Category: Health & Leisure

NBA LEGENDS SLAMDUNK HATRED

Project Max and Legends of Basketball Announce Strategic Partnership to Combat Hate Through the Power of Sports.

By Rolene Marks

Sport is the great unifier and the ultimate bridge builder. On the court, pitch or field is where people drop their defenses, their personal perceptions of one another and focus on what is an important shared goal. Winning.

Nobody understands the power of sports and the ability to fight racism, antisemitism and other prejudice through this medium more than Project Max.

Eddie and Mark talk to i24News about visiting Israel, being athletic advisors to ‪@ProjectMaxClub and why they joined to fight #racism and #antisemitism through sports.

Project Max is a nonprofit organization committed to fighting racism, antisemitism, and intolerance through the power of sports. By mobilizing professional athletes, sports leaders, and community advocates, Project Max promotes education, awareness, and action that empowers individuals to stand up against hate and build inclusive communities.

Since its inception, just over three years ago, Project Max has accomplished extraordinary things including bringing NBA and NFL legends to Israel who advocated for the release of hostages, conducted basketball clinics, supported the devastated community of Majdal Shams when 12 of their children were murdered by a Hezbollah rocket, supported women’s soccer and so much more.

More than a Game. Boys and girls from different ethnic backgrounds participating  at a Project Max basketball clinic. (Photo: Courtesy Eric Rubin)

In recent days, Project Max announced a new strategic partnership, dedicated to combating hate and promoting respect, inclusion, and understanding through the global platform of sports. Project Max has partnered up with Legends of Basketball!

Legends of Basketball is a nonprofit association of former professional basketball players united by a shared journey and a shared belief that legacy does not end when the ball stops bouncing. Founded in 1992 and established with the support of the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, the organization brings together former players from the NBA, ABA, WNBA, and Harlem Globetrotters. Legends of Basketball operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to supporting members beyond the game through connection, education, wellness initiatives, family resources, and community service.

The collaboration will bring together athletes, community leaders, educators, and youth organizations to confront racism, antisemitism, and intolerance while using sports as a powerful vehicle for positive social change.

These professional athletes bring with them tremendous influence, legacy, and a network of former professional athletes affiliated with Legends of Basketball. Together, the organizations will launch a series of initiatives designed to engage young athletes, sports communities, and fans in meaningful conversations and programs that promote respect, dignity, and unity.

Antisemitism is rising to astronomical levels around the world. Since 7 October, attacks on Jewish communities and individuals have skyrocketed. Hardly a day goes by without one or several incidents making headlines. It is clear that every effort needs to be made to combat Jew hatred which has already had deadly results. One of the only effective ways to educate against Jew hatred, is to introduce people to the Jewish community. What better way to do it than through an activity that is enjoyable and where participants can thrive whether as individuals or in teams!

Some of the proposed initiatives will include:

– educational workshops for youth athletes

– community outreach programs

– athlete-led discussions about confronting hate and discrimination, and

– public awareness campaigns aimed at promoting the core values of teamwork, fairness, and respect.

These initiatives will focus not only on preventing hate within sports environments – but also on using the influence of sports to foster broader cultural understanding and empathy.

Eyes on the ball and on the Future. (l-r) Mirna Sayeh, who became the first female Palestinian basketball player in the Israeli Premier League, former American-Israeli professional basketball player Tamir Goodman once dubbed by Sports Illustrated the “Jewish Jordan”,  Project Max president Eric Rubin and Legends of Basketball, Theo Ratliff, Sedric Toney and Dale Ellis. (Photo: Courtesy Eric Rubin)

Working with schools, sports leagues, and community organizations to create safe and inclusive environments where athletes of all backgrounds can participate and thrive is a key goal. By amplifying positive role models and highlighting the unifying values of sports, Project Max and Legends of Basketball aim to build a movement that encourages individuals everywhere to reject hate and champion respect.

 “Sports have an unparalleled ability to bring people together and create shared experiences,” said Eric Rubin, President of Project Max. “Through this partnership with Legends of Basketball, we are working to ensure that the values learned in sports — respect, teamwork and fairness — are also reflected in how we treat one another in society. Together, we hope to inspire athletes and fans to stand firmly against hate and discrimination.”

Pulsating Partnership. Project Max president, Eric Rubin (left) and Legends of Basketball Board Member, Sedric Toney. (Photo: Courtesy Eric Rubin)

Legends of Basketball Board Member, Sedric Toney, agrees:

“Basketball has always been about more than the game itself. It is about community, mentorship, and leadership. By partnering with Project Max, we are using the voices and experiences of former players to help educate and inspire young people to build a culture of inclusion and respect both within sports and beyond. Unfortunately, there has been an alarming rise in all forms of hatred across America and the world. Sports, including basketball, have not been immune to this disturbing trend. On the court, we have seen and heard racial abuse directed against Dennis Schroder, antisemitic comments hurled at Deni Avdija, and religious intolerance against the BYU basketball team.”

In the coming months, the partnership will begin rolling out programs that include youth sports clinics focused on leadership and character development, speaking engagements featuring former professional athletes, collaborative campaigns addressing hate and intolerance in sports environments, and educational initiatives designed to encourage dialogue among athletes, students, and community leaders.

Important lessons can be learned through sports — discipline, teamwork, resilience, and mutual respect can play a powerful role in shaping more inclusive communities and a more compassionate world. Who better to share this than some of the NBA’s most accomplished legends!

The winning combination of Project Max, Legends of Basketball and dedicated youth makes this partnership an absolute slam dunk!





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

THE SILENT WOUNDS OF WAR IN ISRAEL

There is the war people see on the news – and then there is the war people carry home in their bodies.

By Bev Moss-Reilly

It lives in the mother who pulls a sleepy toddler out of bed at two in the morning because the siren has gone off again. It lives in the baby who cannot understand what is happening but feels the panic in the arms holding him. It lives in the child who has started clinging, crying more easily, wetting the bed again, or refusing to sleep alone. It lives in grandparents trying to sound steady when they themselves are frightened. It lives in every family in Israel that has had to keep going while their hearts are under siege – and it lives in every Jew throughout the world because Israel is our homeland, the people of ha’aretz, our family.

Human resilience during a complex security period. Mother and baby in a protected space.

War does not only injure people physically. It unsettles the nervous system. It robs people of the ordinary comforts that make life feel safe. Home no longer feels fully restful. Night no longer feels quiet. Sleep is interrupted, sometimes repeatedly, by sirens, rushing feet, phones ringing, alarms sounding, and the sickening knowledge that danger may be near. When this happens for days, weeks, and months, it does something profound to mental health. Research has consistently shown that broken sleep and disrupted circadian rhythms affect mood, concentration, memory, emotional regulation, and overall mental functioning. People become more fragile, more reactive, more exhausted, and less able to think clearly, not because they are weak, but because they are human.

People take shelter in an underground parking lot in Tel Aviv during the war between Israel and Iran, June 24, 2025. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90).

And then there are the families. The family unit is where so much of this pain lands. Parents are trying to comfort children while hiding their own terror. Husbands and wives are carrying fear in different ways and at different volumes. Siblings are separated by military service, reserve duty, evacuation, injury, grief, or sheer emotional shutdown. Some families are physically together but emotionally frayed from the relentless strain. Others are missing someone around the Shabbat table, at bedtime, or in the morning rush. In war, family life does not simply pause. It absorbs the shock. It is often the first place where trauma shows itself and the last place people think to support.

