Sarit Edelshtain Cohen Sarit Edelshtain Cohen and her husband Hanania Cohen have established a new non-profit in Israel, Hesed Ve’emet (in Hebrew: kindness and truth), to help Israeli soldiers and their families, and anyone who was affected by the war in Israel.
Initially, they wanted to offer this help mainly to those who were affected by combat trauma during the army service, but the war in Israel made them realize there are so many more people who suffer from PTSD and need help. They expanded their outreach to encompass a broader spectrum of trauma victims, including bereaved families and refugees displaced from their homes in the Southern and Northern parts of Israel. Those families had to leave their homes because of the bombing that targeted their homes and are now staying in hotel rooms and temporary housing in various cities in the country.
“Everybody in Israel is in a kind of PTSD mode,” Sarit said. “So many people were affected by what happened. We were working on this nonprofit for over a year prior to Oct. 7, but after the war we realized there are so many people who were traumatized because of what happened and we can’t neglect them.”
Sarit moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was 12 years old. After getting married and raising three children in the United States, Sarit and her family moved back to Israel. It was the first time she understood the meaning of “Israeli bureaucracy.”
“I wanted to get my kids swim therapy acclimated properly to the country,” she said. “It wasn’t easy and I had to deal with a lot of bureaucracy. I had to go to a doctor to get a referral and so on. I had to jump through a lot of hoops in order to get that half hour one-on-one therapy. I knew that I’m not the only one who needs to deal with this. I wanted to be able to make it very simple for someone to come in and say: ‘I need this help. This is what’s going on, this is what I’m dealing with’, without needing to go through the headache of asking for referrals and getting the run-around.”
Hanania, a healer with extensive experience in acupuncture, hypnosis and trauma therapy, drew upon his own background, having served in the Israeli army, to understand the unique challenges faced by individuals dealing with PTSD and emotional distress.
“When people get hurt physically, they are being taken care of medically, but the emotional aspect is being neglected a lot of times.” – Sarit Edelshtain Cohen
“He understands what it’s like being in the army and having PTSD,” Sarit said. “A lot of people we meet in Israel have emotional issues due to trauma. When people get hurt physically, they are being taken care of medically, but the emotional aspect is being neglected a lot of times.”
Their vision for the nonprofit extends beyond providing individual therapy sessions. Sarit envisions establishing a comprehensive center where individuals can access a range of therapeutic modalities, from NLP to swimming therapy, all under one roof. This center would serve as a sanctuary for those seeking healing and restoration, free from the bureaucratic hurdles often encountered in accessing mental health services in Israel.
One of the key aspects of their initiative is the commitment to making these services accessible to all, regardless of financial means. Recognizing that economic barriers often prevent individuals from seeking help, the Cohens are determined to offer their services free of charge, ensuring that no one is denied the care they need due to financial constraints.
In addition to one-on-one therapy sessions, the couple plans to incorporate group sessions and educational seminars aimed at empowering individuals to reclaim their lives and reintegrate into society.
“A lot of those people who have very severe PTSD can’t go back to work and can’t go back to living a normal life,” said Sarit. “We want to be able to give them educational seminars, to help them get back on their feet and be dependent and able to go back to their normal lives. Many of them have a hard time communicating with their families. One of the other projects that we will offer is family trips, where they will have the opportunity to connect and enjoy their families together.”
Despite facing personal challenges – including finding suitable accommodations for their own family since they needed to leave their home in a kibbutz up north – Sarit and Hanania remain steadfast in their commitment to their mission. Their resolve stems from a deeply held belief in the transformative power of compassion and the profound impact that even a single act of kindness can have on those in need.
As they continue to navigate the complexities of launching their nonprofit venture, Sarit and Hanania remain driven by a shared vision of a future where trauma victims find solace, support and ultimately, healing. With Hesed Ve’emet, they believe, Israelis will start healing one therapy session at a time.
You can find out more at hesedveemet.org.
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