Catégorie : Je m’informe

Au cours d’une après-midi à Ecoute Mémoire et Histoire, Lucie Victoria, une bénéficiaire du service, a raconté son histoire. Elle expliqua comment elle fut sauvée pendant la Shoah grâce à un geste généreux et héroïque d’un habitant de Levalanet, un petit village dans l’Ariège où sa famille s’était réfugiée. A l’issue de son récit, tout l’auditoire l’encouragea à faire une démarche pour faire reconnaître son sauveur « Juste Parmi les Nations » et Fabienne  Amson, responsable du service, l’a mise en relation avec le Comité Français pour Yad Vashem. Serge Liberman, bénévole à Ecoute Mémoire et Histoire, l’aida à écrire son témoignage et l’histoire de sa famille d’origine russe. 

Le temps de la procédure et des recherches passé, le jour est enfin arrivé où Lucie Victoria a pu serrer dans ses bras Dominique Martinez-Chenet,  alors que celle-ci venait de recevoir la médaille et le diplôme de « Juste parmi les Nations » décernés à titre posthume à ses parents, Joseph et Maria Martinez, ceux-là mêmes qui avaient caché Lucie Victoria et sa famille dans leur grenier durant des mois en 1944.

Ce jour, c’était le 11 octobre dernier, au cours d’une cérémonie émouvante à Levalanet, en présence du Maire, de la Préfète de l’Ariège et de nombreux élèves des écoles de la région.

Lucie Victoria, qui a fêté tout récemment ses 90 ans, est heureuse d’avoir accompli cette action. « On parle toujours des grands héros de la Résistance mais jamais de ceux qui ont fait un geste tout simplement, en toute discrétion », a-t-elle confié en remerciant l’OSE de lui avoir permis de réaliser ce grand moment de gratitude.

Plus de 3500 visiteurs sont venus à la rencontre de l’OSE à la Halle des Blancs Manteaux hier, à l’occasion de la Fête des Livres de l’OSE. Cette deuxième édition de la Fête des Livres a été couronnée d’un magnifique succès, et il est certain que tous ceux qui étaient présents dimanche garderont longtemps le souvenir de l’extraordinaire ambiance et du riche programme proposé aux participants.

Les conférences d’Elisabeth de Fontenay au micro d’Antoine Spire et de Jean-Claude Grumberg interviewé par Patricia Drai, les interventions de Haim Korsia, Grand Rabbin de France, et de Christophe Girard, le Maire du quatrième arrondissement de Paris, accompagné de son adjointe, les prises de parole de prestigieux invités, la qualité des quelque 60 auteurs présents, des débats, des animations – tout a contribué à rendre cette journée inoubliable et à tisser des liens plus forts et plus chaleureux encore entre les amis de l’OSE, les bénévoles, et tout simplement les passionnés des livres et de la culture.

De l’humour de Popeck à la réflexion de Georges Bensoussan, lauréat du Prix des Livres du Café des Psaumes 2017, en passant par les chants yiddish des Marx Sisters que vous fredonnez peut-être encore, cette journée a été à l’image de l’OSE : généreuse, riche en émotions, diverse !

Merci à tous ceux qui l’ont partagée avec nous : votre présence et votre soutien ont été la clé de cette belle réussite.

Cette année 5578, l’OSE n’a pas dérogé à la tradition : à l’occasion de Souccoth, la fête des cabanes, de nombreux amis de l’OSE se sont réunis au Centre Lili et Georges Garel, le mardi 10 octobre autour du Grand Rabbin de France Haïm Korsia. Membres du Conseil d’Administration et salariés de l’OSE, membres de l’Amicale des Anciens et sympathisants, bénévoles, ils étaient nombreux pour partager les vœux de bonne année dans la convivialité de cette fête.

Patricia Sitruk, Directrice générale, a présenté les nombreux projets de l’OSE pour l’année à venir, dans les domaines de l’enfance et de la jeunesse, de la santé, de la dépendance, du handicap et de la mémoire. Jean-François Guthmann, Président, a rappelé la mémoire des anciens et des proches de l’OSE disparus l’année passée.