This is especially true for children. They may not have the language to explain what they are feeling, but their bodies often tell the story. A child may become more anxious, more angry, more withdrawn, or more needy. Teenagers may look distant, numb, irritable, or flat, even while suffering deeply inside. Research published after October 7 has found a high burden of trauma related symptoms, anxiety, and depression in the Israeli public, and more recent work has shown troubling levels of probable post-traumatic stress among Israeli adolescents as well. That matters deeply, because when children and teenagers grow up under prolonged threat, the emotional effects do not simply disappear when the sirens stop.

“Dad is back!” A boy hugs his father who came back from the reserves. (Photo: “Beitmona” Archives).

There is also the emotional burden carried by ordinary people trying to make an honest living. The small shop owner opening despite exhaustion. The grocer wondering whether stock will arrive. The café owner trying to smile at customers while checking the news every few minutes. The worker who knows that if the business does not survive, neither does the family income. Financial fear and mental strain are deeply intertwined. Studies looking at small business owners during the ongoing conflict have found significant psychological distress, which is hardly surprising. It is very hard to feel calm, hopeful, or secure when one’s livelihood is as uncertain as tomorrow’s siren.

Then there are the families of the IDF, the IAF, and all those protecting our beloved
Eretz Yisrael. These families wake every day with a private ache in their chest. There
is pride, yes, but also dread. There is the constant checking of messages, the
waiting, the imagining, the praying. Mothers and fathers try to be strong. Wives and
husbands hold households together while carrying the fear that one phone call could
change everything. Children miss their parent and do not always understand why the
grown-ups seem distracted or tense. There is no neat way to carry that kind of love
and fear at the same time.

Medical teams are carrying a burden of their own. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, trauma teams, surgeons, support staff, and first responders have worked under relentless pressure, long hours, and heartbreaking circumstances. They have treated injuries, witnessed fatalities, supported grieving families, and often put their own emotional needs aside so that others could survive. The World Health Organization has described a significant mental health crisis affecting frontline workers in Israel in the wake of October 7, and that should make all of us stop and take notice. The people who care for everyone else also need care. They are not machines. They are human beings who see too much, hold too much, and are too often expected to simply continue.

No group, however, embodies the long shadow of this trauma more painfully than the former hostages and their families. On October 7, 251 people were taken hostage, including babies, children, women, men, and the elderly. For those who returned alive, freedom did not mean the suffering simply ended. Official Israeli health guidance recognises that captivity can leave long lasting physical and emotional consequences and that survivors and their families need comprehensive, deeply compassionate, ongoing care. The body may come home, but sleep, trust, appetite, safety, and peace of mind do not always come home with it.

What of the families who waited? The mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses, grandparents, and children who lived in suspended agony, not knowing whether to hope, fear, pray, rage, or prepare for the worst. That kind of waiting is its own trauma. It stretches time into something unbearable. It invades every waking moment. It reshapes the nervous system around dread.

The names of little Ariel Bibas and baby Kfir Bibas pierced hearts around the Jewish world, together with their mother, Shiri. Their faces became symbols of innocence stolen, and of a grief too deep for words. Even writing their names is painful. They were not symbols first. They were a family. A mother. Two little boys. Loved, held, kissed, known. Their story reminded so many people that the wounds of October 7 were not abstract, not political, and not distant. They were intimate, devastating, and brutally personal. Their surviving father/husband lives with unimaginable mental scars, ones that are irrevocable.

The Bibas family (L- R) Ariel, Yarden, Shiri and Kfir.

People often speak of Israeli resilience, and it is real. It is extraordinary. Israelis do keep going. They do show up. They do rebuild, volunteer, comfort, fight, donate, cook, pray, and stand shoulder to shoulder. But resilience must never be used to minimise pain. Strong people still break down. Brave people still have panic attacks. Loving parents still cry in the shower, so their children do not see. Soldiers still come home carrying things they cannot yet say. Survivors still wake in terror. Bereaved families still must face mornings they never asked for. Resilience is not the absence of trauma. It is what people do while carrying it.

That is why mental health support is not optional. It is essential. People need spaces where they can speak honestly and without shame. They need trauma support, counselling, community care, practical help, and the reassurance that struggling does not mean they are failing. Families need checking in on. The bereaved need people who are willing to sit with them in their sorrow, not rush them through it. The wounded need continued support long after the visible injuries begin to heal. Medical staff need rest and psychological care. Military families need support before, during, and after deployment. Children need adults who understand that behaviour is often the language of distress.

Anxiety treatment and psychotherapy for children, adolescents and adults suffering from various types of anxiety.

Sometimes support is very simple. A phone call. A meal. A lift. A quiet visit. An offer to sit with someone who does not want to be alone. A willingness to listen without trying to fix the unfixable. A reminder that they are not forgotten. In Jewish life, we know this instinct well. We gather. We show up. We carry one another. We understand, at our best, that if one Jew feels pain, we all do.

That truth matters now more than ever.

The fight for survival is not only about borders, sirens, or uniforms. It is also about preserving the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our people. It is about protecting the minds and hearts of babies, children, families, shopkeepers, soldiers, medical staff, survivors, and the bereaved. It is about making room for grief and fear while still choosing life. It is about refusing to let trauma have the final word.

Israel needs strength, yes – but it also needs tenderness. It needs mental health support that is accessible, compassionate, and sustained. It needs communities that do not disappear once headlines fade – and it needs all of us, wherever we live, to remember that solidarity is not only political or practical. It is emotional. It is deeply human. It is the act of saying, your pain matters to me, and you will not carry it alone.

We stand by our people and our homeland, and we pray for peace for all. We are grateful to all who carry the supportive and emotional weight of this war, and those that have preceded it. Kol HaKavod v Todah Rabbah. Am Yisrael Chai.



About the writer:

Bev Moss -Reilly is a Jewish freelance content writer living in South Africa with a deep and heartfelt focus on mental health, emotional wellbeing, trauma, grief, and the unseen struggles people carry every day. Through her writing and her Mental Health Packs, she aims to bring comfort, awareness, compassion, and practical support to individuals, families, workplaces, and communities. Her work is rooted in empathy, dignity, and the belief that nobody should feel alone in their pain, especially in times of crisis.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

GOLDA WOULD BE PROUD!

Sports is helping female olim break barriers

By Rolene Marks

In a world that is increasingly polarized, sport is one of the few unifiers. It is not just about bringing people of different backgrounds together, sometimes it is about helping new olim (immigrants) acclimate to living in Israel – and finding their friends and community.

For many female olim who want to try break into the Israeli sports scene, the challenges may seem overwhelming. Language barriers, bureaucracy and cultural differences are sometimes prohibitive but playing a sport, especially a team-oriented game, can do wonders.

In recent weeks, Tazuz and Project Max, who are both organisations building bridges and breaking barriers through sports, held the Golda Meir Tournament for women’s soccer/football.

Nobody exemplifies the power of Israeli women more that former Prime Minister and icon, Golda Meir. Meir, an “olah” herself, was a trailblazer in many ways and it is in her memory and spirit that Tazuz and Project Max held the second annual Golda Meir Tournament for women’s soccer (football).

