Post-October 7th Iniatives
MENTAL HEALTH
We’ve seen firsthand how trauma can deeply affect children’s emotional well-being. Our programs, designed with mental health as a cornerstone, are about building resilience, confidence, and hope.
Many of the kids we work with have experienced unimaginable stress; some now live in close quarters after being relocated from the border, while others have had their sense of security and normalcy shattered by near-constant bomb sirens.
Through our centers and trained mental health counselors, we aim to create a safe environment where kids can express themselves, feel supported, and rediscover their inner strength.
Together, we’re helping the children of Israel address their trauma in real time so that they are not impacted long-term.
BOMB SHELTERS
This year, the expansion of bomb shelters across our centers has become a critical lifeline for children and families, offering not just safety but peace of mind during times of uncertainty. As one parent expressed, “I was afraid to send my kid alone so far from home during the complex situation we are in,” reflecting the real fears many families face but also sharing that ITEC allows her son to connect in-person with friends and gain a routine away from the worries of the war.
Beyond physical protection, these shelters provide children with a much-needed break, allowing them to experience normalcy and do what they love—come to ITEC and play tennis with their friends!
RELIEF CAMPS
The “Home Away from Home” camp welcomed children affected by conflict to our ITEC Beer Sheva center for a three-day camp. The camp brought together 50 kids from different backgrounds, including Jewish, Druze, Muslim, and Christian communities, for tennis training, fun activities, and a supportive environment where they can connect and unwind.
This program provided the children with a much-needed break from the stress of the war. One parent shared, “When my son got here and played tennis again, his eyes were filled with happiness.”
OASIS OF JOY
This year, the expansion of our “Oasis of Joy” spaces across many of our centers has been transformative for the children we serve. These vibrant, welcoming areas offer kids a safe haven to escape the challenges around them, find moments of pure happiness, and be themselves.
Each Oasis is designed to foster relaxation and connection, with activities that bring kids from diverse backgrounds together in friendship and fun.
These joyful spaces have become vital to our centers, helping kids experience peace and support in an environment dedicated to their well-being.
By Amelie Botbol
“My son lives and breathes tennis. He couldn’t play for a while because of the war situation. When he got here and played again, his eyes were filled with happiness,” Shiran Tzuberi from Acre told JNS on Monday.
Fifty children from communities in northern Israel—Acre, Nahariya and the Druze town of Sajur—arrived at the Israel Tennis and Education Center (ITEC) branch in Beersheva to take part in ITEC’s “Home away from Home” three-day tennis camp. They participated in tennis training sessions, leisure activities and mingled with children from the south.
“We are grateful to our dedicated donors, whose unwavering support makes this possible. They genuinely care about creating safe spaces where kids can feel supported and valued,” Ilan Allali, ITEC’s Foundation CEO and Global CFO, told JNS.
“Mental health is a cornerstone of everything we do, and our programs are designed not only to teach tennis skills but also to nurture resilience, confidence and hope. Together, we are building a brighter future for these children,” he added.
Children traversed most of the country by bus with their coaches, and stayed at the Leonardo Hotel in Beersheva. In
addition to tennis sessions, they took part in activities, such as going to the theater, bowling and video games. The group included Jewish, Druze, Muslim and Christian children.
“Twelve years ago, during the IDF’s ‘Operation Pillar of Defense,’ when the situation in the south was bad, we sent about 100 kids from Beersheva to Haifa. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The kids enjoyed normal life, while their friends were in bomb shelters,” Yaniv Sakira, the manager of the Beer Sheva tennis center, told JNS.
“Now the situation in the north has worsened and the tennis centers there are closed. I told the ITEC management that we would be happy to have those kids over and do something special for them,” he continued.
“Sure, they still get air-raid alarms on their phones. You can’t run from it. But when they are active, whether it’s playing tennis or watching a movie, it clears their heads a bit. This is what we try to do—give them a feeling of safety for three days,” Sakira added.
To promote resilience, the program includes mental coaching sessions.
“It’s very challenging to keep them focused and in a relaxed mood for an extended period. Our sessions are about 45
minutes long. It’s difficult for them to sit and concentrate throughout the course,” said Asaf Barel, a mental health coach, who leads sessions at eight tennis centers.
