WIZO Comes to the Aid of Reserve Families

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WIZO provides resources to women bearing the obligation of maintaining the home, children, and work when their spouse is recruited for the war effort.

They are serving their country on the home front, but they are not wearing a uniform.

They are serving their country but they do not receive any pay.

They are serving their country by providing quiet support in the civil arena.

They are serving without acknowledgment or recognition of the endless effort in takes to maintain the family’s routine and well-being.

They are often serving their country without the support of an employer who loses patience when they have to be absent due to a child’s illness or summer vacation without childcare options.

They are serving by keeping their children happy and calm even as they are worrying about their father on the frontlines.

For us at WIZO, these women are not transparent.

Rivka Neumann, Director of WIZO's Division for the Advancement of the Status of Women

“In our long and complex struggle as a country, we have additional heroes - reserve families. The decision to focus on both parents and children is based on the fact that the entire nuclear family is affected. Concern, longing, economic cost, emotional cost, uncertainty, and the tremendous burden on the servicemen are the basis of the program. This is our way of saying to reserve families - you are not transparent, especially not during the challenging 'summer vacation' period where there is a lack of structured programs. This is our way of honoring the dedication of these wonderful families. This is our way of assisting and offering support to the nuclear family through the workshops we operate nationwide.“

In such a challenging period, WIZO initiated a series of summer workshops for reserve families experiencing similar realities, to be held across the country. The initiative for the workshops arose from a consideration of the unique needs of reserve families, whose spouses are serving their country, and WIZO is committed to serving their families.

The program is operated in collaboration with the NGO, Anchor for Reserve Families, and through grants from the National Insurance Institute.

Among the topics covered in the workshops: strengthening success stories and resilience approaches, the PTSD model, limiting beliefs, the integrated GSSR model, relaxation techniques, self-writing, and more.

The workshops will be led by experienced group facilitators trained in art therapy, couples therapy, and family therapy, and will be conducted in two formats:

– Workshops for mothers with children aged 3-9, accompanied by activities tailored for children with dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers, supervised by a therapist trained in play therapy.

– Workshops for mature mothers ages 40-60 whose children are in reserve duty, providing tools for expression, support, knowledge, and identifying signs of distress in their children that require deeper attention.

The summer workshops will take place at approximately 20 locations at WIZO branches throughout the country, including Ashdod, Be’er Sheva, Bat Yam, Herzliya, Hadera, Harish, Tiberias, Yeruham, Karmiel, Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut, Nahariya, Ness Ziona, Savion, and Bika’at Ono.

The summer workshops have a nominal fee of only 100 NIS.

Workshops have already begun in Modi’in and Yeruham.