Up to Date Report- Nitzan Association Iron Swords War

We thought that 2023 would be a regular year with no special incidents. However, on October 7, the worst nightmare of the residents of the Western Negev, and indeed the entire State of Israel, materialized. The atrocities perpetrated by terrorists against entire families in the Western Negev, inflicted profound trauma on many Israeli citizens.

Prior to the Iron Swords War, we at Nitzan had promoted our special services and our unique programs, as well as our activities abroad. After the start of the war, we had to act fast in order to take part in the national effort and take responsibility for our population. We had immediately established a hot line and emotional workshops to provide support and coping tools for families. At this time, we do not know how long the war will last and how the future will look, but it is obvious to us that Nitzan will have an important role during the war and certainly after the end of the war.

Our Activities since October 7

For a child with ADHD, navigating complex emergencies – such as continuous rocket fire that could commence at any given moment – is particularly challenging. These situations exacerbate the symptoms that they typically manage in their daily routines, making hyperactivity, sensory sensitivity, difficulty in delaying gratification, and anxiety more pronounced. These circumstances not only place an emotional burden on the children but also on their parents, inducing frustration and helplessness. Parents lack essential tools to effectively support their children in these trying circumstances. The recurrent nature of these situations can lead to almost irreversible damage. 

Nitzan Association may not be able to assist every child of Israel, let alone every citizen, but at this critical , we can extend our support to the children of the Western Negev with ADHD. Among them is 12-year-old Noa, residing in the bomb-ridden city of Ashkelon with her mother and three sisters. Recently, Noa and her family were evacuated to Eilat. Even after enduring many years under missile barrages, the magnitude of the tragedy in the past weeks has left Noa deeply fearful, traumatized, clinging to the horrors she witnessed, experiencing profound tension, and enduring nightmarish sleep.

Nitzan Association's hotline for parents

Since October 7, Nitzan has initiated an emergency program. The Program encompasses a hotline for parents and children, offering around the clock, advice to parents of children with ADHD from all over Israel. It is a Zoom-based counseling program facilitated by our psychologists, counselors, and professionals; and emotional workshops for children with ADHD, which provide safe and supportive space for sharing feelings and concerns, equipping participants with tools and skills to navigate emotional challenges, as well as helping them conceptualize and process emotions.

 Working within evacuation centers

Currently, we are working within different evacuation centers. Recognizing the need for ongoing support for children with ADHD and their parents, we have initiated a remedial instruction program for children at the different evacuation's centers in Tel Aviv, Beit-Shean, Tiberius and the Maccabia Village.

Emotional workshops in schools 

Furthermore, acknowledging that even children who did not directly experience the atrocities require emotional assistance, we have launched emotional workshops in schools in Netanya, Hedera and Harish. Our intention is to expand these workshops across the country to reach as many children as possible.
in an attempt to cater children's and parents’ emotional needs, we are offering resilience-oriented lectures and support sessions for the parents where we are also planning to establish a designated support group.

"New Hope for the Children" 

Since we are constantly updating our services and programs to emerging needs during this challenging period, we initiated a pilot by the name "New Hope for the Children". It is a holistic and integrative initiative, which will provide a response to three factors: students', teachers and parents and will include four components: a multidisciplinary screening and diagnosis of the students needs, forming a comprehensive work plan for each student, and providing professional support to the teachers and the parents. The pilot will take place at Ofakim and Ashkelon, 2 cities in the South of Israel that were bombed constantly and in the case of Ofakim, the terrorists succeeded to enter the city.