Tami and Yaron Shadadi shows remnants of the grad rocket that hit their house to Director General, Alan Hoffmann, CFO Moshe Ashirie, and Director of Emergency Responses, Ofer Baram
November 18, 2012 / 4 Kislev 5773
A team of Jewish Agency representatives visited the house of Yaron and Tami Shadadi in Sderot, which suffered a direct hit by a grad rocket last Sunday. When the family heard the “Color Red” alert, they all ran to the downstairs of their house, as they have no safe-room.
Yaron relayed how they heard the explosion, and felt the ground shake. “But we always hear explosions,” he added glibly. Missiles have landed in the nearby vicinity countless times over the past 12 years, but the Shadadi home has so far been safe. This time, when the family ran out the house to see where this rocket landed, they were shocked to see their neighbors pointing at their house.
Deputy Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Rany Trainin and the Director General, Alan Hoffmann inspect damage to the Shadadi's home. (Photo Credit: Noam Sharon)The rocket left a meter-wide hole in the roof of the Shadadi house. It missed a structural beam by centimeters; if hit, it would have caused extensive damage. The bedroom of the Shadadis’ eldest daughter and all her belongings were destroyed. The 22 year-old was at college in Ashkelon, where she is studying Criminology, at the time of the attack.
Ofer Baram, representative of The Jewish Agency's Fund for Victims of Terror, arrived on the scene as soon as he could, and immediately arranged for the family to receive help. They received emergency funds within 48 hours. The first of it will go towards treating their daughter, who is devastated, and replacing her belongings. Later funds will go towards repairing the damage to the family’s home.
Tami Shadadi volunteers at a trauma-treatment center, where she assists individuals and families in the area to cope with their distress as a result of the dangers under which they constantly live. None of them, Tami said, has experienced a direct hit to their home, and yet, in the days following the damage to her own home, she was still volunteering, helping others.
Tami thanked The Jewish Agency for the emergency relief. She said the aid has assisted them greatly in the week since their house was hit. She added that the organization does wonderful work. Their lovely, fragile-looking daughter stood at the door, still visibly shaken. “Thank you,” she said to Baram. “Thank you.”
About The Jewish Agency’s Fund for the Victims of Terror – funded by JFNA
The Jewish Agency’s Fund for the Victims of Terror, which is supported by donations from the Jewish Federations of North America, as well as by foundations and donors across the globe, provides material assistance to victims of terror in Israel. The average emergency grant is $1000 USD per terror victim. The grants are intended to help residents with their initial recovery after an attack. In recent days, representatives of the Fund have visited the homes of families who have suffered from rocket fire and distributed the emergency funds.
In addition to the emergency grants, residents who are recognized as victims of terror by the Israel National Insurance Institute can apply to the Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror to receive additional assistance of up to $5000 USD. These further grants are intended to help ease the recovery period and fund additional necessities which are not covered by Israeli government institutions.