Settling in.

Today, my Volunteering at NATAL seemed to have officially begun. Although I have been in the building two times now to be interviewed, I only gained a minute understanding of what it is that NATAL does--treat PTSD in Israel. Today, my fellow volunteers and I got a tour of the building to see what truly goes on inside the headquarters of the NGO.

On the outside, NATAL's entrance invites you towards its homelike entrance with a handwritten sign and three beautiful doors, somehow comfortable nestled within the hullabaloo of Tel-Aviv. On your right, just as you enter, you discover an elegant mosaic of a tree--NATAL's emblem. I am not sure what the significance of their symbol is yet, but I could guess that it probably has something to do with growth of the individual. In such an environment, where the building radiates peaceful vibes with friendly artwork and friendly people, I can see how NATAL could have such an effect on people.

We started our tour by leaving the floor I will be working on, the center for research and development as well as international relations, and ascending to the roof. As I exited the elevator doors and stepped outside I saw a very special place. Decorated with tile floors, a straw roof that allows light to shine in through the cracks, lively plants, and a spectacular view of the Tel-Aviv skyline, the roof invites one to frequent it. I can understand how this could be an easy place for someone to retreat from their stressful lives and relax.

I noticed that there were soldiers on this roof, and I had to ask why? I wondered if perhaps they were patients here. It was then that my guide told me that these soldiers were on break from the lower floor, where NATAL has a school to train psychologists and social workers on how to deal with victims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The soldiers were students. She told us that some soldiers were being trained on how to approach the families of soldiers to tell them that their child was either injured or killed in battle, and others were training to work as social workers in the army. PTSD is a symptom of the wars that Israel is forced to fight, as well as the terror it lives in every day. I am coming to learn how much this disease affects Israeli society every time I step foot into my new Volunteering.

As we descended past the school, down to the therapy floor, things got a bit more intense. The magnitude of NATAL's program had not really struck me yet. Not only do soldiers experience terrible atrocities which can traumatize them for a significant portion of their lives, but their families, wives, children, and friends can be affected. We went into the art therapy room which was adorned with all kinds of creations. On the opposite wall were 8 masks with happy and sad faces. Our guide told us that these were made by wives of soldiers who suffer from PTSD. Apparently, since NATAL has a confidentiality policy in regards to those they treat, sometimes soldiers could be in clinical therapy, their wives in art therapy, and their children on the hotline--all while none of them are aware that each other is seeking help. At that moment, I felt a shiver run down my spine. PTSD is not just an illness that a few crazed individuals deal with. It is an epidemic--it affects anyone related to the victim. With Israel being such a small country, it affects everyone.

I have a lot more to learn here. I want to learn what effect NATAL has had, and what I can do to help.

NATAL

I unpacked my bags and took a look off the balcony from my new apartment. I'm here in Tel Aviv, the secular Jewish city in the middle east. This place looks much less religious than my former residence in Jerusalem, and much more international. This is going to be quite different.

I have been in Israel for 5 months now. Last semester in Jerusalem, I worked in a Zoo, taking care of animals I love, and forging relationships with my fellow volunteers, zookeepers, and african animals in captivity. However, the entire time I felt as though I wasn't making a difference. While i took care of the animals on a daily basis--fed them, made sure they weren't sick, and cleaned up after them, I wasn't looking into any real problems in Israel and working to ameliorate them. However fun it was, it did not feel particularly profound.

I came to Tel Aviv wanting to do something that was worthwhile, something that could make a difference. For that reason I came to work at Natal.

Natal, the Israel Trauma Center for Victims of Terror and War, is an apolitical nonprofit organization, founded by the late Dr. Yossi Hadar, M.D. who conceived and initiated the idea, and Judith Yovel Recanati who serves as a Chairperson. NATAL was established in 1998 with the aim of increasing public awareness of National Psychotrauma caused by the Israeli-Arab conflict. This form of trauma differs from other forms, as it is the result of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) stemming from national traumas. When it was created initially, the organization sought to help former and current soldiers deal with the harsh realities of the constant war in which they live. However, after the second intifada in 2000, its role became much wider. Adult men and women, teenagers, children, mothers and fathers became victims of terrorism, and many of them consequently suffered from a kind of shell shock, whether directly being connected to the terrorist attacks, or indirectly through a family member. This lasting psychological trauma that comes as a result of a terrorizing event has come to be known by proffesionals as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Post Traumatic Stress disorder is a terrible disease--something I have a lot to learn about. My experience in it is slim, but i think that by working at NATAL I will become more acquainted with it, and how it affects Israeli society as well as mine. Sadly, it is a reality that exists in all societies. It must be confronted, and learning about it is the first step.

Israel is unique in its relationship with PTSD, because everyone deals with PTSD one way or another, either directly from an attack or war, or indirectly because a family member or friend deals with it. Israel lives in constant fear of its enemies and a continual threat of terrorism. In a way, PTSD is a national disease here in Israel.

I came to Israel to learn about this place, the culture, and the problems confronting it. Israel is in conflict, I'm not sure how much I can personally do to combat the very difficult situation between Arabs and Israelis, but what I can do is work to understand the disease that exists on both sides as a result of the conflict, what can be done to confront it, and how learning about PTSD can help confront the Israeli-Palestinian conflict--something which I have come to learn is more confusing and convluted than any I have ever known . Signing up for my job is the first step. The next is to realize its potential.

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