ESRA Rishon Lezion was treated to a sincere and heartwarming talk by Hesky Bialik.
The subject was 'happiness' but there was more to this than just that.
The main theme was that a smiling face is something which we can all show - and the feeling of happiness which comes with this action passes on from one to another. It reduces fear in certain circumstances of stress as well as turning you from a stranger into a friend.
Hesky follows the teachings, if you like, of Patch Adams, a doctor in the USA who almost single handedly changed hospital care from just medically nursing the illness to bringing peace of mind through a smile or laughter.
Everyone participated fully in the actions which we asked for such as putting on our "clown" red noses. This brought genuine laughter from the audience and completed a really joyous evening.
All of us walked away from this talk with smiles on our faces and, I am sure, we resolved to keep some of the lecture in mind when dealing with difficult situations from now on..