Ilai’s (32) dream of starting an association came from a very personal place: “I have a sister who is dealing with mental challenges, and I realized how important it is to support not only the person themselves, but also their family. I saw how families fall apart due to a lack of support, and I realized that something had to be done about it.”
Ilai and his military service friends in the Navy, Shay Weiter and Roy Linder, decided to establish “House on the Sea” together. What started as a dream of the three in 2020 quickly turned into a significant support network for families with children with special needs. “We established communities all along the coast – in Herzliya, Tel Aviv and the Carmel Beach,” says Ilai. “Each community consists of about 70-80 family members and 100 volunteers. Our goal then was to combine the power of the sea and the power of the community to support special-needs populations. The community is a healing factor, just like the sea.”
Crisis, Adaptation, and Growth: The New Path of ‘House on the Sea’
The turning point came on October 7. “It was clear to us that we wanted to bring our work to the public,” says Ilai. “A week after the massacre, we traveled to Eilat. When we saw the distress of the families evacuated there, we created the ‘Safe Beach’ program – trauma treatment through marine activities,” says Ilai. Today, the organization treats 2,200 victims of war trauma, while continuing its original activities.
But rapid growth created new challenges. The new program, the number of participants, and the expansion of activity required Ilai and his partners to adapt and strengthen the organization’s infrastructure. They realized that they needed professional help to deepen and expand capabilities, knowledge, and organizational infrastructure to provide services stably over a long period of time, especially during times of emergency, when their activity is most needed.
Partnership for Resilience: The Connection Between ‘House on the Sea’ and the ‘Shell’ Initiative
This is where a wraparound initiative by JDC- ELKA and the Ogen Group came into play. The program provides close professional support from senior directors and mentors, and assists in building a stable organizational infrastructure, while connecting and enriching the association with managerial knowledge from other sectors.
“90% of the donations are intended for ongoing activities,” explains Ilai. “The grant and support from the Shell Initiative allow us to invest in the organizational infrastructure – which makes us a stronger and more stable organization.”
As part of the program, the association receives close support and connection from Shirley Zuckerman Baruch, a senior manager at Intel who serves as an experienced social director from the JDC- ELKA social director team, and Aran Elsner, CEO of CBC Group’s international operations, a mentor on behalf of the Ogen Group.
JDC- ELKA’s extensive experience and activity in strengthening public and social systems has taught, among other things, that sometimes the best solutions can come from the field, where entrepreneurs who know how to create high-quality and unique solutions for various needs are located. Considering this, and in response to the emergency reality that has arisen, the organization initiated a dedicated process to identify entrepreneurs who worked to provide an urgent and tailored response to the challenges that have arisen from the field. Out of a commitment to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of these systems, JDC-ELKA provides them with a support package and professional tools to enable them to build and establish operational infrastructures, so that the services they develop can be provided in the best possible way to everyone who needs them.
“I am proud of everything we have achieved,” concludes Ilai. “And with the help of the Shell Initiative, we can continue to help many more people and families in Israel.”
Among the selected associations: The Next Step, Galilee Veterans, Beit Gesher, Yuri Stern Holistic Therapy Center, Citizens Building Community, Restoring the Spirit, House on the Sea.
