“It is so comfortable here and so different from the hellish week and a half we endured before arriving that words cannot express the change” – Maria Kapakova , Jewish Refugee from Ukraine
After just over a week in Israel, members of the group of almost 100 Ukrainian children seem to have happily accepted the KKL-JNF Field and Forest Center at Nes Harim as their home for now. The children were all pupils at the Chabad run Alumim Children’s Home and Social Rehabilitation Center for Jewish Children in the Ukranian city Zhitomir. They arrived in Israel after a traumatic and harrowing 10 day escape from their war-torn city to the city of Cluj in Romania where they boarded a flight to Israel.
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Alumim graduate, 20 year old Maria Kapakova, who arrived with her 4 young siblings, said that she could not have wished for a better venue. “It is so comfortable here and so different from the hellish week and a half we endured before arriving that words cannot express the change. Firstly, it was the amazing welcome at Ben Gurion Airport by Prime Minister Naftali Bennet himself. What could be more inviting? And then there was the amazing reception by KKL-JNF here at Nes Harim. I think there were more people present at Nes Harim to help us, than refugees who arrived. We are very happy with everything, including the accommodation and the amazing outdoor space we are provided with.”
The daily schedule for the refugee children at the Nes Harim Field and Forest Center begins with a communal breakfast and Morning Prayer service. They then attend classes and other activities according to their different age groups. Amongst the items on a typical daily roster were subjects such as: Computers, Sport, Torah Study, The Land of Israel, The Geography of Israel, Jewish Heritage, and there was great emphasis on lessons about the approaching festival of Purim. A kindergarten was provided for the preschoolers, and toddlers had their own framework.
Director of the KKL-JNf Field and Forest Center, Gili Maimon, said that the facility turned into top gear once they received notice that the refugee children would arrive soon. “We only had a couple of days to prepare,” she said, “but thanks to highly efficient staff and our years of experience of accommodating groups here everything went quite smoothly.” Maimon said that once the news broke that the Ukrainian children would be arriving, the center at Nes Harim was swamped with donations of new clothing, shoes, toys, and offers to volunteer and help. It’s at times like this that he people of Israel, both citizens, and owners of commercial companies, always step up and give.”
Preparations for Purim had special meaning for the Jewish refugee children at Nes Harim because one of the traditions of the festival is the sending of gifts of food (mishloach manot) and messages of love to family and friends. The children became really excited and emotional when they heard that their gifts would be delivered to the Ukraine where they still have parents, friends, and family whom they miss very much. It was clear by their faces while preparing their cards and mishloach manot that their gifts were loaded with much emotion and love.
The principal of the Alumim Children’s Home and Social Rehabilitation Center, Malki Bukiet, said that it was not at all clear how long they would need to stay in Israel. “We are evaluating things day by day,” she said. “What is clear is that the KKL-JNF Center here in Nes Harim is a perfect destination for now. It’s well equipped, with large open spaces and is secure and quiet. This is exactly what these traumatized kids need. Let’s not forget that they left a war zone and travelled through a highly dangerous country side for over a week until we decided to cross the Romanian border and make our way to Israel. Israel was an obvious destination, although we then still had no idea where we would find accommodation. All I can now say, with much gratitude, is that we are highly appreciative of the hospitality we received from KKL-JNF and the people of Israel.”