Program participants take part in "challenge course".

At a moving ceremony the “Learning to Cope” Program was concluded. The goal of the program was to strengthen adolescents that were injured due to acts of terrorism. “Each one of these youngsters is singular and special and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to become acquainted with these youngsters who underwent traumatic experiences yet were still able to move on, smiling and lighting the world with their presence. You taught me that it is possible to overcome adversity and that everyone has the mental strength to move on”. Ms. Rina Hadad, Director of the youth department of the City of Afula, expressed these very emotional words.

Mr. Sa’ar Harel, the director of The Teen Information and Guidance Center, said to the youngsters, “You received during the course of the workshop tools for coping – I hope you will now how to use them when needed”.

Ms. Rina Hadad, the youth department director, and Mr. Sa’ar Harel the Teen Information and Guidance Center director, devised the program. Rina was closely involved in the preparatory program for the youths prior to their journey to the United States as guests of the Fairfield County Jewish community for ten days of pleasure and enjoyment. She became acquainted with these youngsters and identified the special requirements of the group and these were incorporated into the year-long program “Learning to Cope”. The program included enrichment and personal strengthening activities. The Teens were helped to recognize their own inner strengths, and to develop them to help themselves. They practiced self-identification of their personal ways of dealing with stressful situations. The program also included evaluating situations of anticipated stress in the future. The teens learned techniques of guided imagery and received help in the building of social support activities and much more.

Fifteen youngsters between the ages of 15-18 years, who were injured or had someone in their family injured through terrorist acts, participated in the group.

The sessions held were attended by Ms. Nira Kaplinsky, who led the coping workshop with Rina Hadad of the youth department and Shani Klein, the youth coordinator of The Teen Information and Guidance Center, also attending. The program was funded by the United Jewish Appeal – the Federation, New York, the Center for developing coping resources in Kiryat Shemona, the Israel center for the treatment of psycho trauma, the Jewish communities of SNEC and the Afula Municipality. In addition to the workshop sessions that took place at the youth department, the youngsters took part in integrated extramural activities such as ten-pin bowling in Haifa, New Year for Trees celebrations as well as a challenge activity day in Ceasaria as well as other activities.

Abigail, one of the teenagers that participated in the program, spoke in the name of the group and said, “Thank you for everything, for the wonderful activities, for the warmth and love that you showered on us. We learnt a lot about ourselves and we enjoyed ourselves very much and I hope that we will continue our contacts with the youth department”.

Tamuz 5764 - July 2004