It’s Mike Train with Crawford Media Group. Today we’re joined by Pamela Azaria. Pamela is the International Resource Director for CHIMES Israel, where they care for children and adults with developmental disabilities. We’re really grateful to have Pamela with us today.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here and to tell the story of CHIMES Israel and what happened with our organization during the war. and particularly in the city of Ashkelon, which is six miles away from Gaza. We’re a leading nonprofit in Israel. We have been around for 34 years. We’re known for our innovative services. We pioneered a full-service early childhood rehabilitation center model in Israel, which is having diagnosis, therapy, and child care and parental guidance all under one roof. And it’s something I understand we don’t have in the U.S. because of COVID. because of health insurance, and this is something where you’re getting health care in the daycare center. So it’s something really special. And we also pioneered something that we took from Chimes in the U.S., which is our sister organization. which is called an IHP, an Individual Habilitation Plan, which helps us to provide individual treatment to every single person who goes through our doors. It’s a plan that they decide together and they determine what they’re going to do to improve their abilities and skills and even just their quality of life. We have 26 programs throughout Israel. We serve 1,400 children and adults Every year, they’re ages six months to elderly, and we serve everyone. We don’t discriminate. Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Arab, religious, secular, refugees, anybody who needs our services is going to get our services. It’s free. And our mission is basically to foster quality of life, dignity, independence, and inclusion for people with disabilities in Israel.
SPEAKER 02 :
Your work sounds like a labor of love, and probably for your staff there too. It’s just, I think our listeners can get a sense, Pamela, that if you don’t provide this Are there other resources out there? I would imagine not. And that you feel a really unique space for those families.
SPEAKER 01 :
I think so. Most of our services are community-based, local-based. So we’re in the city and… where people live. And most of the time, you know, it’s very close to where they live. They can walk there. It’s all daytime services. There are other organizations that provide services like ours, but I think what differentiates us is the innovation. And like you said, it’s a labor of love. Our, our, staff, everybody does it because they’re so committed. And I wanted to tell you about that based on what happened when the war began on October 8th in Israel, right after the horrific massacre on October 7th. Is it okay if I tell you?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, I know. It’s probably hard, but I think our listeners need to know. They do.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you. Yes. So we have, as I said, we have 26 programs and centers throughout most of central Israel. We have in Ashkelon both an early childhood center and a center that helps people, adults with severe disabilities. So I’m going to focus on the children. So in Ashkelon, We are six miles from Gaza and when you hear a siren, which is warning you that there’s an incoming rocket. You basically have 30 seconds to reach shelter, which is Literally impossible if you have a child with disabilities and you have to get them down to a basement safe room or some of these people are very poor and they don’t even have safe rooms. They have to go outside to the shelter. And in Ashkelon, they received more rockets than anyone else in any other city in Israel, about 1,200 rockets. So at the time, our centers were closed. Our families were living in shelters, and they were running out of food and medicine and diapers. Many of the moms were parenting alone because the dads were called up to defend the country. So our staff decided that they would be in daily contact with each of our families so that no family would feel abandoned. And very quickly, my department, I’m from the resource development department, we put together an emergency fund and we raised money from North America and a lot of money. And we were able to bring to them in real time food, diapers, medicine, therapeutic equipment, iPads for remote learning, and we conducted remote learning classes, vouchers for supermarkets, which they were able to use when the supermarkets reopened. And then after some time, we realized that this is not ending, and people will really hold up in their homes and their safe rooms. So since they couldn’t come to the centers, we brought our centers to them. And our dedicated, amazing staff braved the rockets to give therapy and relief to each child. They went to each of their homes once a week. They brought toys. They brought equipment. They gave the parents who were just… really like frazzled over overwhelmed having to take care of their special needs child 24 seven, they gave them a much needed break. And this is when we realized that the war revealed that our children are extremely vulnerable in the buildings that we’re in. And we need to build a protective center where even when there is war, they can come to the center and they can get the therapies they need to grow and to master their abilities. That’s one of the reasons I’m speaking to you today and hoping that people will donate because we need to build a purpose-built center for these people with disabilities. And I’ll explain why. Currently, our facilities for these children are in four areas. old homes, they’re really old homes with lots of stairs and small rooms. And then the shelters, which are on the ground floor, they’re too small to fit everybody. So what happens is they basically, they don’t get down the stairs and to the shelter within 30 seconds. And then when they finally get there, Some of the staff and the children have to be outside the shelter and they have to close the door. So it’s terrifying if you’re a parent knowing that you’re dropping off your child and they’re not really protected in their daycare situation. So that’s That’s the reality there. And when it’s a big conflict like we had on October 7th, you have to close the doors. From October 7th and onward, we were closed for four months. And the children regressed and they lose the abilities. And sometimes, you know, because of where they are in their brain development, some of those abilities that they lose could be or, you know, they progress and then they regress. It could be permanent. I could tell you some stories about the children, some individual children and what happened with them.
SPEAKER 02 :
I think one of those would be good. And I think, too, Pamela, just so our listeners can get their arms around being attacked with rockets. That’s something that. In the U.S., they can’t relate to, but you’re bringing that home for us. So we appreciate that. Pamela, I want to challenge our listeners to pray for you and your staff and those kids to also prayerfully consider supporting. And if you could give us the website of how they do that.
SPEAKER 01 :
Sure. Thank you so much. Thank you. Yeah. So the best way to find us is just to do a search for Chimes Israel, C-H-I-M-E-S. Israel, I S R I S R A E L. It’s not an easy word to spell. And you will, um, then you can go to our website and click on English because we’re really an Israeli organization. So, and then you’ll see the way to donate. There’s a button there, or you can just learn about everything we do. And, um, we appreciate any, um, interest in what we’re doing. So I appreciate this interview. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER 02 :
Pamela, thank you for your time. Coming from Israel late at night there, we’re so grateful. It’s Pamela Azaria. Pamela is the International Resource Director for Times Israel. And you can see… Pamela’s authenticism, sharing with us some very, very difficult things to hear. And these are reality for Pamela. So again, I challenge you to please pray for Israel. We always say that. Pray for her people. Pray for Pamela, her staff, and for those children. And prayerfully help if you can. Again, just search for Chimes Israel. If you need any information, call us here at the station as well. Thank you, Pamela.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you. Thank you so much. And I’m praying for you too. So thank you.
