Mending Broken Soldiers

The war that Israel has been waging for the past year, first in Gaza and now also in Lebanon, has taken a heavy toll. Almost eight hundred Israeli soldiers have been killed and over ten thousand wounded, many of them seriously. The task of rehabilitating the injured soldiers falls on Israel’s hospitals, many of which have specialized units allied to the Ministry of Defence which are devoted to repairing injured bodies, teaching amputees to cope with their new situation, and providing physical and psychological therapy to enable the soldiers to resume some semblance of normal life.

In several cases only the devoted ministrations of medics and comrades in the field, followed by rapid evacuation by helicopter, that has served to save the lives of soldiers who have been shot or injured, wounded by shrapnel or trapped under rubble when an explosive device caused a three-storey house to collapse on them. The resulting injuries require many long hours on the operating table, followed by extensive nurture and care to give the injured person a chance of recovery, however partial.

Many Israelis, whether as individuals in groups or associations, have taken it upon themselves to provide ‘extra-curricular’ help to the wounded soldiers, visiting them in hospital, bringing them food or special treats, and generally doing what they can to improve the morale of sturdy young men who suddenly find themselves in a situation of near-helplessness.

One such noble soul happens to be my granddaughter Shir who, after completing her university studies, now lives and works in digital advertising in Tel Aviv. In the last few years she has made a habit of baking Challot (plaited loaves) and cakes every week, distributing them to friends and family, and also taking them to the Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv, where she makes straight for the ward where the injured soldiers are situated.

Each cake is neatly wrapped in cellophane and decorated with flowers and ribbons, providing a combination of aesthetic pleasure and culinary delight to the recipients. Shir, who happens to be a beautiful young woman, also sits at the bedside of several soldiers, talking to them and encouraging them. I’m sure she does a lot to raise their morale. Last week she told me with a sense of pride that two of the soldiers she has been visiting have been released from hospital, to continue their rehabilitation in a separate unit devoted to providing the treatment the young men require. She is sad to see them go, but glad that they are on their way to a full recovery.

The cost to Israel in the loss of life and the physical and mental damage is incalculable. I can only hope that sense will prevail and the war be brought to an end in the near future.