Overcoming Childhood War Trauma: A Journey of Love and Healing

by Rickie Avitan
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I vividly recall my early years growing up amidst the turmoil of war. Born on April 12, 1964, I was the youngest of ten siblings in a large family. The backdrop of my childhood was the constant sound of sirens, signaling us to seek refuge in bomb shelters at any time of day or night. Every home and apartment building in Israel had its own shelter, and my family had to rush to a nearby apartment building whenever the sirens wailed. I remember the cramped, dark, and musty shelters, where we would huddle together, uncertain of when it would be safe to emerge.