From the Eye of the Storm to a Safe Haven: Ziva’s Journey Toward Healing
- IMFoC
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
For Ziva, a mother of four who has called Sderot home for 14 years, “home” was always supposed to be a sanctuary. But in a city where the sky often carries the threat of sirens and explosions, the walls of a house aren’t always enough to keep the trauma out.
Today, Ziva speaks of a different kind of home, one not built of stone, but of safety, containment, and faith. This is the story of how her family moved from the brink of collapse back into the light.
A Mother’s Intuition
Even before the world changed on October 7th, Ziva noticed the “complex reality” of Sderot taking its toll on her son. His fears were growing, his world shrinking. Like any mother, Ziva knew she needed to find a “dedicated address” for his pain.
She turned to the Sderot Resilience Center.
The therapist who met them didn’t just offer professional advice; she offered validation. She gave Ziva and her son the most critical gift a traumatized person can receive: the permission to feel. They walked away with a “toolbox” of songs and mantras to use during sirens—practical anchors for a world that felt like it was drifting away.
When the Storm Hit Home
Then came October 7th, a day for which there are no words. While the physical battle raged outside, a silent one began inside Ziva’s home. Her husband developed severe post-traumatic stress disorder. The man she knew was replaced by outbursts of anger and a paralyzing sense of helplessness. The entire household was caught in the wake of his suffering.
Because of the trust already built with the Resilience Center, Ziva’s husband took the brave step of seeking help.
“What the therapist did with my husband was something I couldn’t have imagined,” Ziva says, her voice thick with emotion.
Through infinite patience and a complete lack of judgment, the center helped her husband navigate the darkness. Slowly, the “storm” inside their house began to subside. The outbursts turned into conversations, and the helplessness turned into healing.
A Greenhouse for the Soul
Today, Ziva’s family is standing tall. She has learned to shed the heavy guilt that so often weighs down mothers in conflict zones. She has reclaimed her life.
For Ziva, the support she received through the Gvanim Association and the Resilience Center wasn’t just therapy; it was a greenhouse. It was a place where she could take off her mask, remove the filters of “being strong,” and simply breathe.
“When I come here,” she says, “I feel at home.”
You Can Be the Anchor for a Child in Israel
Ziva’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, but thousands of families in the Gaza Envelope are still waiting for their “turning point.”
At the Israel Magen Fund of Canada (IMFoC), we are committed to ensuring that no child or parent has to process the horrors of war alone. In collaboration with the Gvanim Association, we are expanding the Early Childhood Therapy project to reach those who need it most.
How Your Support Saves Lives:
Early Childhood Trauma Treatment: Reaching 400 families annually, providing dyadic parent-child therapy for children ages 0–6 to rebuild emotional security.
Animal-Assisted Therapy: Using the healing power of animals to help children (ages 5–16) regulate anxiety and express their deepest fears in a safe environment.
Collective Healing: Creating community spaces where families can process their shared loss and rebuild the social fabric of Israel’s south.
The children of Sderot and the Gaza Envelope deserve a childhood free from the paralyzing grip of fear. By supporting our Early Childhood Therapy initiatives, you are providing the tools, the therapists, and the “greenhouses” where young Israeli lives can finally grow again.
Help us turn the tide of trauma into a legacy of resilience.
