Post on 07-Jan-2017
A growing number ofIsraeli soldiers are
banding together in theUnited States to tackle
PTSD — using eachother as a bridge to do
so. The brotherhood thatexists among veterans is
a bond like no other.
Initiatives and groupsfrom the East to West
Coasts are bringingIsraeli and American
soldiers together in anattempt to heal
through fellowship.
Co-founder and Executive Directorof Brothers for Life, Rabbi ChaimLevine believes that no one canimpact the life of a soldier more
deeply than another soldier.
Brothers for Life’spopularity has broughtgroup sessions in cities
across the U.S., fromBoston to San Francisco
to Washington.
Upon experiencing one of the sessions,Chris Brown, former U.S. Marine, founded
a soldier-to-soldier peer program whereveterans help one another.
“I think the example that theIsraelis set is probably one of themost beneficial things that U.S.
veterans can get because in Israeliculture it seems to be a lot easier toshare your story and to articulate
the struggle that you have.”
- Chris Brown, former U.S Marine
In New York City, with Belev Echad (OneHeart in Hebrew) Org, groups of wounded
vets travel to NYC to reminisce, visit siteslike the Statue of Liberty, and tell stories
of their lives in battle and after. BelevEchad has been bringing wounded
members of the Israel Defense Forces toNew York City since 2009.
The tour is sponsored byChabad’s Upper East Side
Israeli community and wasattended by 60 alumni and
supporters this year. Supporters include
community members whohelp alumni acquire
computers for school andfinancial for durable goods,including prosthetic limbs.
Director of the ChabadCenter, Rabbi Uriel Vigler,
thinks events like these area powerful way to bring a
community together.
The organization runs group sessionswhere American and Israeli soldiers
spend time together — anywhere froma few hours to a week. Icebreakers
include different sports events thatprovide a way for veterans to open up.
Every day, vets return with physical,mental, and emotional challenges
that can affect every aspect of theirlives, but if the successes of these
organization is any indication,fellowship appears to be the greatest
enemy against PTSD.
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