Recovery, Rebuilding, Resilience

Two years have passed since October 7, 2023, and Israel is transformed. The scale of the damage, displacement, and trauma has created a new reality impacting every aspect of society. The reverberations of that day are also felt by Jews worldwide as they contend with the frightening rise of antisemitism. These complex challenges require innovative solutions and must harness the bravery and ingenuity of Israelis and global Jewish communities to build a new future.

Working in the land of Israel since 1914, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC, also known as The Joint) is on the ground in communities and leading national initiatives to aid the most vulnerable and support Israeli society. Since October 7, JDC has assisted more than 1 million of the hardest-hit Israelis.

Healing first responders
Israeli first responders and other municipal workers have been called upon to help their fellow citizens in the direst situations since the war began. JDC recognized the substantial toll this has taken on their resilience and that of vulnerable communities, and addressed the situation.

Adir Shay, 37, is head of the municipal security department in the southern city of Ashkelon, which endured the highest number of rocket attacks fired from Gaza since October 7. He recalled an employee returning from a horrific scene, in shock and covered in blood. "He couldn't form a sentence," said Adir.

A few weeks earlier, Adir had taken part in Or Rishon (First Light), a program created by JDC and the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo to train public service workers to recognize early signs of psychological distress in both colleagues and the public, and to connect them with appropriate support.

"The training taught me not only how to recognize this kind of suffering but also how to respond in the critical moment," Adir shared. "I realized that mental resilience and the ability to identify those in need are just as vital as the operational response."

Or Rishon is one of many emergency programs JDC developed in response to needs that emerged during the war, in addition to numerous other initiatives it created in the immediate aftermath of October 7. One of these is Mashiv Haruach, within which Or Rishon operates in Ashkelon.

Mashiv Haruach (Reviving the Spirit) is an initiative with local governments in frontline cities to promote resilience and sustainable recovery for all residents through mental health, education, community, and employment support.

To date, 375 public service workers nationwide have received Or Rishon training.

Back on track to work
Revitalizing Israel's workforce and economy is vital to the country's recovery, especially for tens of thousands of Israelis who lost jobs during the war. Among those most at risk of not returning to work are evacuees, people injured or disabled on October 7, and combat survivors facing physical and psychological trauma. JDC's various specialized career guidance programs have assisted 14,300 individuals so far, including Omer Rafaeli.

Omer, 36, from Kibbutz Gvulot, was a psychology and civics teacher at Nofei HaBesor, the only high school near the Gaza border. On October 7, he lost five students.

"I was in the safe room with my wife and three daughters, holding knives," he recalled. "I received messages from students such as 'My house is on fire,' 'Omer, help me.' Then… silence. I see myself as a bereaved teacher."

Evacuated to Eilat, Omer spent long, unstructured days in a hotel. He began training youth in the lobby with exercise bands and weights. "Fitness was always my safe space," he said. "It revived them – and me."

Though he briefly returned to teaching, he couldn't continue. Back in Gvulot, he began offering fitness classes that grew into a community hub. Seeking structure and income, he joined Back on Track, a program run by JDC with the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Health, NATAL, and the Tekuma Authority that offers trauma-informed career support and training.

Paired with Gili, a career coach, Omer said, "Her guidance saved me. I was on the edge." They met weekly in sessions that addressed trauma and its impact on employment and motivation, while also exploring his strengths, passions, and goals.

He founded Yotam Studio, named for Yotam Haim, a fellow kibbutz native kidnapped from Kfar Aza and mistakenly killed by IDF fire. "I didn't know Yotam, but he also found fitness as an anchor. I felt compelled to dedicate this to him."

Today, Omer's studio fosters resilience through fitness and community. Back on Track supports over 600 men and women on their journey to recovery and renewed careers.

Transforming grief into social good
Those who have lost loved ones on October 7 or during the war are among the hardest-hit Israelis. A new JDC initiative, created in partnership with UJA-Federation of New York, the National Insurance Fund, and Hackaveret, is dedicated to helping these bereaved families transform grief into social projects that continue their loved ones' legacies for the benefit of Israeli society.

The new initiative, named Shikma, meaning sycamore tree, which is known for regenerative properties, is offered by Hackaveret–Israel's Center for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which was founded and is supported by JDC and the National Insurance Funds. Shikma provides participants with social entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and funding to ensure the social projects they create endure and contribute meaningfully.

