from the South joined children from Jerusalem and the North, participants where cheerful and lively. The kinship among the children themselves, and the alliance between the children and the marvelous staff, developed quickly, and added loads of fun to the activities.
To kick off the activities, the children and teens went hosebackriding in Betzet, and on a trip to the caves of Rosh Hanikra, trips planned together to combine rigorous activity with calm, relaxing "downtime."
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The children stayed the night at the Kinar Classic Hotel, on the banks of the Kinneret. After a satisfying supper, the children were invited to participate in a fabulous karaoke party, which served to unify the group for the rest of the trip
On the morning of the second day, a trip to the snowy Mount Hermon. The staff of Neve Ativ greeted the children at the entrance, and after a brief refreshment, the group was brought by cable car, little by little, to the upper levels of the snowy site. One group built a snowman, another posed for pictures, and another engaged in a serious snowball battle. The group then gathered for some steamy hot cocoa, and returned to the lower level, where the younger children went on sleds, and the teens had skiing lessons.
Lunch was served by soldiers from Hermon Alpine Brigade, assisted by the workers' committee of the Northern Electric Company, headed by the charming Mr. Moti Wagner.
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Dinner that evening was an event unto itself. The decorated yacht "Lido," flying flags of Zichron Menachem and serving from a full bar, was the site of a spectacular dinner, presented by the crew's chef, kitchen staff, and staff of the Kinar Classic hotel, headed by Mr. Zion Avitan. Besides the remarkable meal, an exciting Sheva Brachot celebration awaited the children -- for Zichron Menachem's long-time volunteer, the well-known broadcaster Menachem Toker and his bride. Entertainer Amos Daikan conducted the band and whipped the crowd up into a feverish frenzy, the dancing punctuated by the explosion of fireworks.
On the third day, the first stop was a shooting gallery in Kiryat Shemona. The children got to shoot from pistols, small uzis, rifles, and more, all with colored pellets and live ammunition. While some children participated in the activities on the target range, others took advantage of various arts and crafts activities that were available.
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In the afternoon, the children went to Tzuk Manara, where they rode on the highest cable car in the country, up to a ride on an Omega, and on the way down, snappling. The children were not willing to miss any part of the fun, and they fearlessly took part in all of these exciting activities.
"For me, the greatest experience of the whole trip was the conclusion, as the children were breaking up into their respective groups to go home," summarized Chaim Ehrental. "It took the children nearly two hours to get onto their buses, amid hugs, kisses, trading phone numbers, sharing photographs - they would not part from one another. Even after our two-week trips abroad, I have never seen parting such as this, where the unity of the group was so strong."
Purim at Zichron Menachem
9.3.03
Hundreds of children with cancer and their families enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon at Binyanei Hauuma on Thursday, when the annual Zichron Menachem Shuk Purim was held. Children's Channel star, Oded Menashe and hassidic singer Mendy Gerrufi entertained the children. The acting mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski greeted the audience and presented the founders of Zichron Menachem, Chaim and Miri Ehrental with golden pins bearing the symbol of Jerusalem, in recognition of all they have done for children with cancer and their families during the past thirteen years.
The national service volunteers designed and built the fairytale-theme stands where the children could enjoy a range of fun activities. A juggler and magician were also on hand to give the children a memorable afternoon.
Work has begun on the writing of a torah for the new Day Care Center and the adventure camps
5.3.03
A Torah scroll is being written in memory of Renana Rivka Avnery, ע"ה, who passed away after a brave and difficult battle against cancer. Her parents, Noga and Moti, presented the idea, and are working hard to ensure the success of the project, with the help of family members and friends.
The Torah scroll will be used for services in the synagogue of the Zichron Menachem Day Care Center, as well as at the Adventure Camps. A portable, metallic ark, appropriate for use during road trips and flights abroad, will be custom built for the scroll, which is a special, smaller than standard size scroll.
In the days of the Bible, the people of Israel carried the Holy Ark with them to strengthen their spirits as they went into battle. It is our hope that the new Torah scroll and ark will bring inspiration to children with cancer, as they fight their own battles against the disease. We call on our friends in the community to participate in this important mitzvah by helping to finance the torah scroll and ark.
Family to Family
23.2.03
The Family to Family project of Zichron Menachem has begun to operate, assigning parents who have been through the experience of fighting against their children's' disease, to provide emotional support to families with a child newly-diagnosed with cancer.
In the ever-expanding framework of Zichron Menachem's assistance to families, the founders, Miri and Chaim Ehrental, recognized the need of families to connect in some way with others who have "been there" and gotten through the hardships of responding to the very special needs of a child with cancer, and to the needs of his or her siblings. At the same time, parents who have seen their child through to the end of treatment have consistently asked if there were some way to help other families going through the trauma and hardships of diagnosis and treatment.
