UK pupils team up with Israeli veterans
BEIT HALOCHEM, meaning “House of Warriors”, was established to provide wounded IDF veterans and victims of terror with a rehabilitative infrastructure, where they receive respite and the opportunity to regain the dignity and quality of life they deserve. Today, the 51,000 Beit Halochem members are given a new lease of life at the charity’s four rehabilitation centres, in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheba. The centres provide a blend of exceptional rehabilitative services, including physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and chiropractic treatments, alongside specialised sports, educational programmes and a vast range of creative and social activities.
Beit Halochem UK is devoted to raising awareness and funds for these centres. It considers education of young people as one of its most important goals, so they are made aware of the many sacrifices that take place each day to keep the State of Israel secure.
Over the summer, more than 400 year nine pupils from JCoSS, JFS and Immanuel College were given the opportunity to visit the centres.
They met veterans and learned about their experiences serving in the IDF, their injuries and rehabilitation at Beit Halochem. JFS students experience wheelchair sports alongside the veterans
The veterans taught the pupils about the power of sport and its important role in rehabilitation and how the centres had become a second home for them and their families. The pupils played wheelchair basketball, tennis and other sports alongside veterans, toured the centre and asked perceptive questions along the way.
Hanoch Budin, a Beit Halochem veteran and Olympic swimming champion, addressed Immanuel College pupils, which was particularly poignant as he had recently visited and addressed the school in London. The school had chosen Beit Halochem UK
as its Israeli charity, resulting in a generous donation, which was used to purchase an adapted wheelchair.
Following a JFS visit, pupils sold Beit Halochem army dogtags at school, as a way to raise funds and awareness. It was clear the visits had had a profound effect on the pupils, many of whom commented on the positive outlook of the veterans.
Visiting the centres is one of the best ways to really understand the work of Beit Halochem. Whether it is part of a school visit or with your family, Beit Halochem can arrange a tour for you and your children.
Several times a year, the charity arranges for veterans to visit the UK for speaking engagements and events. Recently, Beit Halochem members Dr Alon Dahan and Natanel Hakshur visited the UK for a week, during which they engaged with school pupils and supporters of the charity. They shared their experiences and told pupils about the crucial support they received from Beit Halochem, which gave them hope during their darkest moments. They visited North London Collegiate School, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School and Mathilda Marks-Kennedy and Etz Chaim primary schools.
Speaking to pupils at Mathilda Marks-Kennedy School, Dahan said: “Without the army, we have no existence and without the rehabilitation centres we have no hope. Beit Halochem shows us that everything we thought to be impossible is possible and everything we thought to be a distant dream can be achieved. I hope that we will not need such a facility in the future”.
Feedback from both teachers and pupils was heartwarming.
Sam Wolfson, a year 11 pupil at Haberdashers, said: “I learned so much about the important topics of resilience and rehabilitation. I really enjoyed the talk and hope to visit Beit Halochem with my family one day.”
Your child may also consider choosing Beit Halochem as their charity in the run-up to their bar/batmitzvah. There are many ways in which they can get involved, including a visit to one of Beit Halochem’s centres, where they can meet the inspiring veterans. They could even take up the challenge of competing against members of the wheelchair tennis and basketball teams.
Other ideas might include raising funds for much-needed equipment or sponsoring a veteran through the charity’s educational scholarship programme.
We look forward to meeting many of you over the course of this year.
Sharonne Durkin is communications manager at Beit Halochem bhuk.org
Registered charity 1146950