MOR 2026: Day 4 – Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | Part 2: Advancement of the Status of Women Division

From Rebuilding to Flourishing: Women, Families, and Community Resilience in the North

The second part of Day 4 of MOR 2026 was dedicated to the work of the Advancement of the Status of Women Division, focusing on women and families in Israel’s north and the complex realities they have faced over the past two years. Through workshops, personal testimonies, and a concluding discussion, participants were invited to move beyond statistics and encounter the lived experiences behind recovery, resilience, and rebuilding.

The session opened with small-group workshops that allowed participants to engage directly with different support models developed by the division. One workshop, Envelope of Support, was facilitated by Shira Sternfeld, a movement and dance therapist who leads accompanying programs for families of reservists and Irit Shochat, MA Art Therapist. Shira shared her personal story: her partner has been serving in reserve duty for over 500 days, two of her adult sons were drafted, and one is still serving in Gaza. At the beginning of the war, WIZO support enabled a volunteer to come to her home and care for her young children during hours spent sheltering from bombardments — a moment that allowed her to pause, breathe, and regain strength.

From this experience grew a collaboration with WIZO that led to the development of therapeutic programs for reservists’ families, including dyadic movement therapy for mothers and infants, movement-based groups for mothers of combat soldiers, and arts-based programs for partners of reservists. Working through movement and art allows participants to bypass words and access emotions shaped by prolonged fear, absence, and uncertainty. During the MOR workshop, participants experienced a brief introduction to these tools through grounding techniques, movement, music, and creative expression, emphasizing equality, visibility, and shared presence within a supportive circle.

A second workshop addressed the importance of discussing healthy versus harmful relationships with adolescents and young adults. Through guided dialogue, participants explored differing perceptions of boundaries within relationships, while clearly defining behaviors that constitute intimate partner violence. The session highlighted the impact of prolonged stress and war on young relationships and underscored the need for early education, clarity, and open conversation.

A third workshop presented methodologies from WIZO’s Soft Landing group programs. Using the concept of “home” and symbolic objects, participants reflected on childhood memories, family dynamics, security, conflict, belonging, and distance. The exercise created an intimate space for listening and shared reflection, while also opening broader questions about Jewish and Israeli displacement and the shifting meaning of “home” in the wake of trauma experienced by communities in the north and the Gaza envelope.

The workshops were followed by a panel discussion moderated by Shay Porat, which brought together three women whose lives intersect with WIZO’s work in the north:

• Hadas Eiber shared her journey from an ultra-Orthodox background through escaping an abusive marriage and rebuilding her life with her children in Ma’alot. Living on the northern border during the war, she described how missile attacks and running to shelters triggered memories of past confinement and violence. She spoke about how the Tzomchot Yachad framework and the ongoing presence of WIZO mentors provided her and her children with stability, belonging, and a true sense of home.
• Noa Tene, from Nes Ammim near Nahariya, described navigating daily life while her husband served in the reserves. Having completed cancer treatments shortly before the war, she spoke about balancing recovery, motherhood, community responsibility, and constant security threats. She emphasized the importance of support groups for reservists’ partners in addressing the compounded emotional burden faced by women in the north.
• Michal Rom, coordinator of WIZO’s women’s programs in the north, offered a professional and personal perspective. She described how small communities absorbed evacuated families, often doubling or tripling in size without appropriate infrastructure. She illustrated this reality with a small but telling example: in the Jordan Valley near the Sea of Galilee, traffic jams were once unheard of — yet with the arrival of evacuees, even the traffic lights now reflect a suddenly crowded reality. She also addressed research indicating a rise in domestic violence linked to trauma, stress, and prolonged instability, reinforcing the urgent need for targeted support frameworks.

At the close of the day, participants joined a Zoom conversation with Moshe Davidovich, Head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and Chairman of the Frontline Forum. He spoke about the profound impact of the past two years on Israel’s northern communities — not only the damage to homes and infrastructure, but the deep rupture experienced by hundreds of thousands of evacuees torn from small, close-knit rural communities scattered across the Galilee. Balancing gravity with hope, he shared his vision of “MGGA – Make the Galilee Great Again,” expressing his belief that WIZO, with its expertise in supporting women, families, and community resilience, can be a key partner in rebuilding the region beyond what it was even before the war.

The session also included remarks from Ronit Ben Bast, the incoming Chairperson of the Advancement of the Status of Women Division, who shared her guiding vision. She emphasized women’s present and engaged leadership as a central pillar in advancing social recovery, strengthening community resilience, and building a more just, safe, and healthy society.

Part 2 of Day 4 delivered a clear and compelling message: rebuilding is not only about returning home, but about restoring safety, dignity, and possibility. Through professional tools, human connection, and sustained presence, WIZO’s Advancement of the Status of Women Division is helping women and families in the north move not only from crisis to stability — but from survival toward flourishing.