Swimming Toward Resilience

A Swim Education Project for October 7th Survivors and Gaza Envelope Evacuees

With the understanding of the benefits of swimming for the body and mind, a former Israeli national water polo team player and a university professor decided to give back by starting a project to teach swimming to October 7^th survivors and evacuees from the Gaza envelope.

While volunteering in trauma relief at the Dead Sea hotels where evacuees from Sderot, Kibbutz Be'eri, and Kibbutz Holit were staying, Dr. Ayelet Rahat noticed the lack of routine for the children. She teamed up with Coach Yahel Murvitz Lahav, who wanted to contribute his skills and time, and he began giving swim lessons to children from the age of 4 to adults (up to 70 years old), as well as to people with disabilities.  Avishai Zipkin, an educator volunteering at the hotel, began assisting in the endeavor by building the instructor schedules, interacting with the families, and being onsite during the lessons.

The large crowd ready to participate on the first day made it clear how great was the need, and the onsite educational and mental health staff encouraged the team to expand the activity as much as possible.

The Issues

The evacuees at the Dead Sea hotels who have come from the kibbutzim in the Gaza envelope that Hamas attacked on October 7^th and the City of Sderot are suffering from anxiety and post-trauma stress disorder. They live with the horrific memory of the events of October 7th, as well as trauma from the fears associated with having to run to shelter within 15 seconds from the Hamas rockets, and the constant fright from the loud sounds of the rockets and Iron Dome receptions.

Many of the evacuees come from the city of Sderot, which compared to the kibbutzim members, lack organization as a community. There is no routine whatsoever, children are not in any framework and have inadequate adult supervision.

Therapeutic Swimming Lessons

The swimming lessons that Dr. Rahat and Coach Lahav started quickly expanded to a team of four instructors and two logistics staff who traveled from central Israel for three days each week. The instructors provided bi-weekly lessons to 150 children and adults, about 80 half-hour lessons per week in total. The project also added coached swimming training for athletes.

At the beginning, lessons were taught at many different hotels in the Ein Bokek area. Once winter came and most outdoor pools were too cold, they were moved to Kibbutz Ein Gedi’s warm indoor pool. In collaboration with the Transportation Ministry, shuttles were arranged for the participants from the Ein Bokek hotels to Ein Gedi. This movement allowed the continuation of the lessons during the cold winter months and to expand the project for evacuee communities staying at Kibbutz Ein Gedi.

Collaborations

The project started in collaboration with the Israel Psychotrauma Center in Jerusalem, whose employees came to work onsite to heal the wounds of the people affected by October 7^th.  The traumatic state of people at the beginning didn’t allow for “conventional” psychological intervention. It was apparent at this stage, when people are out of their homes and daily routine, that there was a need for other ways of healing. The psychologists encouraged the development of the swimming school as therapeutic trauma support.  

Shimrit Shelfrok from Sderot, a mom of two children participating in classes, was determined to get financial support. She approached Ayelet Nahmias Verbin, a former parliament member, currently the head of “The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for Victims of Terror.” The Jewish Agency for Israel provided the project’s original funding of 60,000 NIS through January 30, 2024. The financial support received enabled the operation of the school until the end of January.

Recently, it became clearer that the evacuees are going to be away from their homes for a much longer period. Some of them will probably stay until the summer. Therefore, the need for funding is urgent otherwise the school will close.

Developing a Formal Swim School

They now have established a formal swim school that provides routine lessons for children, adults, and people with disabilities. The school holds lessons on fixed days and hours to establish a routine for the evacuees. The lessons are taught by certified instructors, all of whom have several years of experience in the field.

The activity days start at 8 a.m. and end at about 7 p.m. The duration of a lesson is half an hour, and the size of the group is according to participant levels. One instructor teaches about 20 to 30 children and adults per day. In addition to the swimming instructors, at every pool, a logistics coordinator is present to organize the day’s activities.

Dr. Rahat and Coach Lahav have handed the baton to Hadar Dikstein and Ella Azaria to direct the program (biographies below).

The Impact

The participants and parents have received the lessons with joy and appreciation. We have also received enormous support and encouragement from the mental health professionals who are also helping the evacuees at the hotels. These professionals, who are experts in the field of trauma, agree that the swimming lessons impact the evacuees in the following ways:

1. Improve mental health, reduce stress, improve mood, provide a sense of achievement, increase energy, and release feel good hormones. This is true for all sport activities.
2. Provide the evacuees with a new sense of competence due to the learning of a new skill.
3. Create a sense of routine due to the regular activity of the bi-weekly lessons. Researchers have found that sustainable daily routines can markedly improve mental health. The right routines make people happier and can help decrease or even eliminate the symptoms of several mood disorders.
4.  Create a supportive environment where individuals can discuss their concerns, anxieties, and successes. This emotional support helps individuals feel understood and validated, fostering a sense of stability during times of uncertainty.
5.  Facilitate referrals when additional help is needed. This happens through building trust, enabling open communication, close range observation of needs, and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Leadership

Founders

Parent, Instructor, and Expert Testimonials

“I have been teaching swimming through this program to a 21-year-old woman from Sderot. She told me that on October 7^th, Hamas terrorist came right behind her house and she heard the gunshots. Today, she is traumatized. She is taking pills for her anxiety and cannot leave her mother’s side. She has been coming to the pool twice a week and told me that it helps her to think about something other than that day. She said that she is waiting with anticipation all week for her swim lesson. This seems true, because every time I see her at the pool, she has a big smile on her face like nothing happened to her.” --- Co-director and Swim Coach Ella Azaria.

"For my two children, Mika and Nevo, who have emotional and physical disabilities, especially now, in light of the terrible events, the swimming lessons are a return to normal life and to the safe and familiar place. This brings out all the good in them.” -- Shimrit Shelfrok, parent of a child in the program/

"The swimming school is an excellent mental solution for evacuees. It combines movement, a sense of competence, a daily routine, and especially a warm connection with sensitive and supportive instructors. It is better and more relevant than any psychological treatment at this stage." -- Udi Rahat, clinical psychologist, specialist in trauma treatment, staying in Dead Sea hotels since the third week of evacuation.

"Since Black Saturday, I hadn’t been able to go back to swimming. I was afraid of the sights and thoughts that would flood me. Yesterday, for the first time, I returned to the water, thanks to a wonderful coach from the Dead Sea swimming school. The lovely project suits me.  I am a believer.” -- “Aya Midan from kibbutz Be'eri, until 7/10/23 triathlete, training Israman, staying in Dead Sea hotels. For Aya's story, please click the link, this is how the bike saved my life from the massacre in Be'eri.

"We have been at the Dead Sea for two months. Amid the enormous uncertainty, this amazing swimming project emerged. It allows children to be anchored in the weekly planning. The activity is regular, continuous, and allows children to get tools practical and a significant emotional boost!" -- Nofer Malka, parent of a child in the program from Sderot.

The Budget

These are the estimated costs in four hotels for three days of activity per week. We are seeking five more months of funding.

·         Our goal is to continue the project as long as possible, hopefully for five months, as the evacuees are expected to stay in the hotels until the summer.

Funding Request

We are seeking to raise funding for five more months of programming at $27,062 per month. The situation is urgent since the original funding from the Jewish Agency for Israel ended on January 31, 2024. We will be extremely remorseful to disappoint the evacuee families who have endured so much and have told us how much they appreciate this program.

Your donation can make the difference between this project "sinking" or staying "afloat!" Please give generously, if you can! 

With our deepest gratitude,