Breaking Barriers. Seen here are women from different communities across Israel play soccer at the 2025 Golda Meir Tournament. 

The “beautiful game” is the quintessential unifier.

“Sport has the unique ability to bring people together. It is a way to share a common love, to have fun, to compete, and to socialize – and it also has the ability to provide an outlet – both physically and emotionally. For the past 2 years, Israelis have suffered tremendous emotional trauma due to multiple wars and the fact that 48 (at the time of writing this) of our loved ones are still held hostage by an evil terrorist organization. In part, for that reason, I couldn’t have imagined a better time for Project Max to support the Golda Meir Women’s Football Tournament in conjunction with Tazuz,” says Eric Rubin, CEO of Project Max.

Man with a Mission. Eric Rubin, Executive Director of both Together Vouch For Each Other U.S. and Project Max, presents the prizes at the Golda Meir Tournament for women’s football.

Rubin continues, “We were able to bring together about 50 young women from all over Israel, who were able to play the sport they love. They were given the opportunity to forget all that is going on around them and have a few hours where all they were focused on was having fun, bonding, exercising, and competing. It would also be remiss of me if I didn’t recognize that unfortunately, we as a nation, do not give the same resources, respect, funding, and opportunities to women’s sports. We all need to do our part to change the culture and attitudes in regard to women’s sports.”

On the Ball. Despite the tense situation around them in their country, these young ladies were determined to focus on, in the words of competition organizer, Eric Rubin,  to enjoy having “fun, bonding, exercising, and competing.”

Project Max’s mission is fighting racism, antisemitism, and intolerance through sports, leveraging advanced technology and the support of professional athletes. Maia Cabrera, an olah who plays for Maccabi Kishronot Hadera and the Israeli National team, is a proud Ambassador of Project Max.

Women’s soccer has not received the funding and exposure that male dominated soccer has and female players have fought hard to ensure that their funding is increased. It is a battle that they have won – albeit not on the level of their male counterparts.

Founded by an oleh chadash (new immigrant) from Mexico after moving to Israel as an international student, Tazuz is a sports and social club that connects people in Israel through recreational leagues, academies, courses, and community events. Tazuz operate in multiple cities, offering activities such as tennis, surfing, beach volleyball, soccer, and more — all designed to create meaningful human connections through sport.

“Tazuz was established primarily for international students, providing a community away from home where they can enjoy their favorite sports in an organized, friendly, and welcoming environment.”  Says Eitan Hirsch, the founder of Tazuz.

Naming a women’s tournament after iconic Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir was a natural fit.

Golda’n Opportunities. Following Golda who broke barriers for women in politics, the Golda Meir Tournament for women’s football is breaking barriers through sport.

Eitan continues, “The Golda Meir Tournament was created to bring together Israelis and internationals from different cities in a fun, amateur yet competitive soccer environment. This year, we hosted our second annual tournament. The idea started when I noticed that every week, over 30 women would come just to watch our men’s soccer league. We thought: Why should they only watch? They should be playing too. We first ran two women’s leagues, but soon realized many participants were looking for structured training rather than just competition. That’s how our Women’s Soccer Academies began — 2-month programs where women can train weekly with professional coaches to improve their skills.”

The academies were started first in Herzliya, followed by  Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and now have over 50 women actively training.

The Golda Meir Tournament brought together 35 women from various cities (6 from Herzliya, 9 from Jerusalem, 20 from Tel Aviv) for a truly unique and memorable event. Tazuz’s core mission is to foster connections across communities, empower women in competitive sports both in Israel and globally, and ensure every participant has an enjoyable experience. The Golda Meir Tournament perfectly embodies this vision.

“The tournament was hosted in the Maccabi Tel Aviv training courts, and we had the privilege of having Eric representing Project Max, who was the sponsor of this event and gave the trophy to the winning team, the Tel Aviv team, who took it this time,” said Eitan Hirsch.

Having a Field Day. These cup recipients were among 50 young women from across Israel, who were able to compete in the sport they love.

Tazuz plans to launch more academies across the country that will aim to welcome more participants and strengthen connections across communities. Hirsch concludes, “Our goal is to encourage more people to play and to help the growth of sports—one goal at a time!”

With academies across the country and partners like Project Max, these ladies are set to be trailblazers in women’s soccer. Golda would be proud!


Beautiful Spirit. These young girls from diverse communities across Israel came together to have fun competing in the “Beautiful Game”.  






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

ICE CREAM AND A BOMB SHELTER FOR TOPPING!

How the mundane morphs into the monstrous as two totally separate concepts find commonality for an anguished Israeli grandfather.

By Jonathan Feldstein

One of the best things in life is to have the privilege of taking one’s grandchildren out for ice cream. Even during a war.  Perhaps, especially during a war. 

This week, my daughter and son-in-law brought my four grandsons for a visit, partly as a fun outing and partly as a respite for themselves. Since the war began with Iran, all school and pre-school programs have been canceled, leaving parents of young children to figure out how to juggle keeping all the kids occupied without pulling their own hair out, and keeping them safe and close to home for the eventuality of having to take cover in the bomb shelter sometimes 2-3 or more times a day.

This variety of ice creams could at any moment be followed by a variety in lethality of incoming Iranian missiles.

My kids have taken to putting their boys to sleep in the spare room that doubles as the bomb shelter, to avoid having to move them all in 90 seconds, and risking their waking up due to being moved and the jarring sound of the siren.

Moving little children to the bomb shelter is all the more complicated in families where one of the spouses had been called up for reserves, something that’s much more common in the past week, even more so than the recent previous major call up of reservists. Imagine being a young mother with three to four kids under seven, home alone, not only having to move the kids into the shelter one by one, but also having to get them back to sleep after an attack. 

Then there are the times during the day when they are awake, as happened again yesterday (and at night) and having to occupy and comfort them for at least 10-15 minutes, but sometimes for over an hour. 

Whether one or two parents with little kids, or empty nesters like ourselves, we are all operating bleary eyed from repeated nights’ sleep being interrupted.  Last night the “blessing” was that it was at 4:20am. The day before it was at 2:30am.  Sometimes one is able to get back to sleep. Sometimes (like me in all cases), not.  Good thing I am not operating heavy machinery!

With grandson #4 napping, and me more than a little envious, it was prime time to take the three older boys for ice cream, giving my daughter and son-in-law a few minutes of quiet. Bleary eyed or not, it’s always a pleasure to take the kids out and spend some time with them. Also, parenting never ends, and letting your own kids in their 30s have a break is important.

On the way out, my daughter said something I not only had never heard, but never could have imagined. In my life, I never would have put these words together in the same sentence.  “Make sure you know where the bomb shelter is at the ice cream parlor when you’re out with the boys,” the mama-hen responsibly reminded. 

Enjoying an ice scream in Jerusalem.

Nope. I’d never have thought of it.  But we’re at war. Iran is firing ballistic missiles with massive warheads directly at our towns and cities. All the casualties in Israel have been civilians. Yet even while we are at war, there’s never a better time for ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles  – to at least bring also a “sprinkle” of normalcy on these young precious lives!

Also, for the first time, there was abundant signage in and around the strip-mall next to our house identifying where all the bomb shelters were – just in case.  As much as I’d never thought of including “ice cream” and “bomb shelter” in the same sentence, I never would have thought that whoever planned the architecture would put a bomb shelter right there in the ice cream shop.  But there it is, behind the bright pink walls and shelves of toppings. 

