Amid alarming reports on the rise in trauma, burnout, and emotional distress across Israel since the October 7 attacks, the non-profit Life’s Door (Gisha La’Haim) reports a sharp increase in the number of organizations and communities seeking its evidence-based Hope Workshops.
Since the start of the war, Life’s Door has become a leading force in Israel in the development and dissemination of evidence-based tools for cultivating hope, resilience, and meaning. Its workshops are grounded in two decades of clinical and academic research led by Prof. Ben Corn, an oncologist, researcher of hope, and founder of The Institute for the Study of Hope, Dignity & Wellbeing at the Hebrew University, together with his wife and co-founder, family therapist Dvora Corn.
The organization operates through a data-driven and systematically documented process, ensuring each program is monitored, evaluated, and designed to be scalable and adaptable – from healthcare institutions and welfare organizations to schools, communities, and workplaces.
Since October 7, Life’s Door has expanded its collaborations with a wide range of partners, including the “Time to Talk” initiative launched by President Isaac Herzog, the National Student Union, and “Letsidech,” the supportive backdrop for Women of the Reserve movement. More than 20 health and welfare agencies, both in Israel and abroad, have worked with Life’s Door.
“Hope has become one of the most frequently uttered words in Israel over the past two years, but few realize there is an intricate science behind it,” says Prof. Ben Corn. “Hope isn’t just a feeling, it’s a teachable, measurable skill. When we augment hope, we activate physiological mechanisms that promote healing, recovery, and a sense of control. Hope even appears to leave a biological imprint on our immune system.”
“The need for hope has never been more tangible,” says Prof. Corn. “But this is also a moment of opportunity—to transform hope from an abstract idea into a practical, evidence-based life skill that belongs to everyone.”
Prof. Corn has introduced this innovative hope model to diverse audiences through lectures and seminars, including the delivery of the Keynote Address at the annual conference of the Israeli Family Court Judges Association in the presence of the Israeli Chief Justice, Itschak Amit.
According to Dvora Corn, “Those of us working in the health and wellbeing space are learning that we in Israel are only at the beginning of a tsunami of mental health needs that the country will face in the coming years. Almost every community will require tools for coping—whether dealing with bereavement, displacement from homes, or the loneliness experienced by partners of soldiers serving hundreds of days in reserve duty.”
Beyond Israel, Life’s Door has seen growing demand from Jewish communities worldwide facing their own challenges of existential anxiety and rising antisemitism. The organization has expanded its online training and support programs to communities and professionals in the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, and recently launched a new academic collaboration in Japan to study hope from an intercultural perspective.
The organization reports a marked rise in participation since early 2024, reflecting the urgent and growing need for tools that nurture emotional wellbeing. For more information visit www.lifesdoor.org or call 053-7536392
Written in collaboration with Life's Door