Sheba Clips - Friends of Sheba medical Center - Tel Hashomer - Israel
A news advisory compiled by the Friends of Sheba Medical Center in the United States reporting on recent events, treatment, research and support for Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
News Alert Update, Sheba Medical Center-Tel Hashomer, Israel
July 15, 2003

The Forgotten Victims of Arab Terror
by Dara Mandell, The Jewish Press, New York, July 4, 2003

     Shown (L-R) Aviad, Kinneret, Debbie Jonas, Howard Jonas, Rabbi Avi Weiss
Who remembers the burned, the maimed, the injured victims of Arab terror when the screams subside, when the sirens fade, when the smoke settles? Aviva Entes and Jill Indyk (wife of Former Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk) have not forgotten and are determined to end their anonymity and put a face before the American people of the innocent victim of terror. Thus, they introduced Kinneret and Aviad, two severely maimed Arab terror victims - who despite their serious disabilities, bravely came to the home of Debbie and Howard Jonas, CEO of IDT Telecommunications, who hosted them for Shabbos in Riverdale.

Kinneret and Aviad made an appeal on behalf of the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, the hospital responsible for their recovery. When even the emergency responders had given up hope for their survival - the Sheba medical staff doggedly persisted in their efforts. From providing vital medical care to teaching victims the most mundane tasks necessary to everyday living, the Sheba medical staff undertakes the physical and psychological care of these most damaged innocent Israelis.

Aviad, a eighteen year old yeshiva student in Atzmona, was studying in his dormitory room when terrorists infiltrated the yeshiva and shot at him moments before throwing a hand grenade through the window. Aviad recalls seeing the grenade slowly roll toward him before exploding, but since he was shot in his thighbone, was unable to escape and certain he was about to die. He spoke of his rehabilitation process at Sheba, how it was the staff that nursed him back to life after the paramedics threw up their hands in despair and abandoned hope for his survival, even debating whether they should take him to the hospital altogether.

Aviad lost a lung and is paralyzed from the waist down but speaks fondly of "Extreme Day" at Sheba, when terror victims are taken to a park to ride sail boats, canoes, and hand bikes, and are encouraged to dream and are motivated to live on. Aviad says he plans to join the first hand bike race for terror victims next year and at times straps himself to a moped to move about. Aviad returned to his yeshiva to visit for Shabbos as soon as he was able to, and firmly states, "I’m not afraid. I was in the Gaza Strip to begin with because I believe we have to be there, I really believe it is our land, our place." Speaking of his five friends who were murdered in the same Arab terror attack, Aviad said, "I am happy to be here, even in my disabled condition, but just to be alive."

Kinneret was a twenty three year old student working in a coffee shop to finance her education when moments after serving coffee to a suicide/homicide bomber, in a blink, in an instant, her life changed irrevocably. Burned on the surface of seventy five percent of her body, Kinneret lost three fingers and an eye and wears a custom made pressure body suit that covers her from neck to toe, and a special one for her head in the privacy of her home. At first it is startling to meet Kinneret as she has suffered third degree burns, but her constant smile is disarming and her positive attitude caries her and makes everyone want to be around her - hoping the secret of happiness will cling to them as well.

Kinneret says, "When you look at me, you might think I am a half a person, but I am more whole than ever before." Today she has redirected her vocational goals and is pursuing training as a film editor in Israel’s developing film industry. Whenever terrorism strikes Israel, Kinneret cries, "Dear G-d, isn’t it enough, why do others have to suffer? Wasn’t I enough?" and immediately rushes to the hospital to meet the newest victims to comfort and reassure them that they too can rebuild their lives.

Standing together with Aviad and Kinneret, Rabbi Avi Weiss made a plea for all of us in the Jewish community to come to the aid of the Chaim Sheba Medical Center as they rise to the challenge of healing the innocent victims of Arab terror. To paraphrase Rabbi Weiss, just as the waters of the Kinneret River is a source of life for the soil of Israel, the person Kinneret is a source of hope to the latest Israeli victims of Arab terror and to all of klall yisroel.

For more information, please contact:
Ila Waldman, Executive Director, Friends of Sheba: Los Angeles
1+310-843-0100 or friendsofsheba@aol.com

Lauri Novick, Executive Director, Friends of Sheba - Tel Hashomer: New York
1+212-354-8484 or lnovick@shebamedical.org

In Israel: Ulrike Haen at Sheba Medical Center
+972-3-530-2473 or ulrike.haen@sheba.health.gov.il

Sheba Medical Center-Tel Hashomer is the largest and most comprehensive hospital and research facility in Israel, and the entire Middle East. The Center's 150-acre campus on the outskirts of Tel Aviv has 1,900 beds and serves over 800,000 patients annually from Israel and neighboring countries, including civilians, soldiers and visitors. Sheba is the teaching facility for The Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and conducts clinical trials and research with the Weizmann Institute of Science. For over 50 years, Sheba's core philosophy remains unchanged: to extend the finest medical treatment, rehabilitation, and compassionate care to all our patients, regardless of race, religion or nationality.


For further information, or for tax-deductible contributions and/or credit card information please contact Friends of Sheba Medical Center - Tel Hashomer; 500 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4830, New York, New York 10110 Telephone: (212) 354-8484; Fax (212) 354-5417; E-mail: friends@shebamedical.com.