Just in case!

On the way home, my first-grade grandson told me about all the different ice cream flavors they have at home.  It’s a good parenting strategy to have ice cream to pull out even under missile attacks, maybe especially so.  While I joined them with a scoop of yummy pistachio today, I’m really feeling that I need something more along the lines of a rum raisin or bourbon-caramel swirl.

Maybe a double!

An ice scream parlor in Tel Aviv, Israel.

When it was time for my grandchildren to return home to their parents, I experienced feelings of ambiguity. On the one hand I did not want them to leave  – as I never do – but this time I wished they would hurry because reports were coming through that Israel had again successfully struck significant Iranian targets and I knew that this would soon – probably very soon – translate into a lethal response and our skies would again light up with Iranian missiles. This would send Israelis to the bomb shelters again – whether at home or in an ice cream store! When this happens  – as it inevitably would – I wanted my grandchildren at home in the safety, familiarity, and comfort of their own bomb shelter. 

This has become their norm, and all of ours.  The reality could not be more contrasting:

Israel issues warnings to Iranians living near various military sites that they should evacuate before an aerial attack in order to prevent the loss of civilian life while the Iranian Islamic regime deliberately fires dozens or hundreds of missiles at a time into civilian areas, targeting homes like where my grandkids live. 

Okay to enjoy ice creams during the day, but you want the kids safely at their homes with bomb shelters long before evening with the expectation of incoming missiles from Iran.

Iranians are given ample notice to flee in advance of a military strike, and indeed we have seen massive traffic jams with them doing just that. On our side, the evacuation is wanting my grandchildren to leave early enough that they will be in the ‘comfort’ of their own bomb shelter when the jihadi missiles target us all.

I welcome the return to the day when I can again take my grandchildren for an ice cream and not have to think of a bomb shelter!



About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein ­­­­- President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

CANINE THERAPY HELPS SOLDIERS COPE WITH PTSD

Dogs are proving to be partners in caring and literally a friend – for life!

By Rolene Marks

(*First appeared in Jewish News Syndicate)

April is a bittersweet month in Israel calendar. It is the month when the national holidays of Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Day), Yom Hazikaron (Memorial day for Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) fall in succession. It is a time of remembrance and celebration – but also a time that can be very sensitive and triggering for Israel’s soldiers. Various cities have made the decision not to have fireworks to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut out of sensitivity to soldiers suffering from PTSD.

The Defense Ministry Deputy Director General,  Limor Luria, who heads the ministry’s Rehabilitation Department, recently said that soldiers struggling with PTSD feel that  holidays and memorial days as especially straining, even more so during wartime. The Rehabilitation Department estimated that they would be treating approximately 100,000 wounded personnel by 2030, half of whom expected to experience PTSD.

The number of suspected suicides among Israeli soldiers had risen sharply since the Hamas-led assault on October 7, according to the data published by the IDF. Since the start of the war, 28 soldiers have died by suicide as compared in 2023 when – before the attack – 10 suicides were recorded. Laura reveals that since Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, the Rehabilitation Department has absorbed 16,500 injured soldiers, with nearly half of them treated for PTSD.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as “a mental health condition that is caused by an extremely stressful or terrifying event — either being part of it or witnessing it.” It is often characterized by recurring nightmares, frequent panic attacks, depression, and other trauma symptoms. Often, those with PTSD fear sleep because persistent nightmares torment and awaken them.

The wounds are not physical but internal and for many years, PTSD has been misunderstood and often stigmatized. Treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD has been inadequate and neglected. In April 2021, IDF veteran, Itzik Saidyan an IDF veteran set himself on fire outside the Petah Tikva offices of the Rehabilitation Department for disabled soldiers, after years of struggling to receive the care he had sought for PTSD.

Following  the horrific October 7 surprise attack and the rising number of soldiers experiencing PTSD, the Ministry of Defense has amped up efforts to treat this with a variety of different therapies – including special dog companions.

Best friend on Soldier’s Shoulder. The Dogs 4 Soldiers program gifts Israeli soldiers with the comfort and healing of therapy dogs. Says Belev Echad committed to restoring wounded IDF soldiers back to life,  “Partnering them with a furry friend in need of care gives them something positive to wake up to every morning.”

Animals play a vital role in helping PTSD sufferers process and cope with the emotions and challenges they face. Canine companions are excellent at providing a special kind of therapy. Therapy dogs help their soldier get active and leave the house because they need a lot of exercise. They help rebuild trust and give unconditional love. Dogs also help solders make the sometimes-difficult transition to civilian life and help their humans feel protected.

A board member with No Soldier Left Behind  – a non-profit organization that offers canine therapy – Tal Morag explains the clear distinction to JNS between therapy and service dogs:

 “Soldiers live with the shock of battle that they can relive at any moment. A sudden loud noise or the smell of blood can be a cue to trigger it off. It can take years to understand what is happening to them. We don’t question them; we give them the chance to tell their stories and therapists to assist them. It is not only combat soldiers who find themselves with symptoms of PTSD but also those in the police, in the security forces and we paramedics. The dogs are trained not to be a service dog but just to be the soldier’s dog and you can see how effective they are. The dogs learn to understand his or her owner and is able to smell that a panic attack is about to happen and can calm them down.”

Furry Friends. Fractured from the battlefield, troops find friendship from their furry companions. (Photo: Elad Gershgorn)

Liran Dimri, the Director of the Dog Training Centre for Belev Echad who offer the program Dogs 4 Soldiers, also suffers from PTSD. Speaking to JNS, Dimri advocates how therapy dogs help:

 “People who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder usually prefer to be alone, locked up at home, and this is what causes them depression. Dogs help them by getting them out of the house at least three times a day. In addition, when they are alone at home, the dog is always with them and seeks the person’s attention and treats them, so they don’t feel alone.”

Caring Canines. Belev Echad is working tirelessly to provide service dogs to soldiers struggling with PTSD. These dogs detect adrenaline spikes and nightmares, reduce stress and anxiety, provide balance assistance, and serve as loyal companions.

Dimri understands too well the impact that PTSD has on the families of soldiers and encourages family members to be actively involved in the training process. A sufferer himself from post-traumatic stress disorder mainly affecting his sleep, Dimri acquired a dog three years ago which has helped him deal with depression, and so “in a good position to advise on what to do and how it helped me. I also talk to family members and explain to them about post-traumatic stress disorder and how they should deal with their children or partners, and that way it helps them deal with them better. I encourage family members to join in the dog training sessions, to go through this process together, so that the soldiers understand that they are not alone in this process. Their family is with them, and so am I. In addition, it gives them quality time together at least once a week when we meet for training and eat together at the end of the evening.”

Man’s best friend can also be his best therapist.



*Feature picture:
Pets for Vets. Veterans of the Israel Defense Forces with trainee pups in the Dogs 4 Soldiers program. (Photo: Courtesy of Liran Dimri/Belev Echad.)





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

AN ISLAND OF SANITY IN A SOMETIMES MURKY AND TREACHEOUS OCEAN

A family experience in Jerusalem hospital  reveals how “We, the people,” rather than “Them, the politicians,” could show a collective way forward.