Some twenty couples, who themselves received support from Zichron Menachem in the past, answered the call for volunteers to staff the new program, and will be available to share their time and experiences with families who want the support.
The group's first meeting was held at the Zichron Menachem Hostel in Jerusalem. Some of the parents present volunteered to assist families who were in similar situations, or fighting a similar disease. Other parents volunteered to assist any family who might benefit from their experience or to help in organizational activities. Miri and Chaim drew much encouragement from the parents' eagerness to help, and hope to expand the activities of this group throughout the country. They said, "It is clear to us that the strength these families can give to one another is invaluable."
"Darchei Ruchama Rivka" Fund established in memory of Rivka Resnick z"l
18.2.03
The Resnick Family, whose daughter Rivka, ע"ה, passed away last year, has started a fund to help families pay for visits home from the hospital, during a sick child's long hospitalizations. Their wish is to allow parents to meet with other children at home and to get a brief "vacation" away from the hospital. Leah Resnick, the coordinator of the project, will allocate the funds through Zichron Menachem.
Toys for Zichron Menachem
18.2.03
Stacy Scheinberg an active supporter of the UJA-Federation of New York is visiting Israel on a "Healing Tour" on behalf of "Partners in Giving", a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to bring joy to medically fragile children in hospitals and care centers.
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One very special stop on her tour was to the Zichron Menachem Day Care Center where children suffering from cancer and their siblings enjoy an array of educational and social activities.
At this event on February 18th Tal Musari, of the Children's Channel entertained the children while Stacy handed out toys to the children that have been made by New York school children. Tal and Stacy gave the children a great party and brought laughter and smiles to their faces so that for a while at least, the children could forget the pain and discomfort of their illness.
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In response to the increased need for physical space and specialized services, Zichron Menachem is opening an enlarged, purpose - built, Day Care Center in the summer that will answer the growing needs of the children and teenagers.
Support project in the North
26.1.03
This week, mothers and children participated in a pilot project of support for families of children with cancer treated at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. The project, initiated by young women of the National Service placed at Zichron Menachem, was a great success, and is expected to be the first of a regular, monthly event serving our population of families in the North.
Highlighting the program was Anna Ya'acov, who gave a scintillating presentation on Reiki and relaxation techniques, and also addressed methods of helping to calm children - both children receiving medical treatment and others in the family. During the lecture, children participated in arts and crafts activities in an adjacent room, led by the Zichron Menachem staff with the assistance of our longtime volunteer, Yaffa Zimmerman.
Mrs. Ya'acov, a professional cosmetologist, ended off her presentation with a gift assortment of skin care products for the participating mothers.
Future events in the support program will feature other guest speakers and activities, including the noted psychologist Dr. Baruch Shulem, who leads parent support groups in Jerusalem for Zichron Menachem.
NEW! Purim Postcards
19.02.03
This year instead of sending expensive Mishloach Manot to all your friends, why not send them Purim Postcards and make a donation to Zichron Menachem, the Israeli Association for the Support and Assistance of Children with Cancer and their Families!
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Order today and the postcards will be on their way.
Jerusalem:
Tel: 00-972-2-643001
Fax: 00-972-2-6433991
New York:
Tel:00-1-212-594-6996
Fax:00-1-212-594-6990
Tu B'Shvat celebration for children at Zichron Menachem in Jerusalem
15.1.03
One didn't have to scale a tall tree to see us celebrating the Festival of the Trees. Students from Kedma, together with the young women of the National Service at Zichron Menachem, brought the holiday spirit to children and their families in the day care center and the hospital ward.
Even at the beginning of the month of Shvat, activity began in preparation for a Tu B'Shvat celebration at the Zichron Menachem Day Care Center. Children began learning each day about the parts of the tree: the roots, trunk, branches, fruit, and leaves. The children toured in various gardens around the city, and learned to recognize up close the functions of various parts of the tree, and they participated in creative workshops on the subject of trees and gardens. On the eve of the holiday, a party with workshops took place at the Day Care Center for all the children of Zichron Menachem in the Jerusalem area and their families.
Students from the organization Kedma came to the Day Care Center and worked with the young women of the National Service to set up the various workshops. In one room, children made decorations from fruit, in another they made wooden sculptures; and in another they painted wooden objects and more. In every corner was another workshop. The excited children enjoyed participating, to the accompaniment of live music, and at the end of the program, each child went home laden with artistic creations and drawings to show off.
