As part of the Jerusalem Post’s “Healing Israel: A Nation in Trauma” broadcast, a panel of emergency response and mental health leaders gathered to discuss how Israel is coping with the long shadow of October 7. Moderated by JPost Communications and Media Strategist Inbal Ann Bouskila, the Emergency Panel brought together top voices from Magen David Adom (MDA), Metiv, and ERAN (Emotional First Aid), who stand at the forefront of the country’s emotional and physical recovery.
Inbar Behiri (MS, MA), Vice President and Board Member of US Friends of ERAN Inc., emphasized the critical need for rapid mental health intervention, stating: “We can move from routine operation mode to emergency mode in minutes.”
On October 7th, ERAN’s professional team mobilized swiftly, expanding its volunteer force from 14 to 300 within just 30 minutes. In the crucial first 24 hours, ERAN provided essential assistance and emotional support to 3,500 distressed Israelis. Behiri noted that ERAN’s trained volunteers often serve as the first—and sometimes only—source of emotional support for individuals in crisis. Volunteers are trained to recognize signs of risk and know when to initiate emergency protocols. Through effective crisis management, caller stabilization, and de-escalation, they play a vital role in suicide prevention and saving lives.
Beyond Israel, Behiri highlighted that ERAN is a founding member of the Israel Trauma Coalition and plays an active role in both national emergency preparedness and international disaster response. ERAN’s professional team also extends vital support to Jewish communities abroad during crises, including terror attacks, antisemitic violence, and mass casualty events. In such cases, ERAN dispatches teams to provide critical tools and emotional assistance.
Ori Shaham, Chief of Staff to the Director General of MDA, said the events of October 7 forced a major overhaul in how the national emergency service prepares for conflict. “We extended [our fleet] about 20%,” he said, recalling the quick expansion of ambulance coverage and dispatch systems. Just as important, teams had to change their mindset: “They had to trust their training, their equipment, and work alone.” That independence, he emphasized, proved critical during emergencies. “At the end of the day, it saved lives.”
Dr. Danny Brom, who leads the Metiv - Israel Center for Psychotrauma, focused on the emotional impact on returning soldiers. “Survival is something that is in our bodies,” he said, describing how Metiv's "Peace of Mind" program helps reservists transition out of combat mode. “Most people don’t need therapy; they need their environment, their family to support them.” But when re-entry becomes too difficult, he warned, symptoms can worsen. “If you can’t relax, can’t sleep, that’s when it becomes dangerous.”