"A time for building up…"
Ecclesiastes 3:3

There were many revelations that came out of the second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006. One of them was the realization that the Israeli bomb shelters were completely inadequate. Many were filled with dead animals and skeletons, inches of water and garbage, lacking proper plumbing, electricity and ventilation. That is still the case for far too many of them.

For adults unable to leave the North and trapped in such shelters for weeks on end, it was intolerable. For children, it multiplied the trauma of the frequent bombings many fold.

The Israeli organization, Livnot U’Lehibanot – To Build and To Be Built (up in the process) has taken on the challenge of restoring these shelters and of making them habitable for families and their children. Based in Safed and Jerusalem, they have sought support for their restoration efforts.

What we have done…

In May of 2007, we and members of the Social Action and Israel Committees of the Barnert Temple in Franklin Lakes, NJ, met with Gabi Nachmani of Livnot to receive an update on the situation. He explained how important shelter restoration continues to be and showed us a moving video explaining the situation.

Gabi explained that for $10,000 a shelter large enough for twelve families could be renewed and made livable. More than this, they would be transformed into community centers, creative learning and playing spaces for children, club houses, dance studios and synagogues. Instead of adding to the trauma, they would become sources of comfort and familiar security.

We decided to raise the ten thousand dollars and within weeks were able to do so. In addition, with the help of artisan Gary Rosenthal, BARTY, the Senior Youth Group, created a mezuzah to be placed on the doorpost of the shelter and members of Barnert Temple affixed it there.