When Clir’s husband began waking up several times a night with horrific nightmares, she grew alarmed. He had participated in rescue missions after the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and served in multiple IDF reserve call-ups during the war.

A friend whose son was coping with PTSD brought her to a theater event at the Mondlak Center, where a new therapy yurt (circular tent) had been erected outside the synagogue in the Rimon neighborhood of Efrat.

“I just needed a place to share with others who were going through similar experiences,” said Clir, who did not want her full name to be published. “My husband gave me permission to speak about our shared experiences. He himself found helpful solutions, but as his partner, I needed the support.”

She then attended a second event, moderated by Iris Haim, whose hostage son Yotam was killed tragically by IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 10, 2023, and met others dealing with post-traumatic issues.

“There were parents who lost children, and spouses who lost husbands and wives,” Clir recalled. “It was really eye-opening. I suddenly realized that I wasn’t the only one going through mental health challenges. A mother of young children may not even realize that, as young as her children are, the exposure to war, loss, and constant alerts has affected them in so many ways. The services at the Mondlak Center created an understanding that we need to tend to the impact these events have had on our daily lives.”

Efrat’s new therapy yurt, a circular wood-lined structure, formed part of the Mondlak Center—a community resilience center serving Gush Etzion. The center was named in honor of Colel Chabad supporters Moshe and Lina Mondlak, residents of Gush Etzion who made aliyah from the United Kingdom, and was dedicated by their three children, to serve the mental health needs of the entire area.

The yurt was officially opened on Nov. 13 by its primary sponsor, Igor Tulchinsky, a venture capitalist and philanthropist originally from Belarus who is now based in New York, Rabbi Efraim Duchman from Colel Chabad, Efrat Mayor Dovi Shefler and Keren Efrat (Efrat Foundation) leaders.

“This warm and inviting wood-lined space is designed for group therapy activities, yoga and martial arts sessions for individuals coping with mental health challenges,” the Mondlak Center said in a press release.

According to Keren Efrat’s CEO, Ryan Levin, the space was designed to encourage emotional and physical grounding.

“There is an external space as well as internal spaces,” Levin said. “Inside, there are three therapy rooms for individual and group therapies. Yoga, mindfulness and breathing workshops were held outside the yurt. It felt like a protective space, even though it’s got a natural feeling of wood and canvas. You are walking into a very different vibe.”

Dr. Aliza Bier, the center’s chief clinician, said the demand for services had surged as soldiers and civilians alike experienced PTSD symptoms. Children were particularly vulnerable, one mother explained, recalling years of disruption from COVID and wartime alerts: “How is she supposed to just bounce back and acclimate to fourth grade?”

“We had 30 professionals and volunteers,” Levin said, noting that about a dozen community events ran regularly, serving entire families. “When one family member goes through trauma, it can be isolating and make the entire family feel helpless. We provide skills and knowledge for the entire family.”

He described a grandmother whose grandson was injured in a tank incident: “trauma rippled through every generation.” Despite the urgent need, he said, the waiting list had climbed past 100.

“We wished we could treat them all, but we didn’t have the resources,” Levin acknowledged. “We operated on a first-come, first-served basis, and we also triaged for those in immediate need.”

During the inauguration of the yurt, Tulchinsky addressed the crowd and dedicated the center to “Israel’s heroes.” He spoke of “the war after the war being fought by therapists, volunteers and by soldiers and their families who are learning to breathe again,” calling the yurt “Israel’s inner Iron Dome.”

He emphasized that healing was critical for Israel’s future security. “Just as we train our soldiers to run toward fire, we must train our citizens to run toward healing with the same courage,” he said. “Every survivor who stands back up again declares to the world: ‘You can wound us, but you will never break us!’”

For Clir, the ability to walk to services was what mattered most. “I really appreciated everyone who supported the program,” she said. “It was near the house and we didn’t have to travel far. It was accessible, unique and beneficial.”

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