Dear Friends Welcome to NATAL’s annual report for 2008. We are in the midst of an unprecedented period, unlike any we have known in the past. The world order is changing and we do not know when the new order will stabilize. The international and local economic situation has a decisive impact on the management of NATAL. We are making every effort to maintain our therapeutic activities at the same level as in recent years and to economize in a way that will enable us to continue to care for our patients at the NATAL Center, in the community and throughout Israel. NATAL’s departments have been brimming with activity in the past year. The number of callers to the Hotline increased significantly, with more patients added from new segments of the population. Many new clients called as a result of focused, seasonal campaigns for Memorial Day in the spring and Yom Kippur in the fall. The Community Outreach Unit continues working with therapeutic, educational and other professionals while offering therapeutic interventions in Sderot and communities around the Gaza Strip. The Trauma Recovery Center expanded its ranks and activities. The Interdisciplinary Center for Trauma Studies enlarged the range of courses taught and the number of students. NATAL’s refurbished internet site is rich with information and receives many visits. You are also invited to visit the site www.natal.org.il . The special events we held this year were successful platforms for presenting NATAL’s activities and led to increased public awareness in Israeli society, while also helping us raise additional donations. This year, we will be forced to forego publication of our annual magazine, “About Feelings.” After a decade, this was not an easy decision. However, production of the magazine is expensive and we must reduce our costs in these challenging economic times. It is our goal that we will be able to renew its publication next year. In December, Operation Cast Lead began. NATAL immediately began to work according to its emergency format. The Hotline provided responses to thousands of civilians who called not only from the South but also from all parts of Israel. The Community Outreach staff and Mobile Unit provided a response in urban and rural areas of the South, while clinicians helped families. It is our hope that 2009 will be secure and peaceful. We wish everyone a year of fruitful efforts, health, and joy. Thank you for your ongoing support and for being our faithful friends. Sincerely yours, Judith Yovel Recanati Orly Gal Chairperson and Founder CEO 1 Initiator of the Center The late Dr. Yossi Hadar Board of Directors Judith Yovel Recanati – Chairperson & Co-founder, Paulette Eitan, Israel Lerman, Michal Amitai Tahori, Adv. Executive Committee Avraham Attias, Talma Biro, Adv., Nochi Dankner, Prof. Haim Dasberg, Yossi Dashti, Prof. Avraham Freedman, Jonathan Irroni, Prof. Kenneth Mann, Adv., Dr. Yehuda Melzer, Prof. Avi Ohry, Ori Slonim, Dr. Henry Szor, Dr. Chana Ullman Professional Staff Colonel (Res.) Orly Gal, Executive Director; Prof. Avi Bleich, Chairman of Professional Steering Committee; Dr. Itamar Barnea, Chief Psychologist Additional Services given voluntarily by Erez Komornik (accounting) Yossi Avraham (attorney) Somekh Chaikin (auditor) Shalmor, Avnon Amichay Y&R (advertising agency) Israeli Non-Profit Registration Number: 58-031-812-9 10 Ibn Gvirol Street, P.O. Box 20055, Tel Aviv, 61200 Israel Telephone: 972-732-363-363; Facsimile: 972-3-695-0579 E-mail: [email protected] www.natal.org/english 1-800-363-363 (In Israel) www.natal.org.il 2 Israel Trauma Center For Victims of Terror and War Dedicated with deep appreciation to our partners, volunteers and contributors and to all of NATAL’s employees NATAL, To Live Again. 3 Hotline ¯ 1-800-363-363 (in Israel) The Hotline is the point of entry for clients to receive People called NATAL for a wide variety of reasons in 2008, services from NATAL. It is the only Hotline offering including: both crisis intervention and long-term emotional care in 527 calls as a result of Israel’s wars. Israel for victims of national psychotrauma. The Hotline 261 calls as a result of compulsory or reserve military is staffed by both highly trained volunteers and service. professionals in relevant fields. During 2008, the NATAL 242 calls were received as a result of missiles that fell Hotline received more than 2000 new inquiries and in Sderot and the area surrounding the Gaza Strip conducted approximately 7,640 follow-up treatment calls. (compared to 101 calls last year). Volunteers on the line conducted 9,855 conversations and 923 people received on-going therapy via the Hotline. Campaigns to raise public awareness After the War Approximately 25% of the calls were the result of the Second Lebanon War. Memorial Day There were approximately 61% more incoming calls than during the