This week on Schmuckboys, Libby and Marla catch you up on their personal lives before bringing on their amazing guest, Sarri Singer, founder and director of Strength to Strength. She shares her journey from growing up in Lakewood, New Jersey, to surviving a devastating bus bombing in Jerusalem and dedicating her life to supporting other victims of terrorism. She reflects on her early connection to Israel, narrowly missing multiple attacks before 2003, and the lasting impact of those experiences on her decision to move abroad and work with trauma survivors.
After returning to the United States and finding little long-term support for survivors, she began connecting with others who had lived through similar attacks and ultimately founded Strength to Strength—a global, volunteer-run network that now partners with organizations in 16 countries.
The conversation explores what survivors need most in the months and years following an attack, emphasizing the importance of peer support, the risks of forcing victims to share their stories too soon, and why her organization requires a one-year waiting period before new survivors attend retreats. Sarri also discusses how the October 7 attacks reignited trauma within the survivor community, increased demand for services, and strengthened bonds between members worldwide.
She reflects on how terrorism trauma affects relationships, noting generational differences in how survivors and their partners navigate mental health and recovery. The episode closes with Sarri’s perspective on how communities can better prepare for and respond to attacks—by building support systems in advance, involving survivors in planning, and ensuring help remains available long after public attention fades
You can learn more at https://www.stosglobal.org/.
