Scenes of terrorism in newspapers and television have the same effect on me: they inspire shock and anger. There are the pictures of the ambulance crews, the Chevra Kadisha (Jewish burial Society) workers literally “picking up the pieces” and the sobbing relatives and friends at the funerals. Then it’s on to the next news story.

Yet the tragic effects of terrorism don’ t end at death or even at the funeral. What has been ignored has been the debilitating psychological trauma on the surviving victims and their families,as well as the struggle to recuperate and return to a normal life.

For many victims, the story begins just as they start to recuperate.

National Insurance, known as Bituach Leumi covers most Israelis. Due to the grim facts of life here, there is a special department of “shikum” (rehabilitation) specifically designated for victims of terrorism. Mrs. Osnat Sasson, a sephardic woman in her thirties, with olive complexion and jet black hair, is one of the social workers in that department. For six years she has helped people get through the trauma, the confusion, shock, and disruption of their family life.

Osnat is a neighbor of my sister, a resident of Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim in Gush Etzion.

Never did she dream that one-day she would also have to go through the rehab process herself.

She confided that she always had fears that her husband Tsachi might be lost to her.

Tsachi was of course in the Israeli army reserves like every other Israeli.

He was called up once a month like all other Israeli men to serve his country.

Osnat was often apprehesive that he could get hurt during army service.

It never dawned on her that it would come from terrorism.

And then the unthinkable occurred.

Tsachi was on his way home to Gush Etzion on February 10th of this year.

As he exited one of the tunnels just outside Jerusalem, he was shot dead by a sniper from area of the Arab village of Beit Jala (under Palestinian Authority control.)

An Israeli ambulance appeared on the scene within minutes. The PLO snipers kept firing at the ambulance while the ambulance paramedic driver leaped into Tzachi’s car. There was little that he could do.

Tzachi had been killed instantly.

Now, many months later, you would never known what had happened by calling Osnat at her home.

If you would get the answering machine you would hear the taped message of the soft-spoken voice of her husband Tzachi saying something about the electrical services he provides.

Osnat had been married to Tzachi for 7 ½ years. She is now widowed with 2 young children.

Not long after the murder she was interviewed by CNN. It happened that on the same day of her husband’s death, Israel Defense Forces killed three Palestinians.

The reporter asked her how she felt about their deaths.

She was outraged. The Palestinians were killed for shooting at Israeli soldiers.

Had they not fired, they would have been left alone.

Her husband’s “crime” was that he driving home from work.

Such a moral equivalence enraged her.

Her children are slowly coming to realize that their abba (father) will never be with them for the holidays and for other family activities like tiyulim (outings, hiking).

I was amazed at her composure and serene demeanor.

What goes on in her social work office?

In November a terrorist opened fire on a bus in Jerusalem’s French Hill neighborhood, killing two school children and wounding over 20 other people.

The first stage was to hold a debriefing for those present.

They recall events and express their feelings in front of others so that they know that they are not alone in what they are going through.

After the families of those murdered sat the traditional seven days of mourning (Shiva) special assemblies are held in the school over a period of time to help the students cope with the loss and their own fears and insecurities.

The wounded are taken to the hospital for treatment.

The social worker then visits the hospital to determine the needs of the entire family- for their life has now been disrupted.

If, for example, a father is hospitalized, that means that the mother/wife has to visit and leave the children at home.

Jerusalem is home to many very traditional Orthodox families with many children.

In one case, Ms. Sassoon helpd with a father of 14 children whose wife had to attend to him.

The family needed a babysitter to watch the kids, and a housekeeper to take care of cleaning, shopping and cooking.

Money was needed to pay for transportation to the hospital and medical clinics.

The mother needed guidance on how to manage under stress, and how to handle her husband when he is released.

She is nervous, angry, worried, and afraid and prone to let it out on her children.

Even when the father returns, it won’t be like it was before.

At time like this, everyone needs more attention and without proper outside intervention the tensions could escalate into a never-ending cycle of frustration.

After the horrific explosion at the Sbarro eatery in Jerusalem, Osnat met with a 17 year old waitress who normally works behind the counterthat moved out of direct danger the last minute. Her hand was injured from the blast.

Osnat visited her in the hospital, then she met afterwards with her parents.

The waitress suffered from loss of sleep and appetite, grew increasingly impatient with her family, and had frequent crying spells.

The parents were alarmed at the change in their daughter’s behavior and seeming change in personality.

The parents were reassured that this behavior was normal.

This lowered they fear of her symptoms.

The bombing took place three weeks before she started her studies in school.

By the beginning of the school year, she was calm enough to go back to school and start her studies. It takes on average of six weeks to get through the initial period of shock.

Psychological aftereffects include: insomnia, anxiety, fear of revisiting the scene of the incident, fear of entering a bus or any other activity associated with the event, and obsessive recall of the trauma. Some feel guilt: Why did I say this or do that to him/her before they died??

People who are sensitive have trouble returning to work. Others, who have lost a dear one, need to undergo grief counseling once a week for the next six months.

Many of the families instinctively reach out to other families who have already gone through this experience. Israel is a small country and it doesn?t take long to find and contact others for support and assistance.

In short, the act of terrorism has a ripple effect that affects the spouse, the children and relatives, the job, friends, and schoolmates. It affects business establishments that lose customers and Israel as a whole that loses tourists and investors.

For Osnat Sassoon, faith played a big role in helping her cope with life.

“Tsachi is in a good place… There are no ‘accidents’… Since I have no control I give it over to G-d. I have questions, but if I know that G-d is above, then I can manage below.”.

I was amazed at Osnat’s faith and level of acceptance.

Faith seems to be the main ingredient that allows Israelis to carry on, whether they be religious or secular.

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