Life experience is a national strategic resource. The current war has revealed a remarkable strength in community leadership among older adults. We are witnessing an entire generation choosing to transform the knowledge and experience it has accumulated into an immediate, practical response to the country’s most urgent needs. This is a powerful social movement in which older adults serve as a central engine of growth in the process of recovery from crisis.
Resilience and Presence in the Heart of the Northern Conflict
In Kiryat Shmona, 22 members of the “Shnat Sherut 50 Plus” (“Service Year for Older Adults”) group, led by ANOBANO (R.A.), chose to remain in the city despite the situation. They did so out of an understanding that their presence—taking part in food distribution efforts—creates an anchor of stability within the chaos.
In Metula, participants staff the emergency operations center, drawing on their experience to support the management of older residents’ needs as well as those of the education system.
In the Mateh Asher Regional Council, led by Beit Midrash Elul, participants conducted approximately 300 proactive outreach calls to older residents, aiming to prevent emotional distress and identify emerging needs.
Continuity and Meaning in the Gaza Envelope Communities
In southern Israel and the Gaza envelope communities, four groups of “Shnat Sherut 50 Plus” participants are currently active: in Arad, Eshkol, Sha’ar HaNegev, and Merhavim. These groups, formed through a civic initiative led by ANOBANO (R.A.) and Beit Midrash Elul, have received professional support and partnership from JDC-ESHEL, out of a deep recognition of the power of this resource.
JDC-ESHEL chose to adopt and lead this model as a commitment to advancing and formalizing the Service Year for Older Adults at the national level. We view the participants—who reside within the host communities and serve there for 24 hours a week over the course of a full year—as a strategic response to on-the-ground needs in the fields of welfare, education, and community development.
This activity reflects the “double dividend” we seek to promote: communities benefit from a skilled and experienced workforce that helps reduce critical service gaps, while participants gain a year of purpose, meaning, and belonging.
Life Experience in the Service of Community Resilience
In Ofakim, a city that endured severe trauma on October 7, the strength of older adult leadership quickly emerged as an integral part of the recovery process. Within the framework of the “Meshiv HaRuach” program, implemented in partnership with the Metrowest Federation and led by the local authority—working to strengthen personal and community security—it became clear that older residents play a significant role in encouraging people to leave their homes and return to public life.
Older adults initiated and continue to lead the “Coffee Cart,” a community-based initiative aimed at strengthening resilience. Moving between neighborhoods, they create spaces for conversation and relief that help ease tension. Even now, during ongoing hostilities, they continue this activity—supporting children’s well-being and serving as a stabilizing presence for residents in need of respite and human connection, where “the coffee is just an excuse.”
Recovery, growth, and optimal aging are complementary processes. When society recognizes the older population as a driver of recovery and growth in times of crisis, a sense of capability is fostered—serving as a protective layer against the effects of trauma, both for individuals and for their communities. This leadership in Ofakim and other localities demonstrates that when experience meets the needs of the moment, it becomes a vital engine of growth for the community and for Israeli society as a whole.
Life Experience as a National Resource in Routine and Emergency
We must continue to invest in and work with this extraordinary resource, which repeatedly demonstrates that enabling older adult leadership fosters growth—for individuals, communities, and Israeli society as a whole. Our responsibility is not only to “allow” such activity, but to actively promote greater participation of older adults at all key points of influence. By expanding their presence across social spheres, we can help ensure a more resilient, connected, and thriving society.
