Community resilience in Kibbutz Merav

The "Resilience Team" in Merav was established before the Swords of Iron war, following a long period of incidents of shooting at the settlement's houses from nearby villages. When the war started, almost all the men in the community were called into reserves, creating changes to daily routines and structures, and adding layers of tension and difficulty for many families. A year into this challenging reality, the team is increasing their activities to provide the community members with new tools to strengthen and support them- helping them gain control, build resilience and face the next stages. The Resilience Team's program focuses on: 1. Collaborating with the existing community groups - committees, officials, leadership to implement programming 2. Building a work plan that provides a variety of solutions in different fields and for different target audiences, as each person has different ways and needs to build resilience. 3. Increasing awareness and accessibility to coping mechanisms and support during this complex period, to improve daily life. 4. Working with both internal and external resources to reach the community including: community members volunteering their talents, and lectures and workshops from outside experts. (These activities are funded by external donations and the Emek HaMaayanot Regional Council). Several sessions and workshops are already scheduled. As we look to reach all members of the community, sharing skills and mechanisms to build resilience and maintain routine during this challenging time, any donations will be greatly appreciated.