Israelis Traumatised By Terror Share Feelings On UK Tour

By Tami Nussbaum - Friday 10th July 2009


A social worker whose father was killed during the second Lebanon war and a student whose brother was killed by an axe-wielding terrorist were amongst a group of Israelis affected by terror visiting London last week.

The 23-strong group, each of whom has lost an immediate family member, were brought to Britain by the charity One Family UK and hosted by families in Hendon and Finchley. The trip included visits to several attractions including the Tower of London, Madame Tussauds, Buckingham Palace and Covent Garden.

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Recalling the day she learnt of her father's fate during the Second Lebanon War, Yulia Gliklich said: "A friend called me and told me to turn on the television. They were showing a rescue effort around a car that had been completely destroyed by a Katyusha rocket. On the bottom of the screen there was running text indicating that the explosion happened in a place I knew my father could not have been. What I didn't realise was that in war time, there are often misleading messages broadcast on the media. The explosion actually happened in a completely different place. I got to work, and a short time later, I saw my mother. She was crying, and there was a woman standing next to her whom I didn't know. I immediately understood."

The 26-year-old added: "There is no day that I don't think about him. I miss him, and I am pained that he couldn't see me finish my studies at university, that he couldn't stand beside me at my wedding, and that my children will never know their grandfather."

Other members of the group included Hadas Nativ who discovered her brother's body after he was murdered by an axe-wielding terrorist two months ago, and Yosi Herzlich, whose sister and brother in law were killed in a highway ambush, leaving behind six children. The 27-year-old said "I understand that the Palestinians are living in a bad way but this gives them no excuse to behave in this inhumane way and murder innocent people."

Reflecting on the work of the charity, Joel Kenigsberg, 22, whose brother was murdered in a terrorist attack in 2002, said: "One Family is just that - A family. It's a place to be with people with similar experiences and an opportunity to get away from the stress of daily life, and return with renewed strength."

Naomi Nevies, who chairs One Family UK with Clive Rosenfeld, said "They are a wonderful group and I feel that it has been a life changing week for them."
Sarah Nussbaum, a volunteer with the charity, said "They, in Israel, are expected to simply 'get on with their lives', as sadly the case is so common. But by being around their new friends the common connection is the 'silent understanding' they see in each others eyes."

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