Mending the Broken-Hearted
Providing healing, rest, and renewal for IDF soldiers who fought in the October 7th War and for the widows and children of those who gave their lives.
The toll of combat trauma on IDF soldiers has reached an unprecedented level. Thousands of officers are struggling with mental health challenges — including more than 200 active-duty soldiers and 600 reservists, in addition to the roughly 1,000 already in treatment since the war began. Tragically, suicides among Israeli soldiers have also reached a peak — the highest annual number in over a decade. Many of these cases are directly linked to the deep psychological trauma of the battlefield: harrowing scenes, the loss of comrades, and the heavy weight of survival. Since the beginning of this war, more than 55 soldiers who fought for our safety and freedom have taken their own lives. The true impact of war’s horrors on the human soul is beyond measure. Officials warn the crisis will only worsen if urgent and compassionate care is not provided. One heartbreaking example is Roi Wasserstein, from Netanya. Roi served more than 300 days of reserve duty in the IDF’s 401st Armored Brigade, often under fire in a medical evacuation unit. He carried out missions to rescue the wounded and recover the fallen. His mother, Dina, described how deeply he was marked by the horrors he witnessed: “After October 7, he retrieved bodies under fire. He saw things no one should see. He left his tank in the middle of an inferno to stop soldiers from being abducted and to evacuate others with amputated limbs. It never left him, even when he came home.” At Shelters of Grace, we have seen how removing soldiers and their families from the pressures of daily life — bringing them into a peaceful and nurturing environment — can be transformative. Marriages have been renewed, lives restored, and hope rekindled. At first, I wondered: What difference can a week or two really make against years of trauma? But I was wrong. Many soldiers have told me personally: “It changed my life.” One survivor of the Nova festival shared that in our retreat in Sicily, it was the first time she had been able to sleep peacefully at night. Yosef Chaim, Director and Founder The Israel Cornerstone Foundation
The Hidden Wounds of War
Shelters of Grace
Shelters of Grace is a project of the heart, born out of compassion for those most deeply impacted by the horrors of war, widows and orphans, wounded and lone soldiers, families living under the shadow of October 7th and carrying the heavy burden of PTSD.
In the peaceful setting of a small village in Sicily, Italy, these families find a retreat away from the trauma of war. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves here they can breathe, reconnect, and begin the journey of spiritual and emotional healing. With professional staff, experienced counselors, and even babysitters to give parents time alone, with every detail designed to restore strength, dignity, and hope.
This is not simply a vacation. It is a lifeline. A lifeline that reassures these families and soldiers that they are not forgotten. It is a place where their sacrifices are honored, their resilience is strengthened, and their hearts find healing.
Through Shelters of Grace, we also affirm an unshakable international solidarity with Israel’s defenders, who stand on the front lines not just for their own nation, but for the entire world, fighting against the world’s most ruthless evil forms of terrorism, a threat to all western civilization.
Together, we can give these families what they need most: rest, renewal, and community the reminder that they are not alone, and a big thank you!
SINCE OCTOBER 7th OVER 550 NEW ORPHANS AND MORE THAN 240 NEW WIDOWS
HE CARES FOR THE ORPHANS AND WIDOWS
Psalm 146;9
Our Sacred Responsibility
October 7th and the war that followed left behind countless widows and orphans. While nothing can bring back their fathers and husbands, we will do everything in our power to provide both emotional and practical support. They are not forgotten — and never will be. Our soldiers have laid down their lives for the safety and freedom of our people. It is now our sacred responsibility to care for the families they left behind. Each contribution helps us embrace these widows and orphans with comfort, strength, and hope. Behind every fallen soldier is a story of a wife who carried the burdens of daily life while her husband defended our homeland. These women have shown the courage and grace of lionesses. But what happens when their husbands never return? Some must face the unimaginable — giving birth while grieving, welcoming new life while mourning their deepest loss. The War of Iron Swords will eventually end, but their widowhood will not. That is why Shelters of Grace partners with long-term programs of care for these courageous women and their children. They have paid the ultimate price in a time of national peril; we must stand by them, offering love, stability, and the assurance that they will never face this journey alone.
Our Programs
Mending the Broken-Hearted,
A retreat for spiritual and emotional healing.
At Shelters of Grace families will discover they are not alone, sharing time and stories with other families walking the same road while receiving counseling. Children enjoy fun activities designed just for them, while parents find precious moments together. It is a time of wholeness and renewal — a restoration that touches every part of the family’s life.
Families
WIDOWS AND CHILDREN
Beyond the support we offer at home, we open the doors of Shelters of Grace to widows and their children — a retreat of rest, healing, and tender renewal. In this safe and loving space, mother and child can breathe again, draw close to one another, and restore the precious bond that sustains them both.
Single soldiers
This program also embraces single soldiers who have endured deep trauma. They receive both one-on-one and group counseling, offering space for healing and hope. Single soldiers often face unique challenges, and knowing that there is a community that honors them, stands beside them, and can be relied upon becomes a vital source of strength in their journey.
At Home Support
Continuing the Journey of Healing
In addition to the retreat, we are also partnering with several organizations in Israel to provide both financial and practical support for widows at home. Likewise, we will ensure that soldiers—especially those dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder—receive follow-up assistance when they return. Our goal is that both the widows and the soldiers continue to feel supported and never feel abandoned once they’re back home, ensuring a sense of ongoing care and stability in their daily lives.
Stories of Impact
We can’t share their names, but we want you to hear just a few of the beautiful testimonies we’ve received from the precious people we had the honor of hosting at the Shelters of Grace.
A Survivor of the
Nova Festival
After spending a week with the Platania family, we went out for coffee, and I was asked: “When was the first time you felt safe after October 7th?”
It has been a difficult journey for me. Sleep has been one of my greatest challenges—even now, after two years. I started reflecting on that question, searching my memories, and sadly, I couldn’t recall a single moment when I had truly felt safe.
Then, I realized I had my answer. Here in Sicily, during my time with the Platania family, I was finally able to sleep peacefully for a full week—for the first time since October 7th.
A Mother and the Wife of a Combat Soldier
When we came to Sicily for ten days, I thought my husband was the one who truly needed this time. I was simply thankful for the opportunity. But after just a few days away from the heavy burden I had been carrying—raising our three children alone, not knowing when or if my husband would return—I realized that I was here for me.
I needed healing. I needed peace from above.
By God’s grace, I received both. Our marriage has been renewed, and we are returning home with hope and a peace I never imagined I could experience again.
A Father, a Husband, and a Soldier — Finding Hope Again
I am a believer with a strong biblical foundation and a personal relationship with God. I never thought I could contemplate suicide. I love my wife and our three beautiful children, yet PTSD led me to consider the unthinkable.
In Sicily, I avoided the counselors at first, but when I finally gave it a chance, everything changed. Hearing from someone who had walked in my shoes gave me hope I thought was lost.
This has been life-changing. My healing journey is not over, but now I know—it is possible!