WIZO International President Helena Glazer shakes hands with
Mayor Alon Schuster of Sha’ar Hanegev, Israel, at ceremonies
inaugurating new teachers rooms in two municipalities along the
Gaza border. Photo by Kfir Sivan/Israel _____________________________________________________________
By Ulla Hadar
SHA’AR HANEGEV, Israel–Eleven upgraded teachers rooms in this municipality and neighboring Eshkol municipality were inaugurated Dec. 21, making them a refuge from the stress of possible rocket attacks from nearby Gaza.
In January 2008, Women’s International Zionist Organization PResident Helena Glazer, announced at a convention: “WIZO supports the teams of teachers working in Sderot and the communities neighboring Gaza”
The WIZO Federation around the world reacted positive to the campaign. The federation wanted to reach out and actively support the teachers personal and professional needs. These teachers work under a lot of stress and anxiety because of the ongoing security situation.
In cooperation with the local education teams and the Ministry of Education, the needs of the teachers were assessed, based on the fact that the teachers
work in an environment that on a daily basis can be very wearying.
Architects created spaces that are nice and comfortable to use, both for relaxation and for interactions with parents or other teachers.
“WIZO has chosen a campaign to help the School teachers, and with this step they decided to ‘save the savers,'” commented Mayor Alon Schuster of Sha’ar Hanegev. “The teachers of Sha’ar Hanegev care about their pupils in the same way as they care about their own children. WIZO has strengthened the central backbone in a way that enables us to continue our complicated reality in which we live.”
Commented Glazer:”The teams of teachers working in Sderot and the area surrounding the Gaza strip, have stood and are still standing in a security situation that is in the frontline. Their daily work is of utmost importance and therefore also very wearying. It is not a normal situation for children for years to live in between security rooms. This life for the
children has long term repercussions, facts that the teachers have to cope with in their work. WIZO will continue to do its utmost to support these teachers in their daily struggle.”
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Hadar is Sha’ar Hanegev bureau chief for San Diego Jewish World.