The next day, on Tu B'Shvat, our amazing young women of the National Service decorated the pediatric hemato-oncology ward of Hadassah Hospital - Ein Kerem, in a Tu B'Shvat theme, much to the pleasure of hospitalized children, their parents, and the dedicated staff. On Thursday evening, ZM arranged an additional party, this time on the ward, for hospitalized children. Seated around a tastefully decorated table, set with fruits for the holiday and plenty of refreshments, were children and their parents, who participated in activities and contests with a holiday theme. The event lasted into the night, and everyone collapsed afterwards from all the fun. At the end of the evening, all the participants received special presents in honor of Tu B'Shvat.
Tu B'Shvat Celebration in the North
14.01.03
At Zichron Menachem, every holiday is a reason to celebrate. At the initiative of our National Service volunteers, we held a day of fun and tree-planting for families in Kfar Tabor.
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The head of Kfar Tabor, Mr. Yossi Dola, was on hand to help ensure the success of the event. About 50 people came to Kfar Tabor from the Haifa area: young children from Rambam Hospital, their brothers, sisters and parents, accompanied by the young women from the National Service, nurses from the oncology ward, and Zichron Menachem volunteers.
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The first stop for the group was Rabin Hospital, where a class of fourth graders put on a sweet Tu B'Shvat program, sang songs, told about the holiday, and exchanged telephone numbers with the sick children who visited.
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After the program, children went out together to plant trees. From there, the group went to the Settlement Museum, which tells the history of Kfar Tabor and describes the local culture of the farming community there. There was also a petting zoo, where the children got to pet and feed the animals, followed by a delicious lunch for the visitors, arranged by the head of Kfar Tabor. In the afternoon, the children visited the impressive Marzipan Museum, where they received kits of colorful marzipan, and made beautiful, tasty creations of their own.
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By day's end, the children returned home with wonderful stories to tell, and with marzipan in hand.
Uplifting weekend for parents in the Galil
14.01.03
"Together, together, together!" These were the words of the song that emanated from a small, special group of people who sat in the corner of the dining hall at the Kinar Hotel on the Kinneret this weekend.
From a nearby table, the following conversation was overheard: "Look at those poor, unfortunate people in that corner over there!" "What do you mean - 'poor unfortunate people' - they are having fun whilst the bar mitzvah celebration on the other side of the room seems very dull!"
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The "unfortunates" responded with a shrug and a broad smile. People are afraid of cancer and are hesitant about meeting families who are coping with it. Yet "in that corner over there," song, dance, and peals of laughter were the fare of the day. As the day wore on, more and more guests joined in the dancing with the parents of children with cancer who were the guests of Zichron Menachem. These parents who share the same fate and are coping with the same disease, participate together in a support group led by the well-known psychologist Dr. Baruch Shulem.
Underlying its programs to help families, is Zichron Menachem's philosophy, that every family coping with the needs of a child with cancer needs comprehensive support - for the stricken child, for siblings, and of course, for the parents. To this end, members of the Zichron Menachem Parents' Support Group went on a long weekend vacation (from Friday morning until Sunday evening), to receive intensive support and a chance to share mutual concerns with other parents. A chartered bus awaited parents at Binyanei Ha'Uma in Jerusalem, which took a magnificent scenic route up to the Galil.
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At the Kinar Hotel, participants received VIP treatment. Upon arrival at the hotel, every couple received a practical and attractive travel bag, filled with cakes, sweets, drink, and a kit of Ahava beauty products to pamper the ladies. In the dining room, they were seated and served by gracious, helpful staff where no effort was spared in providing outstanding hospitality.
After the Shabbat eve meal, the group sat for a talk given by Dr. Shulem, which was followed by an animated discussion whilst over the course of Shabbat, the mothers in the group met together with Mrs. Yehudit Shulem. By Shabbat's end the group had formed a tight and cohesive bond.
On Saturday night, the group went on a tour of the graves of tsaddikim in Tiberius, the "Grave of the Mothers", the burial grounds of Rambam, the holy Sh'lah, Rabbi Akiva, and finally, the tomb of Rabbi Meir Ba'al Ha'Ness, where the group enjoyed a special Melave Malka with food, song and dance.
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On Sunday the group went to tour in the North, including a visit to Rosh Hanikra, and "adventure"sailing on the Mediterranean in a hi-speed Tornado boat. During the bus rides, passengers were able to watch video clips of their children at Zichron Menachem's adventure camps.
Before parting, the families dined in a restaurant, where they expressed thanks and recognition to Zichron Menachem for the strength and support that they extend to them, not only during this weekend experience but every day that they are coping with this tragic sickness. The parents expressed great satisfaction with the weekend, and felt they were lacking only one thing: next, time, they want to go on jeep rides, dirt bikes, and parasailing, like the kids at camp!
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