Thousands of children have been evacuated from their homes in the north and south of the country since the outbreak of the Iron Sword War, and they find themselves facing many emotional challenges. As part of a new initiative, many children are given special emotional therapy using animals provided by a JNF instructor, who has been "recruited" for the sensitive task.
Every day, Shahaf Wilde, who routinely serves as a forester at the JNF, goes to one of the hotels to which the residents were evacuated, where he meets the children – and gives them a special lesson about the special animals that live in the forest and the special qualities that each of them has. During the training, children learn about the forest habits of snakes, turtles, spiders, lizards, shrews and geckos.
Wilde says that in the past he was a therapeutic riding instructor, so because of his past with emotional therapy using animals, he suggested to JNF directors to set up the project. "At the beginning of each session, the children are a little afraid of the animals, which they see mostly in the movies, where they are portrayed as dangerous," he said. "The fear disappears as quickly as children's curiosity increases. The training introduces the world of animals in the forest and the importance of preserving the environment so that they can live in peace. The children open up emotionally and forget about what's going on."
Wilde guiding evacuated children, photo: JNF Spokesperson's Office
"When you talk to children about the environment and the importance of preserving nature, it's great, but when you introduce them to the animals, a direct emotional connection is created between the animal and the preservation of their natural habitat, the forest, and this directly affects the consciousness that love of flora and fauna is associated with protecting the environment," he explained the importance of the training. "Moreover, once the children see these special animals, their enthusiasm and excitement outweigh the feelings created by the situation, in addition to creating a sense of emotional empowerment when they face and overcome fear, so they feel a sense of victory and success that increases their confidence and self-image. They learn that they can overcome fears and other obstacles."
He added: "I talk to them about protected and dangerous animals, explain to them how to watch out for them and if they are mature enough, then they talk about coping properly in case of a bite or bite. Because of the situation, I introduce the subject of animal defense mechanisms and teach the children the ways in which each animal defends itself in the wild."
"You learn that they can overcome obstacles." Wilde and children in training // Photo: JNF Spokesperson's Office
"The boy hardly smiled"
Einat, who was evicted from their home with her family, spoke about the guidance her 8-year-old son, Tomer, received from Weiner: "Since we were evacuated, Tomer has rarely spoken and barely smiled. At first the encounter was a bit daunting, but it actually opened. When I saw him learning about scorpions and snakes, and even holding one himself, I saw that he also cooperated and started talking. It was a very moving emotion."
Hadar Avrahami, Director of the Central Region Department of the JNF's Education and Community Division, said: "When the children meet Seagull, they get excited and learn about the animals. The responses from parents we receive after each activity say it all, and as proof of this, the communities asked to hold the activity on a weekly basis. We are happy to see that the activity provided an emotional response to both the children and their parents."
"We're excited and learning." Wilde and children during training // Photo: JNF Spokesperson's Office
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