Le sens de la fête de Souccoth, notamment son caractère à la fois profondément juif, universel et solidaire, a été souligné par  le Grand Rabbin Haïm Korsia : ce n’est pas un hasard si cette fête est particulièrement chère à l’OSE car elle est en somme, à son image.

 

photo : Thierry Samuel

Une nouvelle action du Café des Aidants de l’OSE est à l’oeuvre : Lutter contre le Stress des aidants avec la méthode Mindfulness ou « pleine conscience »

Depuis plus de 30 ans les études scientifiques reconnaissent l’action positive de l’approche développée par le Chercheur Jon Kabat Zinn sur la réduction du stress, la régulation des émotions et le développement de l’attention, de la concentration et de la mémoire.

Nous avons le plaisir de vous annoncer le début d’un programme de pleine conscience au Café des aidants de l’OSE.

Selon Patrick Visseq, spécialiste de cette méthode, « c’est un entrainement à la méditation en séances, structuré et progressif. Ce programme permet de révéler nos potentiels de résilience et d’adaptation pour faire face aux défis et aux difficultés de notre vie. Simple et accessible à tous, la méditation de la pleine conscience est aujourd’hui proposée dans les hôpitaux, les écoles et les entreprises. »

Pour votre inscription au Cycle auprès du Club des aidants

Le Club des aidants Joseph Weill reçoit tous les matins sur Rendez-vous :

01.43.47.30.01

Clubdesaidants@ose-france.org

 

Selon l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé(OMS), on estime aujourd’hui à 47.5 millions le nombre de personnes dans le monde souffrant d’une maladie neurodégénérative. La maladie d’Alzheimer représenterait 60 à 70% des cas. Le nombre de personnes souffrant d’une maladie neurodégénérative devrait doubler tous les 20 ans.

Avec 900000 personnes qui en souffriraient, la France fait partie des pays où le nombre de malades est le plus élevé.

Ces maladies ont des conséquences directes pour les proches, puisque 63% des malades demeurent à domicile. Lorsque l’on additionne les malades et leurs aidants, 3 millions de personnes en France sont concernées par ces pathologies. Les aidants étaient environ 8.3 millions en France, en 2015 et 48% d’entre eux développaient des maladies chroniques liées au stress et à l’épuisement.

La première Journée Nationale des Aidants a eu lieu en octobre 2013 et a été pérennisée depuis.

Cette journée est l’occasion de reconnaitre les millions d’anonymes qui accompagnent au quotidien un proche malade ou handicapé.

Quelques Chiffres clé :

8.3 millions de personnes de 16 ans ou plus occupent la fonction d’aidant

4.3 millions sont auprès de personnes âgées de plus de 60 ans

Dans 44% des situations l’aidant unique est le conjoint

Dans 12% des situations c’est un enfant

Les femmes représentent 57% des aidants de 16 ans ou plus

 

 

OSE pays tribute to this universal figure.

On June 29th, the Mayor of 3rd district of Paris, Pierre Aidenbaum, and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo inaugurated the Elie-Wiesel Square du Temple, on the first anniversary of the death of this exceptional man.

Elie Wiesel passed away July 2, 2016. He was 87 years old. Since the announcement of his death, the emotion has been intense and tributes from around the world have followed, one after another, recalling the memory of the man of peace, the writer, the witness of history, engaged in the politics of his time.

We wish to recall the memory of this child of OSE that was Elie Wiesel, which he remained throughout his life. « Without OSE, I would not be here talking to you … », he confided in an interview given on the occasion of the naming of Elie Wiesel Children’s Home in Taverny in November 2008.

 

Monday, July 11, 2016, at the town hall of Paris, under the auspices of the City of Paris and the Elie Wiesel Institute, a solemn tribute was paid to his memory, to which OSE was associated.

Among the many dignitaries present: the Prime Minister of France, Manuel Valls, the Mayor of Paris  Anne Hidalgo, the chief  Rabbi of France Haim Korsia, Elie Elalouf, President of the Elie Wiesel Institute, David de Rothschild, President of the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah, and Jean-François Guthmann, President of OSE.

