Empowering Women's Health Amid War in Israel

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.