A growing number of Israeli soldiers are banding together in the United States to tackle PTSD — using each other as a bridge to do so. The brotherhood that exists among veterans is a bond like no other. Initiatives and groups from the East to West Coasts are bringing Israeli and American soldiers together in an attempt to heal through fellowship.

1. Wounded
Israeli &
American
Soldiers Heal
Through
Fellowship
Jeff Greenstein

2. A growing number of
Israeli soldiers are
banding together in the
United States to tackle
PTSD — using each
other as a bridge to do
so. The brotherhood that
exists among veterans is
a bond like no other.

3. Initiatives and groups
from the East to West
Coasts are bringing
Israeli and American
soldiers together in an
attempt to heal
through fellowship.

4. Co-founder and Executive Director
of Brothers for Life, Rabbi Chaim
Levine believes that no one can
impact the life of a soldier more
deeply than another soldier.

5. Brothers for Life’s
popularity has brought
group sessions in cities
across the U.S., from
Boston to San Francisco
to Washington.

6. Upon experiencing one of the sessions,
Chris Brown, former U.S. Marine, founded
a soldier-to-soldier peer program where
veterans help one another.

7. “I think the example that the
Israelis set is probably one of the
most beneficial things that U.S.
veterans can get because in Israeli
culture it seems to be a lot easier to
share your story and to articulate
the struggle that you have.”
- Chris Brown, former U.S Marine

8. In New York City, with Belev Echad (One
Heart in Hebrew) Org, groups of wounded
vets travel to NYC to reminisce, visit sites
like the Statue of Liberty, and tell stories
of their lives in battle and after. Belev
Echad has been bringing wounded
members of the Israel Defense Forces to
New York City since 2009.

9. The tour is sponsored by
Chabad’s Upper East Side
Israeli community and was
attended by 60 alumni and
supporters this year.
Supporters include
community members who
help alumni acquire
computers for school and
financial for durable goods,
including prosthetic limbs.

10. Director of the Chabad
Center, Rabbi Uriel Vigler,
thinks events like these are
a powerful way to bring a
community together.

11. The organization runs group sessions
where American and Israeli soldiers
spend time together — anywhere from
a few hours to a week. Icebreakers
include different sports events that
provide a way for veterans to open up.

12. Every day, vets return with physical,
mental, and emotional challenges
that can affect every aspect of their
lives, but if the successes of these
organization is any indication,
fellowship appears to be the greatest
enemy against PTSD.

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