ijab.de: Roy, how are the members of the Scouts Movement in Israel doing right now?
Roy Shaul: I’d say that depends on the region in which they live and the extent to which they were affected by the massacres of 7 October. Somehow we have become used to the situation, which is terrible in and of itself. Many are trying to get back to a daily routine, but that is becoming more difficult every day.
ijab.de: What about their mental health?
Roy Shaul: Living in Israel has always had an element of fear around it, particularly for villages and towns close to the Gaza Strip. As someone once said, 95% of the time it’s heaven, 5% of the time it’s hell. There have been rocket attacks out of Gaza for many years and we have a defence system of sorts in place. While that is not something you ever really get used to, we are familiar with the situation and are prepared to deal with it. But what we experienced on 7 October was unprecedented. The one comparison I can draw, as politically incorrect that may be, is the Shoah. People who have to hide so they are not killed. Mothers who cover their babies’ mouths so they are not heard and found. People who have been murdered or taken hostage. This trauma has spread throughout the whole of Israel. The events of 7 October have affected every single household. We all know someone who was murdered, kidnapped or injured. We are all struggling to get back to life as we know it, but we cannot forget. Even children, although they are not aware. When they play hide-and-seek, they hide in a bunker. Their gut feeling tells them to go there. We have now put together a team of psychologists who are taking care of those whose relatives were killed or kidnapped and who offer one-on-one and group therapy for Scouts and full-time Scout workers. I, too, have never known such fear.
Far from normal
ijab.de: Do you feel it helps if you can get together and make a difference by helping others?
Roy Shaul: It absolutely does. I think that the hallmark of our society is its unity. As Israelis, we immediately stood together and began to work for the common good. The Scouts collect donations for the families who have been affected by the terrorist attacks. They cook them meals. They collect sleeping bags for the soldiers. One of our campaigns called on people to collect the small change that’s lying about the house. The amount collected was 300,000 shekels, that’s almost 80,000 euros. We support our soldiers, send them supplies and wash their laundry. We are in constant contact with other youth organisations to bundle and multiply our teenage members’ capacities. We organized a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to put pressure on the government to work harder to get the hostages released. We are also very active online, posting videos and articles to improve Israel’s image, and we send images of the hostages to our international partners so they can print out posters.
ijab.de: What does the future look like? When can you return to something resembling normality?
Roy Shaul: I don’t know. Will we have our regular summer camps this year? No-one can tell. We also need to think about what Israeli society will look like once the war is over. What about the state of our economy? Where will people feel safe? What about the trauma that will pass to the next generation?
Our international partners give us strength
ijab.de: As Scouts, you are part of a strong international network. How are your partners abroad responding?
Roy Shaul: I’ve received a large number of messages from our international partners asking how they can help. Our German partners are particularly significant to me – because of our past. They, too, asked what they can do to help. They printed out our posters of the hostages and hung them up. They have condemned the terrorist attacks of Hamas and are supporting us on social media. I get lots of phone calls and texts from them. We’d do the same for them if something terrible were to happen in Germany. I was in Germany in February and received a very warm welcome. I felt that we are not alone in this situation. That feeling gave me strength.
This interview was made possible in cooperation with ConAct - Coordination Center for German-Israeli Youth Exchange.
