To our dear friends and partners,
Today is Thursday, the 4th day of a ceasefire between the IDF and Hezbollah forces.
This is the 22nd and final report it has been my honor to present to you within the framework of our "war diary". Through these 22 on the scene, real-time reports I have tried (and hopefully succeeded) in showing you from our perspective what has happened here in Karmiel, Misgav and the country as a whole.
The past four days began with great uncertainty and numerous question marks concerning the ceasefire's application; however, as days go by, we are beginning to believe and/or wish to believe that in fact, this ceasefire will hold and we can return to our normal routine.
Most of the reserve soldiers who were called up during the war have since returned home and we hope that in the coming days the remaining regular army units will withdraw from Lebanon as well.
The Home Front Command revised its instructions for municipalities and local residents, allowing them to return to a normal routine and that in fact is what we've been doing the past few days.
Once again, the roads of the Galilee were packed as residents who had temporarily evacuated their homes returned northward, daycare centers and nurseries renewed activity and area businesses and factories that had ceased activity because of the war returned to normal operations as well as government offices and local authorities.
Two weeks remain until the end of summer vacation. Local authorities, after carrying the heavy burden and enormous responsibility of guaranteeing the public's safety and well-being are determined more than ever to provide our children with 14 days of worry-free fun before their return to the classroom. At the same time, they are working feverishly to prepare the region's schools for the delayed opening of the coming school year (at the request of northern area mayors, the Minister of Education ordered the school year to begin two days later on September 3.)
No doubt that all of us went through a very difficult period. Each of us experienced and coped with the events and difficulties in varying ways. Some made the decision to leave their homes and move to safer quarters, others remained at home in self-seclusion or with their family. There were those who, in spite of the danger choose to go to work on a daily basis and others who simply dedicated their time and capabilities to helping others.
We saw and experienced the citizens of Israel at their best. "Regular" folks, artists, public officials, business executives and soldiers, all of them joined us to help the north in its hour of need.
Once more, we saw Jewish brotherhood in action as Jews from the four corners of the world stood with us, again, in time of crisis. It was heartwarming to see the immediate response for the State of Israel and its citizens and the unique, much appreciated response by you, the members of the Pittsburgh Jewish Community, for Karmiel and Misgav in particular.
In today's report, which is for the most part is a summary of the events; I first want to present you with a number of general facts and numbers, followed by a summary of the two municipalities and a letter from the Misgav lay chairman of Partnership 2000.
The general data concerning the war as published in the Israeli press presents the following picture:
" 3,970 rockets were fired into the State of Israel
" 901 of them landed in populated areas
" 39 Israeli civilians were killed because of a rocket attack
" 4,262 Israeli civilians came to a hospital
" 2,773 individuals were diagnosed as suffering from shock and anxiety
" 111 IDF soldiers were killed during the war
World Jewry through its Emergency Campaign and the Jewish Agency for Israel was a significant factor in providing assistance and relief for those affected by the war:
" 37,869 children participated in summer camps conducted within the framework of the "Putting the Children in the Center" initiative, of them 820 came from Karmiel and 267 were from the Misgav region
" 81 Air-conditioners were installed in Karmiel shelters, 60 in the Misgav region
" 100 televisions were distributed to Karmiel shelters, 60 to the Misgav region
" 200 emergency lighting units were installed in Karmiel shelters
" 50 chemical toilets were installed in Karmiel shelters
A Final Word
With the publication of this final issue of our "war diary", I would like to thank the many wonderful people who helped me in my daily collection of information and materials, in addition to the super human efforts they made every day during the State of Emergency.
" Adi Eldar- Mayor of Karmiel and Chairman of the Israel Local Authorities Union
" Erez Kriesler - Mayor of the Misgav Regional Council
" Leviah Fisher- Press spokesperson for the City of Karmiel
" Maya Tsaban- Press spokesperson for the Misgav Regional Council
" David Rose- The translator, editor and as a former native of Pittsburgh, my consultant on "how to convey the Israeli Experience in a way that would be best understood on the other side of the ocean"
" Marcie Lang- the dedicated and faithful representative of the Pittsburgh UJF who was always their to give "another look" as well as proof-read
" Roma Manor- Director General of the Misgav Regional Council
" Hanna Kovel- Director General of the City of Karmiel who proved to be a talented writer
" Shula Menachem- Director of the Social Services Administration for the City of Karmiel
" Orna Schweitzer- Director of the Social Services Administration for the Misgav Regional Council
" Zadok Yiftach- Director of Public Safety for the Misgav Regional Council
" Yair Korin- Director of Public Safety for the City of Karmiel
" Batya Rekavi- Director of the Misgav Education Department
" Menachem Shechel- Director of the Karmiel Education Department
" Moshe Levy- Director of the Karmiel Citizen Information Bureau
" Limor Sela- Volunteer Unit Coordinator for the City of Karmiel
" Ayleet Barnea Nesher- Volunteer Unit Coordinator for the Misgav Regional Council
" David Slyper- Executive Director of MATI "Lev Hagalil"
" Tali Omer- the Galilee Development Authority
" Area residents who graciously shared with us their personal experiences- Sheila Zetler, Scott Mann, Barbra Feldman, Teddy Sable, Ron Shapiro, Malka Maor, Shuki Levinger, the members of Kibbutz Eshbal and others.
With this final issue, I also wish to thank you, our many readers and friends from both sides of the ocean, who sent me your warm and heart felt words of support, encouragement and love throughout the war.
I also allow myself to take this opportunity to invite all of you to join our circle of participants and become an active member of the Karmiel, Misgav and Pittsburgh P2K family.
Regular reports and updates can be found on the Partnership 2000 website at:
www.jewishagenncy.org/JewishAgency/english/israel/paetnerips/regional/carmiel
That's all for today, let us pray that quiet will prevail and peace and security will return to the region and the country.
Shabbat Shalom,
Yael Raich
Partnership 2000 Karmiel-Misgav-Pittsburgh/ the Jewish Agency for Israel