Matanel Perah Zahav Musrara – Testimonial Daniel Treistman

Daniel Treistman, a New Music Dept. student talks about Sylvia Meidan:
Sylvia was born in Romania. Her health is good. She has been living with her partner for 30 years. He is 95 years old, functioning and clear, but has cancer.
Sylvia is fully functioning, active and sometimes also drives. She has one child who lives in the United States, and she sees him and her grandchildren about once a year.
She goes to Amcha Center (the Israeli Center for Psychological and Social Support for Holocaust Survivors and the Second Generation) several times a week.
During our meeting we mostly converse and many times I help her with tasks with her mobile phone and computer: contact lists, direct online movie viewing, uploading and downloading docs. etc.. We also play Chess- She is much better than I am.

Our meetings are very significant for Sylvia, but she is reserved and keeps her boundaries- She doesn’t tend to talk a lot about herself and her life. She accustomed to such welfare meetings and over the years learned to channel this resource to her benefits. She told me that in the past she met with a student, but after he graduated from his studies he left. I figure that if she continues to ask for friendly companionship, then it is important for her. I can detect that our time together is being extended from one meeting to the other which is a good sign.