same month and campaign last year. It seems that the magazine “About Feelings” contributed to this increase. Two Years after the War 62% men and 38% women. Yom Kippur The campaign was directed at the families of victims: 44% of the calls to NATAL were by relatives (16% spouses; 27% parents). Photographer: Uriel Sinai 44 CROSS SECTION OF AGES OF CALLERS TO THE LINE – 2008 SOURCES OF REFERRALS VOLUNTEERS AT THE The NATAL Hotline is a free NATAL HOTLINE service staffed by highly trained volunteers who represent all that is good and beautiful in Israeli society. These are people who devote many hours of their time in order to be a listening ear, a friend, an advisor and a source of support for Israelis who have experienced a traumatic situation as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Volunteers on the Hotline are screened very carefully and then comprehensively trained by NATAL’s professional staff. Each caller is assigned a permanent volunteer who supports him or her for months or even years. We continue to allocate significant resources to the volunteers’ ongoing professionalization. During 2008, we provided: CROSS SECTION OF CALLS FROM THOSE INDIRECTLY AFFECTED 20% of the people who call the Hotline are relatives or friends Individual supervision A total of 2,340 hours of 45 volunteers. Other 3% Supervision for 200 hours of training were Child 8% instructors given to six volunteer instructors and 19 hours of Spouse Friend 30% external training to three 11% volunteer instructors. In addition, three new volunteer instructors were trained. Group supervision 35 hours of group supervision for all volunteers. Sibling 8% Peer supervision 60 hours of small group Parent meetings for the enrichment 40% and professionalization of volunteers. 5 Clinical Activity In 2008, the Clinical Unit of NATAL treated an average of 218 victims of national trauma each month, of whom 21% were treated in multiple departments, 42% were treated by therapists at the NATAL Center and 58% were treated by NATAL’s therapists around the country. In addition, five therapeutic groups were held: two for the spouses of men suffering from post-trauma, a group for discharged soldiers (see additional information below), a group for former prisoners of war (in Haifa) and a Social Therapeutic Club. Flash 90 2008 COMES TO A CLOSE AND 2009 BEGINS BY SAAR UZIELY From a point in time, we can still young and do not have families of their own, we are look both backwards and helping to decrease the number of future victims. forward. In 2008, we The Documentation Project, which began two years ago, continued to do what we do best: Treat people in distress, gained added momentum this year. More people have treat people who, for various reasons, would not have joined the project and been through the documentation received treatment were it not for NATAL. process. For some of them, a benefit of the project is that Despite the calm or perhaps because of it, people continue it allows them to put aside the difficult experiences they calling for help. It is possible the external calm makes it endured and drop a heavy “burden” they have carried possible for many people to look inside and encounter for many years. their distress and pain, their difficulties coping and the 2009 has begun in the midst of an economic crisis and price that they and their family members are paying. with uncertainty on whether or not the calm will Last year, we treated over 218 people each month. continue. Despite the crisis, I hope that we will be able The Discharged Soldiers Project was expanded and now to continue aiding those who need our help to the same has 65 participants. During the year, 28 completed their extent as in previous years, For all of us, I wish for therapeutic program. In addition to individual treatment, continued calm. NATAL offered a short-term therapy group. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our As we see it, this project is extremely valuable both because therapists – the nameless soldiers of help and assistance it provides direct, immediate therapy and because it – for their professionalism, willingness and investment. prevents future deterioration and fixation. Furthermore, I look forward to continued collaboration. today’s treatment prevents many years of distress, the trickling of trauma and its impact on people close to the Saar Uziely, Director participants. Since most participants in this project are Clinical Unit, NATAL 66 DOCUMENTATION The Documentation Center, which was established two PROJECT years ago, gathered speed in This project functions thanks 2008. As of this report, we have interviewed 25 people to the support of the Friends and continue to receive regular requests from DISCHARGED of the IDF. The project reaches organizations including the Ministry of Defense and Erim B’Layla (Awake At Night).