“The kids keep a lot of their feelings inside. You have to be very patient and compassionate. We can sometimes see a switch in their emotions within a split second. They can go from being calm to very upset,” he said.
“There’s a lot of conflict at home as well. Some kids used to sleep in their own rooms and now the whole family has been sleeping together for months,” he added.
In one exercise, the children had to pop balloons to win a prize and inside each balloon were questions relating to their state of mind and feelings about the situation.
“They were eager to pop the balloons and answer questions to get the prize. They were very cooperative and shared their thoughts,” Barel said.
“Sometimes I ask them how many times they think they can jump on one leg. Most of the time, they underestimate themselves and we show them that the ceiling, if there is one, is higher than they
think,” he continued.
“It’s all about building confidence and believing in themselves. They are under a lot of stress and they don’t show it. I think in a few years all the stress will start popping out and I don’t know that we are ready for it,” he added.
Coach Ronen Morali led a tennis training session with kids from Sajur and Beersheva when we arrived at the camp.
“What I like about kids from the periphery is how warm they are, even though they are closed off and very stressed because of what they’ve experienced in the past two months. In the beginning, they were tense but now they are more relaxed,” Morali told JNS after the session.
“Tennis is the best way to give the kids the kind of peace and quiet they need. It’s a sport that teaches you how to synergize and communicate with your opponent. Communication right now is one of the biggest challenges in Israel,” he said.
“People don’t communicate, they fight against each other. Tennis is a great tool for kids to learn how to listen and respect one another,” he added.
Alam Ibrahim, the Druze manager of ITEC’s Sajur branch, accompanied 12 Muslim, Christian and Druze children from his town, including his daughter,
There’s also the issue of setting an example; some of the girls even come from Swaed Salem’s village. “I wanted them to look at me and not hesitate to try to achieve their goals. … Some of them took everything linked to the sport really seriously, but they also did this when it came to helping younger children,” she says.
In light of the project’s success, Swaed Salem and the center are considering working with the girls for another year, on top of a new cohort coming in.
“They apply what they learn with us and see the results, and that motivates them to continue working hard,” she says. “These girls will grow up to be mothers and give their children a better and more stable environment than the one they received.”
Swaed Salem found an even greater challenge working with children with special needs. “It was a challenge because everything was new to me: the sport, intensive work with children, especially children with special needs, each of whom needs personal attention,” she says. “And it takes time to get to know them, establish a relationship and set boundaries.”
One experience stood out. “I was
heavily pregnant, and one of the girls came running up to me and hugged me tightly, so tight that it hurt and she had to be pulled away.
“I remember all the emotions I felt at that moment. I was scared by the pain … but I also felt how much she missed me, because I had already started maternity leave, and that made me happy. This mix of emotions was something I often felt working with this special group.”Success helped build the center’s membership numbers, and Swaed Salem was appointed early childhood coordinator. When she returned from maternity leave in January 2023, she was promoted to deputy director.
“After the success with the little ones, the director told me th aat a management course was opening and he saw me as a key figure capable of taking responsibility and getting things moving. As a coach I didn’t see what happens behind the scenes; I thought things worked out by themselves,” she says.”But the new role requires a broader vision: both strategic thinking – how to recruit more kids, motivate the team, improve things that aren’t working well enough – and how to provide solutions in real time, pay attention and reach out.
Israel Tennis & Education Centers
MISSION
The mission of Israel Tennis & Education Centers is to empower youth of all backgrounds and ethnicities from historically marginalized communities in Israel with life skills and a plan for the future. We provide comprehensive educational, athletic, emotional, and cultural programs, as well as mentoring to foster personal development and community both on and off the court.
ABOUT
Since its establishment in 1976, the Israel Tennis & Education Centers has worked
tirelessly to become an agent of social change, with the goal of instilling a sense of excellence, empathy and equality among all of Israel’s children, regardless of their backgrounds.
All across Israel, from Kiryat Shmona in the north to Beer Sheva in the south, a staff of over 300 youth-focused tennis coaches, fitness professionals, social workers and psychologists provide a wide-range of comprehensive social impact and educational programming to help meet the varied social, emotional, athletic and academic needs of Israeli youth. No child is ever turned away.
