More Sad Eyes
Makor Rishon 29.8.08
The question: “when the phone rings at three o’clock in the morning, who is most qualified to answer?” has been asked many times recently with regards to security issues, however, it is not often, that we take any interest in the work of the people, whose job it is to answer the calls from Haim, Nurit, Nana, and all the other poor children who call out of fear and despair, during the darkest hours of the night.
This week the hearts of an entire country went out to little Rose Pizem, an entire country was shocked by the appalling conduct of a twisted family, which has set a new standard for violence and abuse. An entire country has stood on the banks of the Yarkon, trying to comprehend how such an atrocity can be committed by a neighbor just across the hall. Unfortunately, the dark and murky waters of the Yarkon River offer us no answers, and we are left wondering how we let such a tragedy come to pass.
Regrettably, Rose is not alone there are many other children just like her; many other defeated looking faces with small sad eyes. Emunah maintains children’s homes through out the country, in addition to shelters, emergency centers and day care centers, and whoever wants to show genuine interest need only look in one of the facilities maintained by Emunah where he will find many little children just like little Rose. A six year old boy who arrived at the children’s home with nothing but the cloths on his back and a shopping bag which contained his entire world, a three year old girl, whose father dangled her out of a fifth story window.
We do not need to venture very far to find these children. Haim, who watched his father, cut his mothers throat before his own eyes. Nurit, the seven year old girl who has already suffered a number of violent sexual episodes, Tzvika, who suffers from nightmares, and his sister Dana, who is familiar with enough profanity as not to put her out of place at a soccer match. They are all right here, in the neighborhood, next door, across the street.
We can arm ourselves with a thousand more modified rockets and missiles, and advanced weapon systems. Ehud, Tzipi, Bibi, or Shaul will answer the phone, and I trust that they will indeed know how to deal with that fateful phone call, if it does come at three o’clock in the morning.
But in Emunah's Crisis Centers, the phone never stops ringing. Our professional staff knows exactly how to handle each and every call. I would be happy knowing, that those who aspire to be our future leaders could say the same.
Emunah received the 2008 Israel Prize for its contribution to Israeli society, maintains a network of children’s homes in addition to emergency centers and shelters,
Translated by Yoel Ross
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