A team from the Society for Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites (SPIHS) arrived in early April in a small Upper Galilee community where the sounds of air-raid sirens and explosions had become routine amid weeks of sustained rocket fire.
Despite the U.S.-brokered 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon that went into effect on Friday, residents of Israel’s north continue to face uncertainty as security conditions evolve.
For many children in the region, daily life has unfolded largely within bomb shelters. Fifteen kindergarten children gathered at the shelter entrance and quickly immersed themselves in play, releasing weeks of tension through laughter and interaction.
“They haven’t seen each other in so long,” their teacher said. “They only have the four walls of their safe rooms at home.”
SPIHS educators introduced stories about early pioneers who built communities in northern Israel, along with creative workshops using simple materials. Children filled small cloth bags with herbs, dressed in costumes inspired by earlier periods of Israeli history and engaged in imaginative activities designed to provide a temporary emotional reprieve.
“You have no idea what an incredible gift you’ve just given them,” one mother told the educators. “It’s not just an hour of activity. It’s proof that there is something beyond this reality.”
SPIHS operates more than 220 heritage sites, museums and visitor centers across Israel. Since the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the organization’s Resilience Program has delivered structured programming to evacuated families, border communities, IDF reservists, bereaved families and elderly citizens.
“When the present is so difficult, Israel’s past becomes a resource,” said Noa Gefen, executive vice chairwoman of SPIHS. “Heritage becomes a mirror that helps people understand what they are going through now.”
Gefen credited Jewish National Fund–USA (JNF-USA) with helping sustain the initiative. “These programs are life-changing and, at times, even life-saving,” she said.
Green Horizons (Chugei Sayeret), which traditionally focuses on outdoor education and leadership development through hiking programs, has adapted its activities for bomb shelter environments.
“We wanted to give the children something unfamiliar that would draw them into a different space, even briefly,” said instructor Naama Sharon.
Using storytelling and improvised materials, instructors created activities focused on cooperation, creativity and problem-solving, helping children manage stress and maintain social interaction under pressure.
“Instead of withdrawing into screens, they are moving, deciding, participating,” said Ido Reichman-Eisikovits, vice president of Green Horizons. “They discover that there are other ways to respond to what they’re feeling.”
In some cases, instructors said, structured activities helped children regain emotional balance after stress reactions triggered by the security situation.
“It reminds us that even here, we can still create something meaningful,” said instructor Idan Yosef.
Western Galilee Now (WGN), a consortium of approximately 80 small businesses in northern Israel, has focused on sustaining the regional economy as tourism and commercial activity declined sharply amid continued security tensions with Hezbollah.
“We don’t talk enough about the home front,” said WGN director Michal Shiloach Galnoor. “Even a small gesture of attention carries enormous weight.”
With support from Jewish National Fund-USA, WGN coordinated initiatives including gift packages sourced from regional businesses for soldiers and delivery of meals to troops in the field. Workshops led by local artisans were also brought into shelters to provide activities for residents living under threat.
Businesses that previously relied on tourism have shifted toward supporting local communities, helping sustain economic activity and morale during the ongoing conflict.
“The most important thing,” Galnoor said, “is to teach them that this is home, and that we will keep showing up whenever we are needed.”
Through educational programming, creative engagement and economic support initiatives, the participating organizations aim to provide continuity and resilience until stability returns.
