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July 4, 2003
Kids are all smiles in Jerusalem
Since 1980, about 4,500 dentists from 13 countries have helped
out at Dental Volunteers for Israel clinic.
BATSHEVA POMERANTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
The clinic of Dental Volunteers for Israel (DVI) is located in
Jerusalem, between the embattled Gilo neighborhood and the city
centre – site of repeated Palestinian terrorist attacks during
the past year. Yet the clinic provides an island of tranquillity
for Jewish and Arab children from low-income families who need free
dental care.
"Fortunately, parents have not cancelled appointments because
they fear travelling by bus, and they are quite happy to come with
their children from all parts of the city," said Trudi Birger,
founder and director of DVI.
The dynamic Birger knows the meaning of suffering firsthand. A Holocaust
survivor whose childhood in Frankfurt, Germany, came to an abrupt
end in 1933 when the family began the first in a series of moves
to evade Hitler's army, Birger vowed to dedicate her life to alleviating
the suffering of children if she were to survive those terrible
years.
Since initiating DVI in 1980, about 4,500 dentists from 13 countries
have come at their own expense for a minimum two-week period to
volunteer their time and skill to help Jerusalem children of all
backgrounds.
Many DVI dentists know about Birger's survival of the Holocaust
and some have even read her memoir, A Daughter's Gift of Love,
which was published in October 2000 and which has since been translated
into many languages, including Japanese and Croatian. Miraculously,
Birger was saved from death not once but dozens of times by her
will to live, her quick wit, her self-confidence and, especially,
her love for her mother. It was this sense of devotion that, in
the end, kept them both alive to see liberation from the camps and
a return to normal life.
With the deteriorating security situation in Israel since September
2000, many dentists have stopped coming to Israel, but Birger has
been determined that the children will not be neglected because
of the situation.
"It is important that the program continue even in these tough
times," maintained Birger.
As soon as the first cancellations arrived, Birger sent impassioned
letters to some 350 Jerusalem dentists to volunteer. Very few responded.
She then personally called all the people on her list of overseas
dentists, mostly non-Jews, to convince them of the importance of
their work. Some have responded eagerly, such as Dr. Anna Lindsors
of Uppsala, Sweden, who even brought along her mother, an enthusiastic
first-time visitor to Israel.
"When you watch the news in Sweden, it appears that the whole
country is at war," observed Lindsors. "But this is simply
not the case. Concerned friends have phoned us from Sweden but I'm
not really scared. I am from peaceful Sweden, but here it seems
pretty peaceful too."
The Lindsors even went touring in Jerusalem, accompanied by Friends
of DVI, and dined with Israeli families of different religious and
political backgrounds.
"This was the best part of the visit," said Lindsors.
"I was impressed by the Israelis' hospitality."
Another Swedish dentist, Dr. Sven Busch of Norberg, has visited
Israel 10 times since 1990, four of them as a DVI dentist.
"I'm experienced both with Israel and with the local, one-sided
media," he said. "Because of the media situation, I felt
the need to help Trudi and to pay my respects to Israel. My own
personal safety did not enter into it."
In Sweden, Busch has tried to persuade other dentists to visit.
"I wrote letters, telling them that instead of staying home
and reading the newspapers or watching television about the situation
in Israel, they should go there and work."
For Dr. Michael Elliott from North Carolina, this was his first
trip to Israel.
"Everybody is very friendly in Israel, compared to other countries
where I have been on voluntary programs," he said. "This
year, I wanted to come here, realizing that the need is greater.
Everyone told me I was crazy but the reality is far better than
the news indicates. The children at the clinic are well behaved.
They come with their mothers and siblings. The assistant helps me
understand them, but I usually understand them anyhow," said
Elliott. "I would come back again for this project."
In addition to helping the children, the dentists act as goodwill
ambassadors for Israel.
"When I return home, I will complain when I sense that something
wrong is being reported on the news about the situation in Israel.
I will tell our story to everyone I meet," stated Lindsors.
"I will convey to the people back home that they shouldn't
be afraid to come to Israel," said Elliott.
"We are a strong group in Sweden," added Busch. "We
write many articles about the true situation and send them to the
press. Unfortunately, none have been published to date. We also
circulate e-mails and have sent letters to the Swedish archbishop,
who is pro-Palestinian."
Busch's suggestions to potential volunteers for DVI: "Trust
in Trudi, who gives good advice of where to go and what to avoid.
Avoid crowded buses, travel by car and visit places with a certain
amount of precaution. I'm never afraid in Israel!"
Despite the difficulties and the fact the clinic is only running
at an 80 per cent capacity, Birger's dedication to the clinic and
the devoted DVI dentists who give freely of their time and expertise,
are helping give the poor children of Jerusalem something to smile
about in these troubled times.
Dentists interested in volunteering for DVI should contact birgert@netvision.net.il.
Batsheva Pomerantz is with Israel Press Service.
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