WIZOAn inspiring visit

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NATHAN JEFFAY

TWO years after fire ravaged part of this Haifa children’s village, the place is well-and-truly back to normal – and senior staff just rolled out the red carpet for the Australians who came to the rescue.

WIZO Australia’s president Paulette Cherny was fighting back tears as she led a small group of visitors, including Australia’s ambassador to Israel Chris Cannan, around Ahuzat Yeladim. “I felt really sick when I heard about the fire, but now the place looks fabulous again,” she said.

An emotional high-point came at a small indoor zoo, which is used to provide animal therapy to students – some of the most at-risk in Israel’s educational system.

The original zoo had been a gift from Australia, but when Cherny visited soon after the fire, the place was destroyed and parrots, hamsters and other pets had died.

Now, after insurance claims and donations, the place is fully rebuilt, and home to a wide range of species. As Cherny patted the animals, she told Cannan about the destruction that the forest fire had caused at the village, and how WIZO Australia’s long relationship with the village prompted it to give extra help.

Yossi Saragossi, director of the village, stressed that WIZO’s donations go far beyond recovery from the fire.

“Without the help of WIZO Australia we couldn’t exist, it just wouldn’t be possible,” he said. “The money from government would allow us to meet day-to-day costs, but nothing else.” At one stop he illustrated the connection by showing Cannan the bed of one of the students, complete with a quilt made by a non-Jewish WIZO supporter in Australia.

When Cherny opened the door of the on-site bakery, the smell of students’ baking wafted out, and several of them offered sweet treats to the visitors. Staff explained about the confidence and the range of life skills that students gain from the baking facility – another gift from Australia.

Cannan said he was impressed – by the village as well as the tastiness of the baked goods.

“It’s inspiring to see the dedication of Australians to this amazing place, a relationship that has existed for so many years,” he told <i>The AJN</i>. “This makes a huge difference to at-risk youngsters, allowing them to integrate, and it’s an amazing example of the people-to-people relationship between Australia and Israel.”

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