Hundreds of Israelis paid their respects to Maj. Bar Falah following his death on September 14. Falah was killed during a firefight with Palestinian terrorists in Jenin. The late officer was laid to rest at a military cemetery in Netanya.
“We promised that we would go through; this together; we knew what we were getting into,” his wife, Ariel, said. “It’s hard for me to find the words to describe what a good man you are and how much you accomplished. You said, ‘nothing will happen to me, my beautiful. Who can do anything to me?’ However, my biggest nightmare came true.”
Falah’s brother, Amos, said, “You were so strong and brave; you had resilience, leadership, and love. Our mother’s home is full of young folk crying and in pain — Students you taught to surf and ski, your soldiers and commanders in the army. How can you say goodbye to a brother?”
Sadly, Falah’s story is one that Israelis are used to. A total of 24,068 members of Israel’s security forces have been killed defending their country.
When the headlines of these tragic deaths become yesterday’s headlines, it is the victim’s families that are left picking up the pieces. Fortunately, this is when Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund (SICF) steps in to help.
SICF provides a wide range of therapies for Israeli children who have suffered from PTSD from violent terrorism, offering an array of treatments, including animal-assisted therapy, music therapy, sports therapy, and art therapy.
In 2001, David Rubin and his then 3-year-old son were driving home from Jerusalem when a hail of terrorists’ bullets struck their car. Fortunately, both David and his son survived, but the physical wounds and psychological trauma they both experienced inspired Rubin to establish the Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund to support badly needed therapeutic, educational, and recreational projects for children in the Biblical heartland of Israel.
As vehicular terrorism throughout Israel continues to plague Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, SICF is there to ensure that every child suffering from terror-induced trauma is properly healed, with the long-term goal of building a brighter future for the children of Israel. See what it takes to save a child’s life.