By Solly Kaplinski

(First appeared in The Times of Israel)

For almost three weeks recently, we visited our daughter every day at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem – she underwent a series of operations and procedures and thankfully, is now on the slow road to recovery. The medical care has been truly outstanding for which we have a lot to be grateful. What especially stands out  is the professionalism of the staff,  many of whom – possibly even the majority amongst the nursing staff, are Israeli Arabs. But there is something more: over and above their expertise, the genuine concern exhibited, the friendliness and compassion which you can’t fake, the authenticity of feeling, all played an essential part in the recuperation, recovery and well- being of our daughter.

Unity in Diversity. Hadassah Medical Center workers hold signs emphasizing cooperation.

Of course, there are always issues and I’m not going to sugar coat this  – hospitals are after all stressful, frenetic places and emotions are on display – and one sees the best and the worst excesses of human behavior.

But on the macro level, the tension-free mixed wards, relaxed lounge areas and eating places – which will never make the headlines because this is truly good news, somehow seem to belie the reality of our fragile and at times hanging- by-a- thread country outside the walls of the hospital. Which begs the question:

How do we take the reality of what goes on behind the doors of the hospital: an oasis and haven of relative calm and a slice of normality, and transplant it lock, stock and barrel to our real world.  What are the ingredients, the secret sauce for success? How do we mirror image and clone a relatively peaceful institution and make the centre hold in our immediate outside world where “anarchy is loosed upon the world” (Yeats).

Holding on Together. Jews and Arabs traveling on the Light Rail through French Hill in Jerusalem, one of the most integrated and diverse areas in Israel “where people live, work, shop, and eat together ….a model of co-existence.”

Sadly, I cannot prescribe a remedy or template for success or for that matter, something earth shatteringly profound but the regrettable observation that failing the emergence of a once-in-a-lifetime larger than life Mandela type leader, we are sometimes left subjected to spineless pygmy politicians of all stripes and sizes. Them as well as a media and their proxies: arrogant, know-it-all talking heads and so-called experts on all sides of the spectrum who cannot be trusted nor seemingly deliver. Consequently,  the pathways to a new and more optimistic future have to be bottom-up driven, that it is ultimately “we, the people”, who have to painstakingly and modestly find the way to change our current harsh reality and that yes, there are role models for success. Take my neighborhood for instance, French Hill in Jerusalem, possibly one of the most integrated and diverse in Israel where people live, work, shop, and eat together and is, to all intents and purposes, a model of co-existence – with no authoritarian dictates on how and where we should live our lives. Or take our apartment block where religious Jews and Muslims live side by side together with Christians and secular and traditional Jews.

This harmony and goodwill was especially pronounced when Iran forced us all several times into our communal shelter.  In other words, changing our reality is doable! And we can especially take comfort – and inspiration from the fact that Israeli society, the people: amcha, post October 7th, in the face of an absent, reckless and negligent government, rallied together with our unbelievably dedicated brave and courageous soldiers and pilots – and a President whose middle name is Empathy, and came to the heroic rescue and rebuilding of our fractured, traumatized country and people.

Young Boys, Old City. Three boys, one Jewish, one Muslim and one Christian, all bearing the name of Abraham, at the Dome of the Rock and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, 2000. How connected are they today as adults?

Maybe and of course, this is a long and unrealistic shot  (but please, indulge my fantasy –  we can “perchance to dream”, can’t we?)  we should, following on reflections of our daughter’s hospital experience, entrust our future into the capable hands of the helping professions who get it, who understand human weakness and frailty, who selflessly provide not only the generous and gentle heart – and a broad shoulder to lean on but who help us navigate the depths of pain, suffering and anxiety, and also strive to find the blueprint that makes us whole and brings out the very best in us.


Witness the rapport between the Muslim woman who manages the endo-chemistry laboratory and her Jewish staff member Limor Avraham, the warm connection between the Muslim internal medicine day hospital manager and a Jewish ultra-Orthodox volunteer, and the collaboration between each of the very diverse teams of Jewish, Christian and Arab intensive care nurses, x-ray technicians and kitchen staff. Listen to Hadassah’s staff members sing about their commitment to opening their hearts and working together to save lives, “Together All the Way. Together, There Is No Other Way.”



About the writer:

Solly Kaplinski, former Headmaster of Herzlia High School in Cape Town, also headed up Jewish Day Schools in Toronto and Vancouver. His Aliyah professionally has been bookended by working at Yad Vashem in the International Relations Department and at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) where he served for 17 years as the Executive Director of Overseas Joint Ventures. He is also the author of a novella, A world of Pains: A Redemptive Parable? He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Arleen, and their 3 daughters, their spouses and an egalitarian minyan of grandchildren, all living in Israel.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

AN ACT OF LOVE

A brave act by one young wife and mother ensures that another remains a wife and a mother.

By Lennie Lurie

We read in the Hebrew Bible, Leviticus 19:18:

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord”.

The latter Commandment is a core principle of Judaism that relates to the law concerning ethical relationships.

The Talmudic sage, Rabbi Akiva, declared that this verse: “You shall love thy neighbor as thyself”, contains the great principle of the Law (“Kelal gadol ba-Torah“) and stands as the central commandment of the Torah as it emboldens individuals to treat each other as equals. “Thy neighbor” does not refer exclusively to the Israelite neighbor but as we read in Leviticus 19:34, it is extended to “the stranger that dwells with you ….and thou shalt love him as thyself”.

The word “love” can be exhibited in many forms. Some Jewish sources have emphasized the importance of self-sacrifice in regards to putting our needs second to another’s. Confounding interpretation, Rabbi Akiva’s teaching of “Your own life takes precedence to that of another” contradicts his own principle of loving thy neighbor as thyself. However, we can accept the universal spirit of this command as expressed by another Talmudic sage, Rabbi Hillel, in responding to the heathen who requested him to tell the Law while standing before him on one foot:

“What is hateful to thee, thou shalt not do unto thy neighbor. This is the whole of the Law, the rest is only commentary”

However, the 20th-century Jewish theologian, Will Herberg, argued that “justice” is at the heart of the Jewish notion of love, and the foundation for Jewish law:

“The ultimate criterion of justice, as of everything else in human life, is the divine imperative – the law of love …. Justice is the institutionalization of love in society …. This law of love requires that every man be treated as a Thou, a person, an end in himself, never merely as a thing or a means to another’s end. When this demand is translated into laws and institutions under the conditions of human life in history, justice arises”.

A contemporary, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, has interpreted love as a motivation for giving to others. As a way to extend one’s hand to the community, one can give Tzedakah, or charity, which comes from the word Tzedek meaning justice. As an obligation, one must give to the poor “as a means of restoring justice to the world…not as an altruistic or voluntary gesture.” A way to outwardly and tangibly exhibit love is by giving. By giving to the community, one can demonstrate love outwardly while also embracing it inwardly.

Love has also been expressed as being the selflessness of mankind (Rabbi Louis Jacobs, Greater Love Hath No Man). Humans have the capacity to self-sacrifice in the interest of others, as every life is valuable and unique. When one risks his or her own life to save another, it is seen as an act of piety and an act of love and justice which “advocates the most excessive altruism…”

I wish to relate a real-life incident which embodies self-sacrifice in the interest of others, exemplifying all the human goodness in fulfilling the commandment:

“Thou shall love your neighbor as thyself”

Ma’ayan is no ordinary Israeli woman. The Hebrew name Ma’ayan translates as “a spring or fountain” and Ma’ayan literally bubbles with energy, love and goodwill. She was raised in the rural village of Kiryat Tiv’on, located about 20 km east of Haifa in the north of Israel. She matriculated from the local high school and undertook her mandatory 20 months military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). She completed an Officer’s Course and was awarded the distinction as a Soldier of Excellence.

