UN SEES THE “GOOD SIDE” OF ISRAEL…..
IT IS REALLY A FEELGOOD STORY….READ GILDER’S BOOK “THE ISRAEL TEST”….ARABS ONLY SEE THESE EFFORTS AS TARGETS AND WILL NEVER RELENT….INSTEAD OF HOPING TO BE LIKED ISRAEL MUST BE FEARED…..RSK
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/134242#replies
Video: UN Sees the Good Side of Israel
by Yoni Kempinski
(IsraelNN.com) A United Nations officer’s toddler, born with Down’s Syndrome, stayed at Israeli Shalva center for a year. The experience did wonders for her – and did more for Israeli public relations than all of the efforts of the governement to counter the international community’s growing anti-Israeli position.
Shalva is The Association for Mentally & Physically Challenged Children in Israel which provides services for children with special needs throughout Israel, along with intensive support for their families. Representatives of the United Nations gathered at the Shalva center in Jerusalem earlier this week for a unique and emotional event. The guests from the United Nations forces joined the staff of the institute as they said goodbye to Rachel, the daughter of staff Captain Gerry Casey of the U.N. Peacekeeping Division from Ireland.
Captain Casey and his wife decided to serve in Israel primarily because the youngest of his four children – 16-month-old Rachel – was born with Down’s syndrome and a severe heart defect, and the doctor in Ireland strongly urged Gerry and his wife Theresa to take her to a warm climate in order to heal.
When he came to check out a hospital in Jerusalem, he was told by a visiting patient that he was in the wrong place. “You want to go to Shalva. They are the specialists” he was told.
And now, a year since Rachel and her family became part of Shalva it’s time to say goodbye. The U.N. captain came with his colleagues as well as the Irish ambassador to Israel
It was captain Gerry Casey himself who thought of the idea to invite members of the U.N. and diplomatic communities to see for themselves what Shalva is all about, Casey saw this as a way to open a door of opportunity for others who might want to come to Israel but are unaware of the available services for their children with special needs
Shalva and the Casey family sent out invitations and friends and colleagues, some of whom had to make unusual arrangements in order to come from Syria, Lebanon, Denmark, Jordon and Egypt, gathered to learn and support.
The staff of Shalva took the visitors on a tour through the center were they learned about the variety of services the center offers including hydrotherapy, massage therapy, speech training, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and multi-sensory work.
Rachel herself was part of a unique program called “Me & My Mommy”, a special project which relies on parental partnership. Theresa, Rachel’s mother, not only enjoyed Shalva’s services throughout the year but she also will be returning to Ireland better equipped and greatly inspired by her Israeli experience.
The U.N. dignitaries, who don’t regularly meet the positive side of Israel, returned to their bases with a better impression of the country.
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