“It was supposed to be a joyous Shabbat…” recalls Lilach Dahari, 45, a mother of five from Ofakim, reflecting on October 7th. “… yet we woke up to an unimaginable reality.” Ofakim, just outside the Gaza envelope, was attacked that day, with 52 residents murdered by terrorists who entered the city that morning. “We woke up to sirens and decided to go to my sister-in-law’s house because she has a safe room,” she explains. But with fighting outside, Lilach and her family had to stay home.
After being evacuated to hotels at the Dead Sea and Eilat, the Daharis returned home after two and a half months, but the traumatic events of October 7 haunted Lilach, especially at night. Seeking help, she found it close to home through a new community resilience center established by JDC. The center offers counseling services, wellness programs, and events to help residents feel safer, such as neighborhood gatherings and activities for children.
This resilience center is part of JDC’s broader strategic initiative, Mashiv HaRuach, which helps Israelis in front-line communities like Ofakim, Ashkelon, and Nahariya restore their stability and rebuild resilience. “Mashiv HaRuach connected us as a community, which I was never part of since I moved here,” Lilach says. “Thank you for seeing us and for how much good you did for me, my family, and the neighbors here. I will cherish this forever.”