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In the city center of Sderot, which has been going through difficulties and challenges, a beacon of hope opened this week. The “Otaf Nefesh” clinic in Klalit, a new mental health center, has started its activities in the city, providing an important solution for the residents of the region during this complex period.
Responding to urgent needs
“I don’t need to tell you what the residents of Sderot and surrounding areas need spiritually after the events of 7/10,” said Hadva Amuna, the South Kralit district director. “We are here to heal, to provide a high-quality, professional medical response.”
The new clinic, which opened in April this year, has already proven its necessity. In less than four months, the area has received approximately 2,500 treatments, clearly demonstrating the huge need for mental health services in the area.
One-stop service for multiple services
The clinic offers a wide range of services for both children and adults. Eli Cohen, CEO of Klalit, added: “Any mental health treatment, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, resilience trainers, psychiatric nurses – any type of treatment a person needs, we’re there for them wherever they need us, and that’s our commitment to expanding services and bringing in the best professionals who will meet their needs given the pain and difficulty they’re going through.”
The Director General of the Ministry of Health, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, added: “We are working to strengthen the mental health system and care in peripheral areas. The establishment of this clinic and others is a necessary step to ensure that residents of peripheral areas can equally exercise their right to quality health in a similar manner to those living in the centres.”
break in shame
One of the most encouraging aspects is the change in public attitudes toward mental health care. “There is no shame anymore, people are coming. It’s gone, the shame is over,” said Tzachi Ben Zion, chief psychiatrist for the South Clare region. “We are not encountering people who need treatment but are not coming.”
Inspiring personal story
Irit Ben-Arie, the widow of the late Haim Ben-Arie, who went out to rescue survivors of the Bari massacre on July 10 and committed suicide a few weeks later, stressed the importance of seeking help: “First of all, I say – don’t be ashamed. You have done nothing wrong. When it’s as bad as our legs hurt, we go to the body doctor. So when the heart hurts, when the soul hurts, go to the soul doctor.”
A symbol of hope and renewal
The clinic is more than a symbol of health care. It’s a testament to the power of community regeneration. As one visitor described it, “Seeing a psychologist who was evacuated himself, and I saw his pain, and seeing him today in a new facility, opening a new clinic, with hope in his eyes and a smile, shows that there is hope for all of us.”
Looking ahead
The opening of the clinic is an important step in addressing the psychological challenges posed by the security realities of the region. It is a commitment to provide ongoing and professional support to the residents of Sderot and the surrounding area, and also signals the health system’s commitment to the mental health of the population.
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