Ma’ayan as a First Lieutenant in the Israel Defense Force (IDF)

Following her service in the IDF, Ma’ayan studied and graduated with a B.A. degree in Psychology at the University of Haifa, worked for a while in the Ministry of Health in Haifa finally gravitating to the hi-tech industry. She also gravitated to Guy in the hi-tech industry. The couple got married, settled on moshav S’de Yehoshua, about 15 km from Kiryat Tivon and have three kids – an 11-year son called Omer, and two daughters: Yuval aged 9 years and Ofri aged 5.

And then, in May, 2023, Ma’ayan informed her husband Guy that she wanted to donate a kidney to a seriously ill person who needed desperately a kidney transplant in order prolong his/her life. Guy was momentarily shocked at this decision and tried to understand the motivation for this extraordinary and seemingly dangerous undertaking. Ma’ayan had no reason at all other than her desire to extend the life of a very ill person. She admitted that she had undergone lengthy periods of introspection and had felt that her decision was the right one. She had read that the operation itself, though serious, was not life threatening and that the donor, then with only one kidney, could be expected to lead a normal, natural and lengthy life. Guy felt the conviction of his wife’s feelings and promptly reassured her of his full support, cooperation and everything else Ma’ayan needed to implement this altruistic act of “loving thy neighbor as thyself”.

Ma’ayan, Guy and their three children

Ma’ayan had numerous meetings with doctors and medical personnel and undertook extensive medical checks at the Beilinson – Rabin Medical Centre in Petach Tikvah. She was interviewed by psychologists to ensure that her motivation was entirely altruistic and that she was aware that her donated kidney could be given to any person who was in need of same.

The date of the kidney removal and transplant was set for the 14th September, 2023.

On that unique occasion, just prior to the dual kidney operations, two youngish and attractive women faced each other for the first time: one was the kidney donor, Ma’ayan and the other was Efrat, the kidney recipient. Each woman knew that they would be forever “united” in that most beautiful and perfect of altruistic human acts: a kidney transplant!

Efrat was born with a genetic kidney impairment which only exacerbated with the passing of years. At some stage she had to have one kidney removed which created additional health complications. After her marriage, she was unable to fall pregnant. The young couple then decided to have a surrogate mother give birth to their child. Suitable arrangements were made with a professional organization specializing in this complex procedure. The couple travelled to Georgia where a local woman was impregnated with their embryo. In due course, twins – a son and a daughter – were born and the delighted and proud parents returned to Israel to raise their two children.

Sadly, Efrat’s remaining single kidney failed to function normally and it had to be surgically removed. This resulted in her undergoing the very arduous and exhausting process of dialysis, three times a week. She was unable to drink any liquids or digest foods / fruit containing liquids which imposed dietetic complications.

One can only assume that at this critical stage, Efrat must have realized that her life was lacking all quality and meaning. The dialysis process is soul destroying and leaves the patient with no hope for any permanent cure. The only possible and effective remedy is a kidney transplant. Other than that, the patient must anticipate the very worst …

So Efrat was placed on the list of potential kidney transplants. She must have been fully aware that with each passing day without receiving a kidney transplant, that inevitability of death was being brought closer and closer.

A miracle then took place when that courageous, kindhearted and compassionate Ma’ayan stepped into the picture – and Efrat smiled for the first time ….

Ma’ayan and Efrat meeting for the first time at the hospital

A video clip movie was made of the actual scene whereby the kidney donor and the kidney recipient met each other for the first time in the hospital, each woman knowing that they will be forever “united” in that most beautiful and loving altruistic human act: a kidney transplant!

At first, we see in the video clip, the women who are facing each other are stationary but their lips are moving. We can naturally assume that they are greeting each other. After this very brief interlude, they each take a step or two forward and fall into each other’s arms, embracing like lovers! But much more than that: there is something in their hugging that seems to indicate an intensity of feeling, a unique bond sharing that will unite them and their families for all their lives.

No Hollywood director could produce a similar scene with such an emotional impact on the viewer who knows the background of that meeting! One didn’t have to hear the silent wording of the two women in the video clip to comprehend what was being said: words of passionate gratitude and appreciation, contrasting with words of pleasure and fulfilment. The wording was very secondary to the physical embrace which communicated everything that can be portrayed in that almost miraculous act of extending and giving new life to a much-endangered young mother with twins.

The actual kidney transplant was performed in sequence: the removal of the kidney from the donor to the immediate implant into the body of the recipient.

The kidney transplant operations were a complete success. Ma’ayan has made a wonderful recovery; returning home to her family and later resuming her work in Tel Aviv. Efrat now lives a full and normal life and together with her husband, take an active role in raising their 6-year-old son and daughter.

There is that well-known and used Yiddish expression: “Der Rabbi zocht!” (“The Rabbi says!”) What the Rabbi says, the congregant undertakes without question or delay. Believe it or not, but those amazing Rabbis of the extreme orthodox community in Jerusalem have told their congregants to donate their kidneys to those ill persons (irrespective if they are Jew or Gentile, religious or secular) who are waiting for a suitable donor to get a new kidney and thus have their lives saved.

The Beilinson – Rabin Medical Center in Petach Tikvah where the kidney transplant was performed on the 14th September, 2023.

These days, the largest sector in Israel that are kidney donors, are those religious Jews in Jerusalem who have taken that Biblical command: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” in its most literal sense, sharing their body organs with strangers to save human lives!

Let us turn to those two wonderful women and to all the courageous, compassionate and neighbor-loving organ donors in Israel and recite to them from the Book of Numbers, Chapter 6, verses: 24-26:

“May the Almighty bless you and keep you; may the Almighty make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Almighty turn his face toward you and give you peace”.

Please forgive me but I forgot to state in the aforementioned story that Ma’ayan is my elder daughter! And I am an exceptionally proud father of a kidney donor who has fulfilled the commandment:

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”



About the writer:

A B.Sc. graduate in Economics and Geology from the University of Cape Town (UCT), Lennie may be the only volunteer from abroad who was granted permission to leave his group on kibbutz during the 1967 Six Day War to rejoin his paratroop brigade that he had served with years before following his matriculation in Cape Town. In Israel, Lennie has worked as an Export Manager for some of the country’s major food manufacturers and chemical companies as well as an independent consultant in Export Marketing guiding many small Israeli businesses to sell their products and services in the world-wide market. As a result of a work accident in 1995, Lennie made a career change and became an independent English teacher working mainly with hi-tech companies and associated with universities and colleges in the north of Israel.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

HEALTH DURING WAR

How do I prioritize myself and my health when my world is so upside?

By Justine Friedman

If you are feeling frozen, if your thoughts are focused on safety and living through today, then it is likely that you may well also be thinking, what difference does it make if I eat the chocolate bar right now?

And I get it. There are times during the last 3 weeks (which feels more like an eternity) when I have given into the comfort foods and allowed myself to opt out of the world for a period of time.

