"An officer who is fighting in Gaza came to us and began to bring us from there, in various ways, a lot of animals - dogs, cats, sheep and horse - who had experienced indescribable trauma during the war, suffered terribly. After a few days here, they calmed down, and now they are recovering from what they went through in Gaza."
This is how journalist Orly Vilnai recounts the "Start Over" gesture in Moshav Herut in the Sharon region. "Starting Over" is the largest animal rescue rehabilitation shelter in Israel, which, together with the Freedom Center – its unique educational center, established by Vilnai and neuroscientist Nitzan Meisels – have undergone a comprehensive change in their activities since the outbreak of the Iron Sword War.
At the beginning of the war, many animals from the surrounding communities and the Gaza Strip were absorbed into the shelter, in addition to the 1,500 animals already staying there. At the same time, the Freedom Center began a unique program that assists trauma victims from the envelope, including every Israeli who is "traumatized."
Animals from the Gaza Strip at the animal rehabilitation shelter to "start over", photo: Revital Topiol
The rehabilitation process is carried out through the care of the animals in the shelter, each of whom has a very severe history of abuse, and the activity on the farm brings them relief and a good life. "The farm, founded by Sharon Cohen, has many animals that have been rehabilitated from severe trauma," Orly Vilnai told Israel Hayom.
To illustrate her point, she tells of "many donkeys who arrived at the farm even before the war, who were destined to reach the Gaza Strip. Some of them were supposed to be hard labor, and some were intended for the cosmetics industry. In other words, they would strip their skin to make a cream that is very loved by Chinese women."
The educational center itself, Vilnai notes, "is designed to teach school children to show compassion for animals, how to prevent violence from animals. Children 3D printed a prosthetic leg for a donkey, for example, and others made a wheelchair for a goat that couldn't walk."
Vilnai Meisels at the "Start Over" rehabilitation shelter, photo: Orly Vilnai
"Our humble contribution"
The cessation of this educational activity due to the war led Vilnai and Meisels to "do their thinking" and use the vast experience accumulated there to rehabilitate people who experienced trauma and suffer from post-trauma. Vilnai: "In fact, the entire country is traumatized at the moment, and the treatment and assistance of an animal that has undergone trauma itself and recovered from it, can be a healing process for the person caring for this animal."
For example, she says: "A mother and daughter came to us, whose grandmother was murdered in Bari. The quiet on the farm, their care and assistance from the animals made such a difference for the better in the mother that she said she would celebrate her child's birthday on the farm."
A donkey from the Gaza Strip in "Starting Over", Photo: Revital Topiol
The center has prepared a complete rehabilitation system for trauma victims, which constitutes a significant healing process for them and includes animal treatment sessions accompanied by designated counselors. "We hosted the children of the envelope and their parents on the farm, and we took care of them for free and with love," emphasizes Vilnai. "A lot of research shows how caring for animals creates a healing process, and we're currently doing this activity on the farm. This, together with the rescue of animals from Gaza, are our modest contributions to the war."
How does such a large place manage to exist?
"The truth is that operating the farm costs half a million shekels a month, and Sharon Cohen obtains them by donations that unfortunately have decreased at the moment."
She added: "The center itself is recognized by the Ministry of Education, and schools come to it, although it's not really a source of livelihood but more of our giving to students. Now we're hosting traumatized families, at a cost that's actually a donation."
Donkeys from the Gaza Strip in "Starting Over", Photo: Revital Topiol
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