Dispatch from Israel: December 30, 2024

For the weeks over winter break, the Ben-Shoshan family is traveling in Israel in order to achieve our second-eldest, Aidan’s, goal of becoming a b’mitzvah at a place with “Roman ruins and an epic hike”. Indeed, he was thrilled to read Torah on top of Masada this past Shabbat. While our family looks forward to celebrating with you when we return (see below for when we are hosting Shabbat!), this trip has also given Rabbi Lauren a chance to catch up with a few friends around the country.

The name Dr. Ilana Kwartin might already be familiar to you; she and her husband, Rabbi Lauren’s friend from high school youth group, Martin Beifeld, live with their four children in Eliav, the moshav which our communities connected with post-October 7th. Since the tragedy of that day, Dr. Ilana shifted to become the executive director of Healing Space Rishpon, an innovative healing center that aims to rehabilitate the mind-body connection ruptured by trauma. 

As a whole, Israel continues to be on the cutting edge of resilience therapy research, training, and implementation. One of the most impressive aspects of Israeli culture is its evolving understanding of how to build resilience in the face of so much adversity. There is a deep interest in cultivating a better emotional and spiritual tomorrow than what we have today. Healing Space, its therapists, and its campus in Rishpon is a part of this vital goal.

Since October 7th, Healing Space mobilized 140 therapists to provide sessions to thousands of Israelis. They have accumulated over 30,000 hours of experience in trauma healing throughout the war so far. They use a wide variety of evidence-based modalities, from art and nature to embodiment and group therapies, to help Israelis throughout the country integrate their trauma so that each is able to not be consumed by their pain. However, the thing that struck me most when Dr. Ilana and I caught up about her work is the idea of hope. Hope for a better future - a future guided by healing over hurt, by compassion over rage - that drives this initiative and others like it. 

There is so much dark in this season and in our world today. Yet the hope for healing, for compassion, for the potential for inner peace that this cultivates, exists. During Hanukkah, this is the kind of light we need.