Red Color Song Strikes Calming Chord for Israeli Children

"We may now stand up
We shake our body - shake shake shake
We loosen our legs - loosen loosen loosen
We will breathe in deep (deep inhalation)
We will blow out as far as possible
We will breathe in deep
We can laugh
It’s all gone"

Why is the Red Color song needed?
In time of the "Red Color" alarm, which warns the people of Sderot and Gaza border region against an upcoming Kassam rocket attack, children display various reactions including screaming, crying, physical expressions of anxiety, freezing etc. A team of JDC-Ashalim professionals has developed a therapeutic method to reassure the children in the time of the alarm, together with an action that will distract their minds to something more positive.

The words and movements from a therapeutic perspective:

In the beginning, I invite all the children in the classroom to repeat the words of the public address: "Red Color, Red Color." We instantly gather, touching this extremely threatening moment and turn it into a part of us through communication. We now face the threat from a safe and protected place, from a place of togetherness, and treating it as if it was child's play.

Then, we sing together the first two sentences while running to a safe place:

"Hurry hurry hurry to a safe place
Hurry hurry hurry because it’s dangerous"

We state a fact; explain the reason why we are asked to run. Turning it into something known, familiar, recalled, thus less threatening.

"My heart is beating – boom boom boom
My body is shaking – doom doom doom"

Here we pound on our body intermittently.

Those movements are used based on MDR method – working on both sides of the brain, immediately helps dissolve the trauma. Moreover, with these words we convey a message that it is legitimate to feel the fear in one’s body. Moreover, neither of us is exceptional or has to hide his or her feelings. We express our status (under threat) and confirm our feelings.

"But I am overcoming
Cause I am a little bit different"

Saying "I am overcoming" is reassuring. Despite the situation and the fear fear, I am going through a change. We try to sing this sentence as loud as possible, to get stronger. Teachers often tell the children, that they "should make sure that even those who launch the rockets will know that they (the children) are strong."

The movement here is of hands demonstrating strength with tight fists.

"Falling down – boom
We may stand up"

By clapping hands together while shouting out the word "boom", we remain attentive to the situation. We demonstrate the falling of the rockets and present what we are doing – "we may stand up now", and start relaxing ourselves.

"We shake our body - shake shake shake
We loosen our legs - loosen loosen loosen"

Shaking movements with hands and legs, relaxing the body and kicking. We perform an act of relaxing, enabling blood flow to the limbs that in situations of fear become frozen and trembling. This movement releases endorphins and improves the ability to relax and it also brings about a better mood.

"We will breathe in deep
We will blow out as far as we can
We will breathe in deep
We can laugh"

We now calm all our systems, relaxing through inhaling and exhaling deeply. Laughter may also release stress and endorphins from the brain.

"It’s all gone
And I feel good it’s over
Yesssss!"

Finally, we state another fact. It’s gone for now. We feel better now that it’s over and we are safe and sound. Hands clapping to demonstrate: That’s it. It’s over we wash our hands from all that for now. The powerful joyous call "'Yessss!" marks a victory, a relief, and a lot of power and happiness.