Newsletter March 2024

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CCW Newsletter- March 2024

Dear friends, 

These last few months have been extremely challenging for all of us. Our psychotherapists have been working nonstop since October 7th to treat women throughout the country in both individual and group settings. Our clients include a wide range of women: those whose close family members were killed at the Nova music festival or in the cities bordering Gaza during the Hamas attack, one whose family members were abducted by Hamas, and women whose partners are on active/reserve duty during the war. Our psychotherapists are also working with evacuees from the south and the north.

Psychotherapy from a feminist perspective is especially relevant in dealing with war and war trauma. As a veteran organization providing subsidized psychotherapy to women for over 35 years, we know women are impacted differently from war trauma, especially women of low socio-economic status, from marginalized communities, in the geographical and social periphery of Israel, and single mothers.

Additionally, women are vulnerable to re-traumatization from past experiences of sexual abuse and violence, even if they themselves were not sexually harmed during the war. Their previous traumas are brought to the surface. Fortunately, together with the distress that women experience during and after war, they learn to adopt new and creative ways of dealing with the situation.  For instance, they build female networks that offer support and solidarity to strengthen their own resilience and that of their community.

Feminist psychotherapy helps empower women struggling with war trauma, improves their mental health and prevents post-traumatic stress disorder. Support groups are one of the distinct intervention areas of feminist therapy. Since the beginning of the October 7th war, our psychotherapists have initiated the following groups: a group for English-speaking women, a group for single women, a group for women over 50, two groups for women whose partners are on active or reserve duty, and a professional supervision group for psychotherapists focusing on treating women during war.

We would like to share with you two stories, among many, that show the impact of CCW’s critical work during this time.

The partnership and generous support of our donors allow us to reach women who need our assitance and for that, we are very grateful.

The Story of R.

R., in her 30s, grew up on one of the kibbutzim in the Gaza envelope. Although she has left her home and currently resides in central Israel, she still feels very connected to the place. All her family, including her parents, her grandmother, her brother and her cousins, used to live on the kibbutz.

She learned of the October 7th incursion from the messages she received that morning. Her parents and grandparents hid in their bomb shelter for hours. She was in touch with them initially, but long periods passed without any contact. After the attack, her family was evacuated to Eilat. Her two cousins were abducted by Hamas and are still held hostage in Gaza. Her male cousin’s wife gave birth to their son on her own after her husband was abducted.

The attack and abductions brought back many difficult memories from the 2014 war when she lived on the kibbutz. The family is not sure if they will return to their home. She feels that everything she knows, her home and her childhood, fell apart and is lost. She is extremely anxious about her cousins’ well-being in Gaza, especially her female cousin.

R.’s daily life was directly impacted by October 7th and she was unable to work. The subsidy from CCW allowed her to get support when she needed it the most. The psychotherapy that she receives at the Center helps her cope with her strong feelings of helplessness and anxiety strengthening her emotional resilience. Through this support, she returned to work and gradually went back to her everyday life.

Support Group for Women whose Partners are on Active/Reserve Duty

Dr. Racheli Shedletzky-Hart, CCW psychotherapist and group leader for women whose partners are on active/reserve duty

“The group gives a sense of community and togetherness as well as tools for coping during a time of crisis and uncertainty.” Dr. Racheli Shedletzky-Hart

This group was initially created to give women a space to decompress and comfortably discuss their feelings of loneliness and loss of control during this difficult time. Due to very high demand, CCW has opened another group on this issue and increased the number of sessions originally planned.

The group brings together women from various parts of Israel with different backgrounds and ages. Dr. Racheli Shedletzky-Hart, CCW psychotherapist and the group’s leader, noticed that from the first meeting, there was a sense of togetherness and a space for women to “unload.” Group members are able to talk freely about their fears, frustrations and difficulties in coping with feeling alone and their inability to focus on work.

The levels of fear and anxiety are high; one woman was hospitalized due to a panic attack. The meetings provide women with tools to stabilize their mental state and overcome feelings of transparency. They continue to work while simultaneously shouldering the load caring for both their home and children. Often they have difficulty sleeping and are physically and emotionally fatigued. Many around them fail to understand their situation.

As the war continues and some partners come back home after being away for months, women and their families struggle with issues related to their partners’ return and readjustment to civilian life. Dr. Shedletzky-Hart stated that at the beginning, her expectation was to deal with challenges of partners’ absences, but to her surprise, the group is now focused on the partners’ arrival. Many women relate that their husbands are detached from the reality of everyday life, which at times leads to conflicts within the families.

The feeling of “togetherness” and sense of community created by this support group allows women to discover their strengths and develop resilience. It is important to note that one of the women was recently invited to a public event marking International Women’s Day. She spoke about her experience in the support group, which is an expression of her empowerment process.

Help us help women

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Donating through PEF

US tax deductible donations over $25 can be sent by check or by wire transfer to PEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc. (501C3), 630 Third Ave., 15th floor, New York, NY10017. Please ensure to enclose a note indicating that it is recommended for The Counseling Center for Women,  I.D. number 58-0130789. (Due to COVID, please send checks only through the Postal Service, as no-one will be able to sign for UPS/FedEx etc.)

Donating through Fidelity

Please email Fidelity with cc to info@pefisrael.org, stating the date and amount of your gift, including the name of your fund at Fidelity and your recommendation for the donation to go to Counseling Center for Women, I.D. number 58-0130789

For bank transfers or checks : please email office@ccw.org.il