Gilanit Rif-Amar and her family founded a pre-military leadership academy in memory of her fallen son Sgt. Regev Amar, preparing youth for their army service. Sgt. Amar fell in battle at Kibbutz Kissufim on October 7, at age 20.

"Thanks to this project, Regev is still with us. I had a heroic son, who fought until his last breath," said Gilanit. "Regev was a child of values, and he lived them. If we can instill those values in the next generation, we will keep his spirit alive among us."

Gilanit credits Shikma with giving her the structure and tools to transform her idea into an impactful program. With the first class graduating from the academy and the second beginning, Gilanit added with emotion: "I told the graduates I may have lost a son, but I gained 45 new sons and daughters."

Eighteen projects from the program's first cycle are at various stages of implementation, with several already operational. A new cohort will begin the program in November, helping the grieving to heal and be part of rebuilding Israeli society.

Assisting the vulnerable to return home
When conflict with Iran broke out in June, rocket fire across Israel killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands. JDC's robust emergency infrastructure, deployed after October 7, quickly came to the aid of the already struggling communities of Bnei Brak, Bat Yam, Be'er Sheva, and Tamra. Now, to support recovery, JDC is helping the most vulnerable populations return home.

On June 14, an Iranian missile struck Bat Yam's most fragile neighborhood. "About 2,000 people arrived at the evacuation hotel – some in pajamas, barefoot, elderly, and in difficult conditions," recalled Geula Yisrael, Bat Yam's Director of Social Services. "We met the most vulnerable residents: elderly, disabled, isolated, non-Hebrew speakers. All needed close guidance."

Many families were left homeless, and others were still in hotels from prior evacuations – all struggling with finding housing, reconstruction, and bureaucracy. Prolonged hotel stays harm vulnerable populations and strain public systems, making urgent housing solutions essential.

That's when JDC stepped in with Ad HaBayit (All the Way Home), a pilot program securing permanent housing for vulnerable groups, including seniors, people with disabilities, and at-risk families. Trained "housing mentors" guide program participants step by step – from needs assessment and accessing benefits to locating housing and undertaking renovations, all the way through to getting people settled into their new home. "It was amazing to see JDC's response. They arrived with resources, planning, manpower, and immediacy. Not just aid, but true partnership," said Geula.

Ad HaBayit is helping 150 families in partnership with Bat Yam, Ramat Gan, and Be'er Sheva's municipalities.

"These three stories exemplify the spirit of Israeli society and our collective desire to care for and uplift those whose lives have been forever changed by the war," noted Dr. Hadas Minka-Brand, Executive Director of JDC-Israel. "We work at the heart of Israel's social challenges – narrowing gaps and advancing recovery and growth for Israelis who otherwise would be forgotten. Powered by our shared destiny, we and our partners turn crisis into growth and transform Israeli society for new and better days ahead."

Resilience in response to antisemitism
The global surge in antisemitism in the aftermath of October 7 has caused many Jewish communities around the world to live in fear and contend with ongoing danger and new forms of vulnerability. JDC is responding with a variety of resilience, security, and mental health initiatives tailored to each community's needs.

The Netherlands' robust Jewish community, which includes a number of people with direct ties to Israel, finds itself in an increasingly hostile environment. Many are experiencing trauma due to the war in Israel and the rise in antisemitism, including the attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam in 2024. Children are contending with feelings of instability and anxiety.

At Amsterdam's Jewish school, Joodse Scholengemeenschap, students and parents feel increasingly vulnerable. The school has become a sanctuary for traumatized children who are struggling, including those with ties to Israel or who no longer felt safe in other schools.

JDC is helping the school navigate these emerging needs, including trauma-awareness training for staff, stronger parent engagement, and support for students' diverse needs, such as Israeli children coping with the impact of war and the stress on their families.

"In these complex and harrowing times, JDC is the boots on the ground in Israel and Jewish communities, offering immediate aid and healing and setting up the path to recovery, resilience, and hope," said JDC President Annie Sandler and CEO Ariel Zwang. "We do this by delivering long-term solutions that help vulnerable Israelis and Jewish communities worldwide remain secure and strong and by journeying together to build a vibrant Jewish future."

JDC's efforts in Israel and 69 other countries around the world are made possible by generous support provided by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and local Jewish Federations, the Claims Conference, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, individuals, families, foundations, and corporations.

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