 

Anima sana in corpore sano. Fun and meaningful day in the life of OSE children homes.

On May, 25th of 2017, the Olympiads of OSE’s houses, organized by the Children House Shatta-et-Bouli-Simon brought together 95 children from 5 different OSE houses for an entire day of sports tournaments under the sun.

More than 150 people, children, educators and staff of the children houses were present on this beautiful day.

Many recreational and sports activities, like trampoline, were planned for the youngers ones; and for the older ones, it was football, archery or tug of war!

Like every year, OSE held 3 great weeks of outdoor activities and Jewish life for the youth : the OSE summer Camp is an institution in itself.

From August 2^nd to 21^st, the OSE summer camp in Les Gets gave a dream holiday to fifty young people aged 6 to 17, including a large group of teenagers. “All together, we have come together as a true family this summer – the older ones caring for the little ones – as it is advocated by OSE. And all of this in a safe environment,” explains Aaron Sellem, the manager. It is in the majestic, green and luminous environment of the Haute-Savoie region that young people had great time: mountain activities, rafting, water skiing, but also educational activities like themed games have raised enthusiasm. The icing on the cake was the Kosher caterer who has been very creative in order to dazzle the campers’ taste buds: large salads, couscous on Shabbat … For Aaron Sellem: “it is rewarding for the animators to work with children who know how to be grateful for what” they are given “.
The young people who are used to going to OSE summer camps and those for whom it was the first time promised to come back. As such, it is very possible that this camp of the OSE returns to Les Gets this winter. To be continued.

 

On April 20^th, Hélène Le Gal, France’s Ambassador in Israel, hosted the OSE leadership and young French volunteers currently on civic missions in Israel.

 

Photo credit: Elodie Sauvage / France Embassy in Israël

President Jean-François Guthmann and Director-General Patricia Sitruk were both present, alongside OSE volunteers on civic missions, the hosting facilities’ managers and the legal representatives of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israel Volunteer Association (IVA), both OSE partners.

The ambassador insisted on the exceptional experience that the civic service represents for young people. She pointed out its crucial role in the strengthenin<g of the ties between France and Israel. Israel has now become the 2^nd destination in the world for France’s civic missions done abroad, and it has a little something to do with the work done at OSE!

In less than 2 years 100 volunteers went to Israel with OSE. They got involved all across the country and work in facilities for handicapped, elderly with diminishing autonomy, young children and teenagers. The latest group of 20 new volunteers took off to Israel on August 28^th.

 

 

Simone Veil, a Shoah survivor, was a prominent public and political figure. But she was also a great woman of OSE and an honorary member of our Administrative Council. OSE honors her still vivid memory.

 A prominent public and political figure… :

• November, 26^th of 1974, Simone Veil, Minister of Health at the time, presented her project to amend the legislation on abortion to the General Assembly. “I would like to share with you my beliefs as a woman. I am sorry to do so in front of this assembly almost entirely composed of men.”

 

• July, 17^th of 1979, Simone Veil becomes the first women to chair the European Parliament. Europe is the second great fight of her life. A battle that she was a part of as soon as the Second World War ended. “As soon as I returned from deportation, I thought to myself that the only solution, if we wanted to keep this from happening to our children and grandchildren was to create Europe”, she said.

 

• In 2010, Jean D’Ormesson welcomed Simone Veil under the dome of the Académie Française. A few quotes from his speech:

 “Allow me to put it simply: for someone who walked across the fire of hell alive and had to say goodbye to many of her candid illusions, you do not appear to be very cynical, but rather very sweet and even cheerful and full of life.”

“What you are, in fact, is an eternal rebel. You are a feminist, but you do not agree with the theory that denies any difference between men and women. You are the defender of the weak, but you will not accept any kind of victimization.”

“The key of your popularity rests on the principles that you defend, against anyone and everyone, without ever raising your voice, and that eventually convinces everyone.”

