Daily life for the youth of Israel has been reshaped in ways that are often unseen to the outside world. Beyond the headlines, young Israelis are navigating disrupted routines, heightened anxiety, fractured social connections and the long-term stress of living under constant threat. For adolescents and children, these experiences occur at pivotal stages of development, shaping their sense of security, identity and ability to form healthy relationships.
In Netivot, a city just three miles from the Gaza border, the realities of war are woven into everyday life. Nurseries double as bomb shelters, and children grow up learning not only the alphabet but also where to run when sirens sound. Since Oct. 7, 2023, the weight of trauma has intensified for the city’s young residents, leaving families searching for safe and effective mental health support.
To meet this ever-increasing need for care, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia provided $500,000 to Enosh, Israel’s leading mental health nonprofit, to establish Headspace Netivot for youth and families.
Beyond funding, the Jewish Federation helped connect Enosh with municipal leaders and local stakeholders, fostering collaboration across the city’s emotional wellbeing ecosystem. With shared buy-in, the state-of-the-art mental health center offers a coordinated support network for the residents of Netivot and outlying communities.
“The response from the community has been deeply meaningful,” said the Head of Youth and Young Adults at Headspace Israel, Noa Cahana-Buskila. “The center has become a welcoming, stigma-free place where young people can talk and receive guidance close to home.”
Since opening in the summer of 2025, Headspace Netivot has supported over 160 children, teens and young adults through individual sessions, consultations and interventions.
“We felt alone facing everything our daughter was going through. At Headspace, we found a place that truly listens — not only to her, but also to us,” one parent shared, whose name has been withheld for privacy. “The atmosphere at home became calmer, and it gives us comfort to know there is somewhere to turn.”
Finding a place to turn to was a solace for many in the southern region of Netivot, which is a partnership region of the Jewish Federation.
“At first I didn’t want to talk. I mostly came because my parents asked me to. But slowly I realized the people there weren’t judging me,” said a young girl, name withheld for anonymity. "It became a place where I could say things I didn’t feel comfortable saying anywhere else.”
Headspace Netivot is part of a national network of eight trauma-focused centers serving youth ages 10–25 across Israel. Unlike traditional clinical models that often focus on long-term treatment after a crisis has emerged, the Headspace approach emphasizes accessibility, early identification of distress and focused intervention.
By meeting young people where they are, both emotionally and geographically, the model provides responsive, tailored support that evolves with their needs, helping prevent escalation and maintain connection to school, family and community life.
To date, over 18,000 individuals have used Enosh services, including nearly 5,000 youth, with demand continuing to rise.
“Israel is facing one of the most difficult periods in its history,” Cahana-Buskila said.
According to The Times of Israel, more than half a million Israelis report at least one severe PTSD symptom following the events of Oct. 7.
“Addressing the consequences of this period requires services that are accessible and available, enabling early identification of distress and preventing its escalation,” Cahana-Buskila continued. “Supporting the mental health of young people relies on creating open, flexible and relevant spaces that offer a range of responses tailored to their evolving needs.”
The impact of this model is clear, as 71% of young people receiving focused support at Headspace report a reduction in emotional distress.
“We are proud to support an organization like Enosh, and ensure that the youth in periphery areas and underserved communities have access to quality mental health care,” said Talia Lidar, director of Israel and Global Operations for the Jewish Federation.
“At the Jewish Federation, we are honored to provide Israel with the resources it needs to prioritize the mental health of its citizens during a time when the need for individualized care is skyrocketing,” Lidar added. “Through these efforts, we are providing the support, stability, and hope the next generation needs to navigate the ongoing trauma they are experiencing so that they can grow up not defined by fear, but empowered with the tools they need to heal, to lead, and to build a stronger, more compassionate future. ”
Although Israel’s mental healthcare system has been stretched to its limit over the past two-and-a-half years, Enosh invests in secondary prevention and early intervention, identifying emotional distress before it escalates into crisis, hospitalization, or disengagement from school and community life.
“We see processes of identity formation, renewed meaning and mutual responsibility,” said Cahana-Buskila. “Even amid uncertainty, people are finding ways to move forward.”
These frameworks, Cahana-Buskila pointed out, “are about stabilization with dignity” that allows young people to “receive intensive support without losing connection to school, family and community.”
“Mental health is not a luxury,” Cahana-Buskila added. “It’s a foundational component of meaningful and functional human life.”
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Since 1901, the Jewish Federation has mobilized financial and volunteer resources to address the communities’ most critical priorities: Caring for Those in Need Locally, Supporting Israel and Global Jewry, and Securing a Vibrant Jewish Future. This includes organizations that fight food insecurity for the community-at-large and Holocaust Survivors.
To learn more about the Jewish Federation’s impact and our grantees, visit jewishphilly.org/impact.