For too many Israeli soldiers and veterans struggling with the invisible wounds of war, hope can feel painfully far away.
Three Israeli soldiers are reported to have died by suicide in the last month, two were young women. Their deaths bring the number who have taken their own lives just this year to seventeen — a devastating reminder of the mental health crisis facing those who have defended Israel.
Israel’s largest healthcare provider, the HMO Clalit, has collected data showing a mental health crisis is sweeping the country. While this includes civilians, our focus is on soldiers and war veterans, where the situation is most acute.
Tel Aviv University’s National Center for Traumatic Stress and Resilience tracked individuals serving in combat roles over six years and found that approximately 12% of those who witnessed combat reported severe PTSD symptoms, rendering them unfit for duty.
American Friends of LIBI (AFL) funds multiple programs to address this growing challenge. From therapeutic retreats, to early identification of those at risk, to counseling to experimental treatments, AFL is part of the solution.
Your gift can help reach a soldier who is struggling before the crisis becomes a tragedy. We cannot solve this enormous problem overnight. But we can help one soldier, and then another, and another.