Blog

By Nicole Jansezian

Israelis marked one year since the unprecedented attacks and atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7 which altered the landscape of Israel perhaps permanently.

With 1,200 people killed, 251 kidnapped—101 of whom are still being held in Gaza—and a continuing war on seven different fronts, Israelis are still living the nightmare.

The scope of the tragedy took weeks to unfold. But at the very beginning CBN Israel switched gears from its regular humanitarian assistance and broadened its support to meet the new and immediate needs of the victims.

While the entire county was still under attack, a team from CBN Israel was in Eilat on October 11 helping evacuate residents of kibbutzim and cities in the south that had come under direct attack and were still experiencing non-stop rocket fire.

In many cases, this was the first opportunity many of the residents had to share their “October 7 story” while still shaking from fear and anxiety.

CBN Israel rescued nearly 3,000 people from the frontlines, subsidizing hotels in safe cities while the country regrouped and got back on its feet.

Before long, the need for immediate trauma intervention became apparent. CBN Israel hosted several workshops to teach field workers how to initiate the Immediate Stabilization Protocol, a method effectively being used in Ukraine in a program sponsored by Regent University.

In addition to ISP classes, CBN Israel partnered with the Israel Trauma Coalition to extend its reach. CBN Israel sponsored a mobile therapy unit that would reach evacuees at their hotels.

In November, CBN Israel joined with the beleaguered residents of Kibbutz Be’eri—evacuated to the Dead Sea—to march for the hostages. The kibbutz had 30 of its 1,100 residents abducted to Gaza on October 7 and more than 100 killed.

CBN Israel also recognized the spike in need for food, including hot meals, preparing and distributing 236,190 and delivering 43,000 food packages to the needy across the country. The organization also distributed thousands of lunches and water through a food truck that visited the displaced communities—some daily for months.

Talya Baruchi, a resident of the evacuated Maagalim, said this became a comfort to her during a period of uncertainty.

“We can see their logo everywhere around the hotel,” she said. “It warms my heart that there are people who think of us, that we can be better off in this strange situation, in this dark situation, who want the best for us.”

CBN Israel also worked with an events company to hold 30 events featuring the Superbook movie, in Hebrew, along with bouncy castles and carnival for the displaced children giving them a few moments to disconnect from the war.

As the war impacted the north as well, CBN Israel sponsored 14 new bomb shelters and renovated 48.

“This really, really saves lives. The work you are doing here is not peripheral, it’s not a luxury item, it’s not something extra,” Hatzor Haglilit Mayor Michael Kebasa said. “It’s lifesaving.”

Amid these new emergencies brought on by the war, CBN Israel also focused on individual assistance helping those who were impacted directly by war whether through medical emergencies, clothing, and even back-to-school supplies nearly a year after the war started.

Nicole Jansezian is the media coordinator for CBN Israel. A long-time journalist, Nicole was previously the news editor of All Israel News and All Arab News and a journalist at The Associated Press. On her YouTube channel, Nicole gives a platform to the minority communities in Jerusalem and highlights stories of fascinating people in this intense city. Born and raised in Queens, N.Y., she lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Tony, and their three children.