Israeli children suffering from emotional distress following Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack and the war in Gaza are receiving help from an unlikely place: Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services, a Jewish organization based in Brooklyn, New York, that since 1969 has provided American children with mental health support.
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A study conducted by the Israeli Pediatric Association found that 84% of Israeli children suffer from emotional distress due to the October 7 attacks. The study found that 69% of children suffer from anxiety. Israel has not provided an adequate response to this critical mental health need, and the country has a significant shortage of mental health providers for children.
As a response to the growing need, ‘Ohel’ decided to translate to Hebrew and distribute in Israel two of its most successful workbooks for children with emotional distress, a resource that already has helped thousands of children in the New York area by generating emotional openness and discourse.
The workbooks enable children to talk about their feelings and create an appropriate starting point for the teachers to start a conversation with the children about the current situation. For many of the teaching staff without training in mental health provision, and for the children themselves, it’s difficult to discuss the current, complex situation together. The workbooks make it much easier to start a conversation.
“These workbooks are a unique way to help Israeli children without the direct involvement of mental health professionals. Teachers and parents can guide the children in reading and discussing the book,” said David Mandel, the chief executive officer of Ohel. “While a tremendous helpful start, they are not replacements for care provided by mental health professionals.”
‘Ohel’ translated the workbooks into Hebrew (versions for ultra-Orthodox and secular audiences) and printed so far tens of thousands of copies at Be’eri Press, the printing company of Kibbutz Be’eri, a community that suffered the devastating loss of many of its members due to the attack. (The workbooks are also available in Spanish, Arabic, and Ukrainian.)
The workbooks are Inner Space: My Resilience Workbook (for elementary school ages) and I Feel That Way and That's Okay! (for preschool children). The authors are Tzivy Reiter, L.C.S.W., the organization’s director of children’s and national trauma services, and Dr. Naomi Baum, Ph.D. from Israel,
The workbooks are written in clear and simple language that is suitable for children gives them emotional support and strengthens their resilience. The workbooks are available in a variety of languages, and include video training and classroom materials, as well as a short training course for teachers and parents.