Empowering Women's Health Amid War in Israel

Project Report | Apr 13, 2026
Healing Forward: Women's Health in Post-War Israel

By Hadar Vander Albaranes | Partnership Development Manager

After two years marked by conflict and uncertainty, women across Israel are experiencing a growing mental and emotional strain. Many are balancing caregiving responsibilities, financial pressures, and ongoing security concerns, while their own needs are often pushed aside.

Healing Forward was developed in response to this reality. The program offers trauma-informed support and culturally adapted mental health resources, helping women rebuild emotional stability, strengthen resilience, and reconnect to a sense of control in their everyday lives.

A national survey conducted by Women and Their Bodies in August 2025, among 1,000 Jewish and Arab women, highlighted a clear deterioration in wellbeing, including:

Rising levels of anxiety and emotional overload
Increased sleep disruption and chronic fatigue
Higher incidence of depressive symptoms
Persistent stress related to caregiving responsibilities
Intensified fear and a diminished sense of personal safety

At the same time, access to reliable, gender-sensitive, and culturally relevant mental health information remains limited. This gap is especially pronounced in Arabic-speaking communities and in geographically and socially marginalized areas. Without accessible knowledge or supportive environments, many women cope alone—often normalizing their distress or placing blame on themselves, which can deepen long-term mental health challenges.

Healing Forward addresses these gaps by meeting women in ways that are accessible and relevant to their lived realities—linguistically, culturally, and emotionally. The program combines knowledge-sharing, practical tools, and community-based support.

Key components include:

Bilingual (Hebrew and Arabic) podcasts that present topics such as trauma, stress, and sleep in clear, relatable language
Digital self-assessment tools that help women identify symptoms and apply coping strategies in daily life
Trauma-informed workshops and facilitated support groups led by trained professionals across Israel
Continued support through facilitator follow-ups and peer networks

The program focus on stabilization, understanding, and resilience—supporting women in navigating prolonged periods of stress and uncertainty.

In 2026, Women and Their Bodies will expand Healing Forward to reach hundreds of women across diverse communities. Through accessible content, practical tools, and ongoing support, participants will be better equipped to manage stress, feel less isolated, and approach daily life with greater confidence and resilience.

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Dec 15, 2025
Healing Forward: Women's Health in Post-War Israel

By Meira Weinstein | Partnerships Coordinator

After two years of war and instability, women in Israel are carrying a disproportionate mental and emotional burden -managing caregiving, economic stress, and constant safety concerns while often neglecting their own wellbeing. Healing Forward provides trauma-informed, culturally adapted mental-health tools and community support that help women regain emotional stability, resilience, and agency in daily life.

In August 2025, WTB conducted a national survey of 1,000 Jewish and Arab women, revealing sharp increases in:

Anxiety and emotional overload
Sleep disruption and exhaustion
Depressive symptoms
Chronic caregiving stress
Heightened fear and loss of personal safety

Despite the scale of need, many women lack access to clear, gender-sensitive, culturally relevant mental-health information. In Arabic-speaking and peripheral communities, such resources are especially scarce. Without accessible tools or safe spaces, women often normalize distress, blame themselves, and cope in isolation - increasing long-term mental-health risks for themselves and their families.

Healing Forward meets women where they are - linguistically, culturally, and emotionally - by combining knowledge, tools, and community connection.

The project delivers:

Bilingual mental-health podcasts (Hebrew/Arabic) explaining stress, trauma, sleep disruption, and coping strategies in clear, accessible language
Digital self-assessment tools that help women identify symptoms and apply practical coping techniques
Trauma-informed workshops and support circles facilitated by trained professionals across Israel
Structured follow-up support, including facilitator check-ins and peer-support networks

Rather than clinical treatment alone, the project focuses on stabilization, understanding, and resilience - helping women regain a sense of control in prolonged crisis conditions.

In 2026, Women and their Bodies will expand Healing Forward to reach hundreds of women facing prolonged stress and trauma following years of war. The program will offer bilingual mental-health podcasts, digital self-assessment tools, and trauma-informed workshops and support circles across diverse communities. Through ongoing facilitator follow-up and peer connection, participants will gain practical coping tools, reduced isolation, and renewed confidence in managing daily life.

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