I may not be on the front lines of this war, and I may not have a soldier who is risking their life for this fight which will determine whether we as a nation survive, but I feel every last drop of it in my heart and soul and more distinctly in my nervous system.

With every siren and with every boom, some of which are normal sounds in the building where I live, my body reacts with a strong survival instinct. My heart races, my breathing quickens, and a knot forms in my stomach.

And it takes time to calm down again.

There are moments when I am distracted and I realize that I haven’t thought about the war, what a sweet relief these times are, and then the reality returns.

I am living with a sense of intensity and pressure that is so hard and I am sure you are too.

So back to my question, is it even realistic to focus on my health or should I put that on the back burner while there are more important things to deal with right now?

Here is why in whatever capacity you can, I encourage you to value taking care of yourself.

As women, we are the core of our families. How we function has a ripple effect on our husbands, children, and our extended family and friends. We don’t have to have it all figured out, or have it all together but neglecting ourselves right now serves no one, especially ourselves.

Back when corona began, many of us endured the time baking banana bread, lounging in pyjamas, and feeling generally unmotivated and out of sorts. And even though what we are living through right now can’t be compared, there are aspects that feel similar.

It is so normal to push off taking care of ourselves, but when we are running on empty and we have nothing to give, we suffer more and those around us, who rely on us to be an anchor have a harder time.

“It doesn’t matter, nothing matters I don’t care what I eat right now” the inner scared voice may say….

But it does matter! And not only does it matter but taking time to nourish your body right now can make a difference in the most profound way.

We all know how stress can impact the body.

It affects our brain, causing memory loss, inflammation, and brain fog.

It raises our blood pressure leading to extra stress on our kidneys and every cell in our body.

It increases heart rate and risk of heart disease.

Anxiety and depression are intensified by poor food choices.

And as women symptoms of PMS, perimenopause, and menopause are exacerbated.

If you have pre-diabetes, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or autoimmune conditions, taking care of yourself is the difference between suffering from these and dealing with long-term complications versus reversing some of the ill effects.

So how can you take care of yourself without adding extra pressure? Because the last thing I am suggesting is that you eat less, exercise harder, and deprive yourself of foods that you enjoy. 

(Even as I am writing this there are booms close by as the iron dome intercepts rockets being fired from Gaza!)

Here are some tips on what I am currently doing and working together with my clients on to implement in their lives:

Drink water- being hydrated helps your brain and improves your cognitive ability

Limit caffeine if anxiety is worse at this time

Do light exercise and if you are able to do more then go for it- it reduces stress, increases the production of endorphins in the body, and overall improves mindset and mood.

Pay attention to your hunger- if you have lost your appetite- still nourish your body by eating smaller, balanced meals- this helps keep your blood sugar stable and reduces symptoms of anxiety.

If eating chocolate (or your desired comfort food) is what you need, by all means, have some but do so after a meal where you have included vegetables, salad, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and protein.

Take time to breathe and do stress-relieving exercises that work for you.

Limit time on social media and the news- it is important to stay informed but if what you are “consuming” is increasing your worry and stress then pay attention to this.

Connect with friends

Smile at people that you pass on the street

Wave to the soldiers- there is nothing better than getting a smile and acknowledgment back!

We are all in this together, and although it feels like we are living a double life in many respects, let’s find a way to live each day, right now in the best way that we can.

You cannot pour from an empty cup and if you need guidance on how to take care of yourself right now, with compassion and understanding, then let me help you to do that so that you can take care of those who are depending on you too.



About the writer:

Justine Friedman works as a clinical dietician and a mindset mentor. She has over 20 years experience in supporting clients to make sustainable and practical lifestyle adjustments. Her focus is empowering women over 40 to make the necessary changes to feel confident with their food choices and at peace with food, while at the same time managing their weight without restriction or guilt. She works with women both 1:1 as well as in her online signature group program, “The Wellness Upgrade”. For more information visit her website on www.justinefriedman.com





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

TAKE A WEIGHT OFF YOUR MIND

What if your weight is not the real issue?

By  Justine Friedman

I may be unpopular for saying this – and that’s ok – but it must be said. The answer to feeling uncomfortable within yourself and your body may logically seem to be to lose weight.

BUT is that really what’s going on?

Yes, I hear that your clothes aren’t fitting you the same anymore (or maybe not at all), and you don’t recognise yourself when you look in the mirror. But does this mean that weight loss will be the magic answer?

Or is there more to this dance?

We are constantly bombarded by solutions to the most painful problems we have. And most of the time the promises offered neither solve our pain, nor do they bring the relief we are looking for.

  • Just eat this and you will lose weight
  • Just do this exercise and you will get a 6-pack in 10 days.
  • Take this pill and you will be carefree.

A quick result with minimal effort is what this instant generation craves.

But the truth is that anything valuable in life generally comes from hard work and dedication. The two important words I stress to clients are CONSISTENCY & COMPASSION.

I believe these are the keys to building habits and a lifestyle of health and well-being.

With consistency comes reward  – as long as we are putting into place the habits that are best for ourselves.

Regardless of what you choose, the habits that you decide on, first need to make sense for you and before you choose to keep them for good, I suggest testing them out and being curious about how they fit into your life and feel in your body.

Big declarations like “I will never eat carbs again” may seem like a good idea today when you hit the pit of self-loathing, but when your blood sugar dips, your hormones are all over the show, and you are stressed out and then tuck into a chocolate bar or packet of crisps, the result leaves you feeling angry and guilty for breaking the promise you made to yourself.

So before you toss the carbs out the window, and go on a 16:8 hour intermittent fasting regime, ask yourself:

 “Can I do this forever and how would it feel to give it a try and test it out first?” (Disclaimer – I am not suggesting intermittent fasting or low-carb diets!)

That brings me to the next important word COMPASSION.

Being hard on yourself may feel like the best way to get to your goal, but has it really worked for you?

Think about what happens if your kid makes a mistake. Do you “let them have it” by rebuking in deed and word how disappointed you are in them? Would that influence them to behave differently in the future? Or can you instead guide and help them learn from their mistakes so that they can do better – not perfect – next time around?

You are no different.

The little “you” within you needs the same kind of encouragement and understanding. After all, guilt and self-loathing rarely result in weight loss (unless you have an active eating disorder and if so, please seek professional help).

Being compassionate does not mean being weak….it doesn’t mean that you will allow yourself to eat whatever you want when you want because you are feeling “sorry for yourself”.

NO… it means understanding what you have the capacity for each day and tailoring your expectations on that day to what you can manage.

So on a day that you have good energy, it may mean enjoying more aerobic exercise and tackling more things on your to-do list. And on a day that you woke up after a poor night’s sleep, feeling hormonal and your kid is sick, you may move your body gently or not at all. Take care to have nourishing foods around, and do fewer demanding tasks.

So back to the elephant in the room: Your weight!

Is it ok to want to lose weight – yes of course.

Is it possible that making that the focus of your efforts and thoughts is causing you to make poor choices and try crazy eating plans that are unsustainable? Can we agree on a yes to that too?

So how DO you feel better, manage your weight AND achieve it without over-exercising, feeling restricted, hangry, anxious, depleted, starved, and avoiding all the foods that bring you pleasure?

One small step at a time. Winning a marathon doesn’t happen with a giant leap, and your life is not the 400m sprint.

Let me map it out for you and give you the gems from the process that I personally use and that my clients get the best results from.