“Like the great majority of the French population: we love you, Madam. You are most welcome in the chair of Racine who spoke so well of love.”

 … Who always remained close to OSE

 

• December 1983:

“The story of OSE is the story of Jewish children, some of who were still in their cribs, who were the victims of a relentless pursuit. Ripped out of their homes where they had found refuge, dragged inside those dark trains of death, they experienced the worst anguish and distress before meeting their final destiny.

They often shared those destinies with the doctors, teachers, and employees of OSE, who chose to stay by their side and die with them.

But the story of OSE, is also one of a relentless fight, both lucid and courageous, to save Jewish children. We are most grateful to the men and women which, often at the cost of their lives, took action against the executioners and snatched their victims away from them. And we mustn’t forget that, alongside them, stood many non-Jewish French, whose courage and benevolence allowed so many children to escape from the genocide.

Numerous survivors of the extermination never saw their parents again. Awoken from this nightmare, they had to learn how to live again. Today, by what they have become, they embody the very idea of the triumph of good over evil.”

Simone Veil, ex Minister, ex Chairman of the European Parliament

 

• December, 5^th of 1993: For OSE’s 80^th anniversary, Simone Veil presented a conference called “Memory and Future”. This memorable anniversary brought together 1,500 people, and most of the former children survivors of Buchenwald.

 

• May 2000: Extract of the PREFACE from the book “Lendemains” by Madam Simone Veil

“May 1945. War has ended. And yet, the task of OSE is far from being over. The association helped the children survive, but it is not sufficient; now she wants to give them the will and joy to live.

OSE tries very hard to give all of the children she was entrusted with the most normal life possible, in spite of the traumas from the years before and the uncertainties that their future holds.

 By creating the newspaper “Lendemains”, OSE gave them the freedom, the space that allowed them to face it all. Fifty years later, reading “Lendemains” stirs profound emotions, and it is the opportunity to honor the admirable action of OSE, which knew how to turn those lost youngsters just out of concentration camp into men.”

 

• November, 12^th and 13^th of 2008: The picture below was taken in La Sorbonne, Paris for Elie Wiesel’s 80^th birthday: both OSE and the Elie-Wiesel University Institute of Jewish Studies had organized in his honor the conference “Read, Study after the catastrophe” in La Sorbonne.

Yet another recognition by the highest French authorities of the quality of the work realized by OSE and its teams.

The OSE Association, its Elders and its teams were immensely proud to be awarded this prize on June 7^th. OSE had been one of the successful candidates for the Louis D. Institut de France Grand Humanitarian Prize of 2017 after its selection process, passing both its written evaluation and an on-site evaluation/interview.

The Louis D. Foundation aims at supporting associations, foundations, or non-governmental organizations engaged in the areas of charity and culture, or with a focus on developing research.

On June 7^th, a solemn opening ceremony was held under the Dome of the Institut de France, chaired by Hélène Carrère d’Encausse, French historian and member of the Académie Française. The award was then presented to OSE President Jean-François Guthmann by Robert Pitt, member of the Institut and legal representative of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques (Academy of Political and Moral Sciences).

OSE is sharing this award with two other associations. OSE was rewarded for its hard work/commitment and its ongoing research for excellency in the solutions it provides to the users of our facilities.

The work of OSE in its entierty, both past and present, in all of its fields of activities, was presented and rewarded at the Institut de France. Eight hundred professionals and 200 volunteers that work in five different fields of activity protection of children in danger, social medicine, elderly dependency, disabled persons, history and memory. With this award, the action of all OSE teams in its 35 establishments and services is honored and acknowledged.

This prize will help in the renovation and expansion project of the Georges and Lili Garel Center, which has been the OSE headquarters for more than 20 years, based in the heart of the lively, working-class neighborhood of Belleville. The building’s renovation, where cultures and generations cross, will allow for the improvement of the conditions for conditions for welcoming the OSE Elders, and a better support for the children and families that are welcomed there.

Inside those renovated facilities, OSE will go on fulfilling its charitable project, built on the Judaic value of humanism.