The Horse Whisperer

By Rabbi Steven J. Rubenstein

There is an ancient Jewish tradition whenever a person goes to Israel, it is customary to give them tzedakah as your emissary, to keep them safe on their journey.  The mission is not completed until the funds have been distributed and the person returns securely.  Before leaving for Israel, Lynn and I were given one dollar bills from our respective work places and from friends.  We knew from the outset where we wanted to donate our collection of bills.  However, we were never certain whether or not we would be able to make our delivery in person.  It wasn’t until our last day in Israel that we were given the opportunity to pay a visit to a worthwhile organization that is situated along the Mediterranean Sea between Ceasarea and Tel Aviv.

For many years I have known of the existence of this place in Israel where Danny Siegel, the mitzvah maven, claims that there are horses performing miracles every day.  It is a place where the bodies of broken men, women, and children have their spirits repaired while riding horses that are trained to treat the injured human beings that ride on their backs.  Anita and Giora Shkedi established a non-profit organization in Israel in 1989 to support their work in therapeutic horse back riding.  Currently, there are 23 horses and a host of staff people to assist the patients who come for treatment.

I first learned about INTRA (Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association) through Danny Siegel’s Ziv Tzedakah Fund, a newsletter that spoke about the many projects that he discovered with the help of many friends, organizations that did not receive the help of large grants and donors.  By introducing his followers to these special people doing mitzvah work, he helped them with their causes by raising funds through those who were hoping to make a difference with their nickels and their dimes and their quarters.  Several years ago I was introduced to Jesse, who was confined to a wheelchair all of his life and was not able to respond to others in the same way that you or I can communicate to one another.  Jesse had a younger sister.  When it was time for her to receive her bat mitzvah date, she approached me and said that she could not have her bat mitzvah until after her brother had his bar mitzvah.

So began the journey in which we Jesse learned how parchment felt in his fingers.  In response to the tactile stimulation, he hit a switch, connected to a series of speakers that recorded a young man’s voice reciting the blessings over the Torah.  During his lessons with me I learned of his interest in both music and therapeutic horseback riding.  Not too long after his affair, Jesse’s sister, Eve, celebrated her bat mitzvah.  As is my custom, each child receives a gift from me, their rabbi, related to their personal interests.  Since Eve, also, enjoyed riding a horse, I sought out an organization that would tie together her Torah portion’s connection to Israel and her personal interest in horseback riding.   This is when I rediscovered INTRA and was introduced to a new horse to the stable, named Pokey, short for Pocahontas.  I adopted Pokey in honor of Eve’s bat mitzvah.  Eve was ready to join our Y2I’ers last summer when plans were changed by certain circumstances.  I advocated on her behalf that she be able to visit her pet horse in Israel.  Alas, it did not happen.

One foal named Siegel, in honor of Danny, and several years later, I had the opportunity of sponsoring Pokey a second time, in honor of the bat mitzvah of Ashley who helped out as a volunteer at a local therapeutic riding ring.  She, too, looks forward to meeting her Israeli horse friend when she joins her peers when it is her turn to join her peers with Y2I in Israel.  However, it is I who managed to meet Pokey – and Siegel – first, in our last day in Israel.  Both of them whispered into my ears, sharing with me what a delight it was for them to empower so many men, women, and children each day, leaving them with feelings of joy at the end of their ride.

Anita and her husband Giora shared with us their own excitement about a new research program in which they are participating on an international level.  In Israel, under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense, Professor Arieh Shalev, head of the Psychiatry Department at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, and a world expert on the subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, soldiers who have been affected by their war experiences are receiving therapeutic riding treatments two times a week for a minimum of a year.

The program is known as Horses for Heroes.  It was established following the second war in Lebanon to assist soldiers who became traumatized by their experiences while defending their country.  Early results show that there is a positive affect change in these soldiers.  Pokie and Siegel said to me how proud they are to be involved in their healing, in the same way that they take joy in helping people with other debilitating injuries and illnesses to the body and the mind rehabilitate themselves.

I was asked by my new friends when we would be returning for another visit.  Although I could not give Pokie and her son Siegel a definite answer, I told them that it would not be long before I would find a way to bring with me a new group of friends to learn about the mitzvoth that they perform, bringing blessings into the lives of those who ride on their shoulders!