By Nativia Bühler

At Kibbutz Urim, only a few kilometers from Gaza, a horse therapy ranch and animal corner had been serving children and adults from throughout the region to deal with the trauma of years of incessant rocket barrages. But the October 7 terror invasion forced the community to evacuate and the ranch to close, even at a time when the number of Israeli children and adults needing trauma care rose exponentially.

But now, the horse ranch is back up and running, with the addition of three new therapy horses so far sponsored by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. And right next door, a long-awaited vision is starting to come to life.

In October, Kibbutz Urim unveiled the first phase of its refurbished “animal corner,” a safe and welcoming space where children can interact with gentle animals to overcome trauma. The rest of the permanent ICEJ-sponsored Animal Therapy Corner currently remains in the planning stages, but this pilot project offers an initial glimpse of how the structured animal-assisted therapy center will support traumatised children.

Though small in scale, the pilot site already has the essential elements in place: two therapists on staff, two therapy rooms, animal enclosures, and a wide, fenced green lawn. Inside the enclosures are rabbits, hamsters, and parrots, with plans to welcome chickens and eventually dogs. The site is intentionally designed to be secure, so that children engaging with the animals can feel calm and protected.

This opening stage is temporary but important, as it allows the team to experiment with therapeutic approaches, test practicalities, and refine the overall vision before full-scale construction begins.

“This allows the therapists and organisers to observe how children respond and identify the resources they will need long-term to remain sustainable and effective”, explained Nicole Yoder, ICEJ Vice President of AID and Aliyah.

The need for such spaces is pressing. According to a recent report by the National Insurance Institute, since the beginning of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza two years ago, 56 children and teens have been murdered, 389 have lost at least one parent, 38,628 were evacuated from homes near the northern and southern borders, and at least 23,212 have been recognised as physically or mentally damaged. Of these, 2,952 children were found to be suffering from significant trauma. There were 30 suicide attempts among children aged up to 9 years old, a 25% increase from 2023. As of March six months ago, 37 children still had parents in Hamas captivity.

The scale of these numbers underscores the urgent need for safe, nurturing spaces where children can begin to process their experiences and rebuild a sense of security. Kibbutz Urim’s envisioned Animal Corner is taking on this responsibility, offering dozens of children the chance to take steps toward emotional recovery.

With two therapists already active and capacity for dozens of sessions each week, the temporary animal corner offers a glimpse of what the permanent facility will one day provide on a much larger scale. And Kibbutz Urim has an advantage in that residents of the Gaza border region are already familiar with the trauma care services provided by its horse therapy ranch and previous petting zoo.

The new Animal Corner is already making a difference in the lives of children affected by trauma from two years of war. Now we just need to raise the final sums to complete the full vision.

Thank you for your generous gift towards this project, which will bring much healing to traumatised children. You can direct your giving to our Israel in Crisis fund.

Donate today at:  help.icej.org/crisis