Our Story
Who Are We?
Otef Lev (Embracing Heart) – A National Mental Health and Resilience Initiative – was established by Professor Nurit Yirmiya and Dr. Hadas Shaharabani Saidon, immediately after October 7th, 2023 as a coalition of grassroots efforts providing immediate mental health support to residents across Israel.
The initiative focuses on applying human-centered innovation and professional excellence in times of crisis, and is dedicated to advancing the implementation of the stepped-care model for mental health throughout the country.
Initially supported by Tech4ISRAEL, Otef Lev later operated within the framework of Achim VeAchayot L’Yisrael – The Civilian Command Center. Today, it is part of the Community O nonprofit organization.
We are grateful to The Day After Foundation, Achim VeAchayot L’Yisrael – The Civilian Comment Center, The Shashua Family Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation for their generous support.
What Are We Doing?
Advancement of two core programs: Community Mentors and PWP-ISRAEL
Development of "Nafshi" a national mental health platform in collaboration with JDC-Israel
Strategic partnerships with organizations and NGOs in the fields of social welfare, education, and healthcare
Creation of professional content and development of practical tools for field implementation
Active participation in professional forums and conferences
Our Vision
To foster a society in which people extend a helping hand to one another; a society where the community serves as a source of support, empathy, and care—by nurturing fundamental human skills inherent in each of us, alongside providing professional knowledge and the guidance of a supportive infrastructure.
מתוך מחויבות לערכים:
Social
Solidarity
Human
Dignity
Mutual Responsibility
Human-Centered Innovation
In the first months following October 7, 2023, reality called us to act
and we responded immediately.
Within days of the disaster, over 5,000 volunteers registered to provide immediate psychological support to residents across the country.
We received thousands of requests for help, and responded to each one with care and urgency—through dedicated service coordinators who matched each individual with a professional according to needs and preferences.
Volunteers accompanied families from the very first moments—after receiving devastating news, in writing eulogies, during funerals, and afterward by offering emotional first aid to anyone in need, wherever they were in the country.
Simultaneously, students from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem compiled an organized database of certified mental health professionals, approved by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, to ensure that all care was provided responsibly and professionally.
Weekly calls for volunteers and job opportunities were sent to the entire volunteer network.
We established the first-of-its-kind mental health database for evacuees, organized by geographic area—based on place of residence before and after October 7, 2023.
In collaboration with “Mifrasim LaRuach” at the Tel Aviv–Yaffo Academic College, we launched dedicated, tuition-free training courses for mental health professionals.
המיזם נוצר מתוך מחויבות זמנית אך נחושה – לפעול לטובת תושבי.ות המדינה ופעל במתכונת זו עד אפריל 2024.
In partnership with
“Embraced by values, creating daily change"
At Otef Lev, we continue to promote processes aimed at strengthening personal, family, and community resilience and mental health, through the implementation of the Stepped Care model for mental health support and intervention in Israel.
The implementation of the stepped care model is carried out through two unique programs
עוטף לב׳ - סיוע נפשי ישראלי, מבית החמ״ל האזרחי הוא מערך שהוקם בעקבות אירועי ה-7 באוקטובר על מנת לסייע בתחומי בריאות הנפש לכלל תושבי ישראל.
אנחנו מתמחים בסיוע לכל תושבי הארץ, כולל סיוע במציאת מענים ספציפיים לאותם עשרות אלפי התושבים שנאלצו להתפנות מבתיהם ושוהים בריכוזי מפונים או במסגרות דיור אחרות (מפונים ומתפנים).