Choose a goal unrelated to weight such as wanting more energy, to be less moody, enjoy better sleep, reduced cravings and to feel less bloated.

Look at when you feel this way naturally and focus on identifying the behaviours associated with that outcome. For example, if I read before I go to bed, do I sleep better? When I have more protein with my lunch, do I feel less of an urge to snack in the afternoon? Once you have identified the beneficial traits and act accordingly, you will begin to feel less hungry as well as less moody.

Actively implement this in your schedule and repeat it daily.

Next, choose a new habit that you want to include – most people choose to drink more water. I often hear, “I will drink 2 litres every day!” Is this realistic? If you are only drinking a glass a day right now, then aiming for 8 is a far reach. Focus on having 1-2 glasses extra each day for a week and when you are reaching that with ease, then proceed again incrementally.

When you attain your goal – albeit it small –  feel free to give yourself the proverbial big pat on the back. You deserve it. This positively reinforces that you are succeeding in your personalised approach. And just like a kid who thrives on positive reinforcement, you will be more likely to repeat this behaviour.

What if you don’t achieve what you set out to do? Instead of jumping to judgement and indulging in self-criticism, get curious and ask yourself what happened that made you drop the ball. By understanding what transpired, you can better prepare for the future. That way you’ll be able to prevent repeating the same mistakes. However, If you keep repeating these identifiable missteps, then maybe  what you believed were the right remedies were for you unsuitable, and you will need to reassess and try a different approach.

You don’t have to do this alone! If you feel stuck and don’t know where to start – reach out and work with someone who can tailor-make a plan of action that will support you.

It must be realistic and this may mean taking weight-loss goals off the table in the beginning while you focus on creating a lifestyle that supports your long-term health goals.



About the writer:

Justine Friedman works as a clinical dietician and a mindset mentor. She has over 20 years experience in supporting clients to make sustainable and practical lifestyle adjustments. Her focus is empowering women over 40 to make the necessary changes to feel confident with their food choices and at peace with food, while at the same time managing their weight without restriction or guilt. She works with women both 1:1 as well as in her online signature group program, “The Wellness Upgrade”. For more information visit her website on www.justinefriedman.com





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

SAVING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN – ONE HEART AT A TIME

The Jewel in the crown of Israel’s humanitarian organisations

By Rolene Marks

In the heart of Holon, a bright, sunny house rings out with the delightful giggles of children. A schedule that looks like a culinary tour of the world is posted outside a pristine kitchen. Mothers, some dressed in the traditional garb of the countries they come from, keep a watchful eye over their tiny charges who are playing with the vast selection of toys, carefully selected for their entertainment. The scene is serene. Peaceful.

Welcome to Save a Child’s Heart.

For over 25 years, this remarkable organisation, through its global network of doctors, family members, volunteers, and supporters of Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) have helped bring life-saving cardiac care to children in need around the world. From around the world they have come – including from countries that Israel has no formal bilateral ties with – and even those we are technically in a state of war with – to receive life-saving surgery.

Heartwarming. The writer with a child patient from abroad receiving life-saving cardiac tretement at the Save A Child’s Heart in Holon, Israel.

It is impossible to visit SACH without falling in love with each of the children. *Mohammed comes from Tanzania, his mother watches as he gleefully plays with some toys. I look at this gorgeous young boy and ask how old he is. I think he cannot be more than 2 years old – he is tiny – but full of life. I am told he is 4 years old. Heart defects can seriously impede the growth of young children.

Saving and Winning Hearts. Israel’s non-profit medical charity Save a Child’s Heart group that provides life-saving heart treatment to children in developing countries wins prestigious UN Population Award from UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres (centre) for “outstanding contributions to the world’s population.”

SACH’s extraordinary work to help save the lives of young children needing critical surgeries has earned the organisation high praise from the most unlikely source – the United Nations. The UN has long been critical of the state of Israel but they truly lauded SACH by awarding it the United Nations’ Population Award, which was presented by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, during an official ceremony at UN headquarters in New York.

Baby from Abroad. Doctors at Save A Child’s Heart examining a young baby from abroad.

Save a Child’s Heart house is a joyful place. Despite all the health challenges that the children are facing, every effort is made to make them feel safe, secure and at home. There are many different kinds of toys to delight the children, dedicated staff who look after the young charges and the parent who is with them; and there are doctors who stay on site so all their medical needs are taken care of.

Top Treatment. Save The Child’s Heart state-of-the-art medical facility at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, Israel.

The kitchen is the heart of the house. Immaculate and well stocked, the kitchen is not just a place to prepare food; but also allows parents to bring a small taste from home to a foreign country. SACH provides the ingredients – and parents whip up a taste from home. There may even be a cookbook in the works…..

Foreign Doctors Programme. Since its founding, Save a Child’s Heart has treated children from over 60 developing countries and trained more than 140 medical professionals from those countries. These include training medical staff (seen here) to treat cardiac problems and other diseases in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Romania, The Palestinian Authority and others. (Photo: Rolene Marks)

Walking in, one is fascinated with the notice board that mentions all of the current patients and how far they are with their treatment. It reads like a veritable atlas. Children come from Eswatini and Tanzania, Romania and Iraq, the West bank, Israel and even as far afield as Afghanistan. They come from all over the world – including countries who Israel has no bilateral relations. Children who come from countries like Syria who are technically still in a state of war with Israel, are aided by third parties such as the UN and brought in via an intermediate country. A guardian, usually their mothers, always accompanies the children. One notable exception was a child from Afghanistan accompanied by her father because under brutal Taliban rule, women are not allowed to travel – at least not without “chaperones”.

Patient’s Progress. A notice board lists the age, home country and progress of the young patients.(Photo: Rolene Marks)

A short drive to nearby Wolfson hospital, the brand new Save a Child’s Heart pediatric centre is buzzing with activity. Recently opened with the generous donations from philanthropists and organisations around the world, most notably Sylvan Adams, this bright, sophisticated centre is host to not only the remarkable surgeries and treatments; but also a training programme that equips medical professionals from around the world with the necessary skills to recreate the same programmes in their own countries.

From the ‘Heart’ of Africa. Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kosovo, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and Zambia – these are the countries from which 27 children have come with their mothers and caregivers to undergo life-saving heart treatments in Israel through Save a Child’s Heart. Here’s to a house full of smiling heart!

*Maryam from Gaza lies in her state of the art hospital bed, the machines and monitors next to her blinking and beeping. She watches me with her beautiful big brown eyes. Her mother sits vigil by her side as she has for several months. I smile at her. I want her to know we are not enemies. She meets my gaze with weary eyes and offers a small smile. We are human beings making a connection over shared humanity.

Heart of Holon. An anxious Arab mother at the bedside prays for her son attended to at the remarkable Save A Child’s Heart in Holon, Israel.

Save a Child’s Heart is not only saving lives. They are building a bridge of peace, one child at a time. Governments may sign agreements but it is people who create peace, one relationship at a time.

There is no greater example of this than Save a Child’s Heart. 



Israeli Life Saver. The 7-floor Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) International Pediatric Cardiac Center (IPCC) and Sylvan Adams Children’s Hospital houses all of the infrastructure and equipment needed to perform life-saving cardiac treatments, including all pre- and post-operative care for thousands of children in Israel and from around the world. (Photo: Rolene Marks)


*Names changed to protect their identities





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).