Initiative helps young October 7 survivors rejoin workforce

Ilana Kwartin credit: Lifaz Bar El
Ilana Kwartin credit: Lifaz Bar El

Rishpon Healing Space and Youth of Light have built a job training program in a supporting environment to rehabilitate the survivors of October 7. After the successful pilot project an expanded program will begin next month.

More than eight months have passed since the Hamas attack on the Gaza border settlements and the Nova Party festivalgoers, and for many the wounds from the traumatic experience are still far from healed. Among them are young people who face significant mental health and functional difficulties, which make it difficult for them to reintegrate into the job market.

To prevent these young individuals from falling into a cycle of dysfunction, dependence, and neediness, the Rishphon Healing Space and the Youth of Light Association have developed a special vocational training program for them. In the first stage, a pilot project was conducted for 14 of the Nova survivors, who worked in practical programs at the farm, in an inclusive and supportive environment, while participating in group and individual therapy.

Following the success of the pilot project, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare and the National Insurance Institute, an expanded program will begin next month in which 50-100 participants will take part, and which will last between two months and six months, depending on their individual needs.

The program will include several components. In the first component, the young people will be employed in producing ceramics, candles and growing medicinal plants in sessions of 3-6 hours, with 2-5 sessions per week. The work, apart from providing a source of income, is rehabilitative, and promotes a gradual return to full functioning, according to the abilities and condition of the participants.

The second component includes group and individual therapeutic support from qualified therapists in order to process experiences that arise during work and thus cope with day-to-day difficulties. In the third component, the participants will take part in a 12-session skills workshop that will deal with setting goals, managing an agenda, dealing with successes and failures, persistence in achieving goals, managing time and emotions, and more.

After that, the program team will jointly build with each participant a personalized "getting back on track" plan, focused on resuming the routine of life and optimal functioning.

"To rise from the ruins"

Rishpon Healing Space CEO Dr. Ilana Kwartin says, "After the traumatic experience and the initial survival stage, there comes an intermediate stage where the person who experienced the trauma strives to gradually resume their routine.

"This is the stage where we aim to integrate the occupational training, which is another step in the long journey of growing from the trauma, and returning to the world and to the point where the participants were before their lives were taken from them. We make this stage possible for the participants of the program on their journey."

Youth of Light Director of Operations Mali Kanias says that during the pilot period, she encountered, "Difficult and complex stories, but on the other hand, we got to know greatness of mind and miraculous abilities to rise from the ruins, and rebuild. It is a privilege to take part in the program."

Rishphon Healing Space is a therapeutic space dedicated to growth from personal and collective trauma. It was established in response to an unprecedented national emergency that highlighted the inaccessibility and limited resources of Israel's health system in light of the increase in demand for mental health services. Since October 7th, Healing Space has welcomed over 3,500 survivors and their families, 4,800 police officers and soldiers who were on the front lines, 120 bereaved families, and more. The space currently operates approximately 10 different programs, each tailored to diverse populations with specific goals and treatments.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on June 23, 2024.

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024.

Ilana Kwartin credit: Lifaz Bar El
Ilana Kwartin credit: Lifaz Bar El
David Amsalem  credit  Noam Moskowitz, Knesset Spokesperson's Office Rafael to pay state NIS 444m dividend

The minister in charge of the Government Companies Authority, David Amsalem, has approved the payment by the defense company.

Barak MX air defense system  credit: IAI IAI profit jumps 55%

Israel Aerospace Industries posted a net profit of $493 million for 2024, and ended the year with an all-time high orders backlog of $25 billion.

A TSG system in tactical use  credit: PR TSG signs cooperation agreement with US defense co

The agreement includes the integration of TSG's advanced technologies into sensor-based defense systems, which will be integrated into the operational systems of US defense units.

Bria CEO Yair Adato credit: Kseniia Poliak Israeli visual generative AI co Bria raises $40m

Bria’s Visual Generative AI platform empowers businesses to create predictable, controllable, and on-brand content that aligns with their visual language.

Amnon Shashua and Aviram Ziv credit: Eyal Izhar OrCam stymied by investor dispute with Shashua

Demands by institutional investors are blocking the visual and hearing impairment device developer's recovery plan.

Work on the Green Line credit: Bar Lavi Egged wins tender to operate TA light rail Purple, Green Lines

NTA awarded the tender to Egged, which already operates the Red Line, despite government ministry opposition to one operator for the entire network.

Gabi Seroussi illustration: Gil Gibli Board chooses Seroussi as IAI chair as Erdan freezes candidacy

Israel Aerospace Industries board chose Gabi Seroussi as chair even though he did not to go through the preliminary process of the Government Companies Authority appointments review committee.

Bavli Park penthouse credit: Eyal Tagar Tel Aviv Park Bavli penthouse sells for NIS 43m

A 44th floor penthouse in one of the two towers in businessman Yitzhak Tshuva's Park Bavli project has been bought by an Israeli businessperson.

El Al aircraft  credit: Yoav Yaari El Al pilots receive nearly NIS 250,000 bonus each

Thanks to the agreements signed with the unions in 2018, El Al's employees as well as senior management share in last year's success.

Pentera CEO Amitai Ratzon credit: Eyal Izhar Israeli security validation co Pentera raises $60m

Pentera's platform enables security teams to analyze complete attack paths, identify root causes, and prioritize remediation for effective risk reduction.

Tel Aviv credit: Shutterstock Supply of unsold new homes hits record

Israel's real estate market is sliding into recession with 78,000 unsold new apartments in January, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports.

D&B chairman Doron Cohen and Meitar partner Dan Geva Meitar reclaims title of Israel's biggest law firm

Meitar has first place with 537 lawyers, followed by Herzog Fox Neeman with 512 lawyers, according to the latest Dun's 100 rankings.

First International Bank of Israel CEO Eli Cohen  credit: Eyal Toueg First Int'l posts top return on equity

First International Bank of Israel's return on equity in 2024 was 19%, the highest among Israel's banks.

Dina Ben Tal Ganancia  credit: Guy Kushi & Yariv Fein El Al almost quintuples profit

The airline posted a net profit of $545 million for 2024, 4.7 times the profit in 2023, and an all-time high.

Gev Hadari credit: Nati Hortig Sompo Israel appoints Gev Hadari as cybersecurity head

Hadari's expertise spans penetration testing, including Red Team operations, web applications, mobile applications, OT/IOT products, and both external and internal assessments.

Attack drones credit: Shutterstock IDF issues tender for 5,000 Israeli-made attack drones

Critics of the tender say the number being procured is insufficient and thewre are security concerns about Chinese components.

Twitter Facebook Linkedin RSS Newsletters גלובס Israel Business Conference 2018