12/26/23
From NATAN Chair, Daniel Kahn:
I often draw inspiration from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. His words resonate with me, guiding me in the challenging times facing Israel and the Jewish People as we step into the secular new year.
Rabbi Sacks illuminates a crucial distinction between optimism and hope. While optimism leans towards a passive belief in the world getting better, hope, he contends, is the active conviction that, collectively, we can contribute to making the world better. “Optimism is a passive virtue, hope an active one. It needs no courage to be an optimist, but it takes a great deal of courage to hope.”
In 2024, NATAN proudly marks two decades of on-the-ground global relief efforts, dedicated to transforming hope into reality and restoring dignity to tens of thousands of disaster survivors. It is the mission driving our 1600 volunteers, and that inspires our generous funders.
Amidst the shadows of the past year, NATAN extended its helping hand to survivors in Ukraine, Turkey, Morocco, and here at home, in Israel. This journey has required substantial courage, made possible by the support of our friends and partners. Together, with collective determination, we embark on 2024, aiming to shape a markedly better year. Hope, after all, is not just a sentiment but a courageous act—one that NATAN undertakes with conviction and resilience, every hour of every day.
We wish you a healthy and happy 2024.
This image, part of Bezalel Academy of Arts’ “Wrapping Memory” Project, represents the community of Be’eri, which suffered grave losses on October 7. The red poppies, which blanket the region every springtime in the South Red, represent hope and the desire for a restored community. Reprinted with permission.
In the months since October 7, NATAN has been operating clinics to aid evacuees and survivors, many of whom cannot return to their homes. With your help, we can continue this vital project.
We know that our challenges are far from over. Our dental clinics provide a vital and unique service. Please help us sustain survivors and the displaced through our year-end campaign. :
THANK YOU for your generous support.
NATAN’s actions in Israel since October 7 have reached over 2800 patients, survivors and displaced individuals. Projects include:
* Three primary-care medical clinics
* Two dental clinics
* Psychological and community support, many locations
* Resilience Center creation, Ofakim
* Three primary-care medical clinics
* Two dental clinics
* Psychological and community support, many locations
* Resilience Center creation, Ofakim
Overseas, NATAN continues to work to build resilience and provide remote medical care in Ukraine, and to develop resources to combat gender-based violence in Nepal.
Domestically, we continue to develop the Ofakim Resilience Center, provide “Bayit Cham” (Warm Home) psychological support to Russian speakers affected by the war; plan for mentoring/training for summer camps and, with our partners at OB-Phil, provide food and hygiene support for Filipino nationals in Israel.
Our ability to do the work depends on you, our partners, funders and generous donors. Please give generously to help NATAN and the people we serve.
NATAN volunteers include doctors, nurses, dentists and general volunteers. Since the second week of October, NATAN clinics and psychosocial services have worked with more than 2800 patients, mainly in Eilat and near the Dead Sea.
Even as NATAN volunteers returned to Israel after October 7, our work in Ukraine continues, now in its 21st month.
Resilience Center in Yavoriv Region: Planning is underway to assess existing assets and psychosocial needs that a Yavoriv Resilience Center will address. Ongoing conversations include stakeholders, local representatives and members of local communities.
Telemedicine: 12 NATAN volunteers — Israeli physicians who speak Russian and/or Ukrainian and two US doctors– continue to provide online medical online consultation to 500+ patients in the city of Konstantinovka, which is located within a military conflict zone. We work in cooperation with IMM (Israeli Medical Mission) and ZiphyCare (a US tech company providing the technology).
Patients and family members in Ukraine consulting with medical professionals via telemedicine.
NATAN continues to support women, children and families in Hariharpurgadhi in Sinhuli province, Nepal, with
* Life skills education
* Community meetings
* Psychosocial counseling
* Home visits
* Life skills education
* Community meetings
* Psychosocial counseling
* Home visits
Future plans include continued education and awareness-building about gender-based violence and meetings with government officials and local agencies to support continuing life skills education, counseling support, and a focus on marginalized communities.
Training sessions in Hariharpurgadhi, Sinuli Province, Nepal.
