Dolls of Resilience: Volunteers at Tirat Carmel say goodbye to children in a creative way

(haipo) The volunteers of the "Volunteer Association" in Tirat Carmel participated in a unique puppetry workshop, with the aim of softening the separation from the children and community they accompanied throughout their service. The workshop was conducted by puppeteer Sivan Revivo, and the volunteers learned how to use puppets as a therapeutic and educational tool to mediate the approaching separation.

A particularly complex year of service in the north of Israel

The year of national-civilian service in the north of the country has never been more complex and significant. While thousands of volunteers across the country are currently preparing to end their period of service, in the north, feelings are more mixed than ever. For many of them, this is the end of a year or two, in which they stood at the forefront of social action, provided an anchor and security to local communities under fire, and now they must deal with the difficult moment of parting with the children and youth they accompanied. The core of the "Volunteer Association" in Tirat Carmel decided to put some thought into the parting in order to soften the process a little, both for the children and the volunteers themselves.

Puppet workshop as a tool for mediating separation

As part of preparations for the end of their service, the volunteers underwent an exciting puppetry workshop conducted by Puppeteer Sivan Revivo. During the workshop, the volunteers learned how to use dolls as a therapeutic and educational tool, and received practical and creative ideas on how to use a doll to mediate the approaching separation for children in a gentle and inclusive manner. The connection that was forged between the volunteers and the residents of the area was particularly deep, given the security situation and the growing need for emotional and social support.

"The place became a home for them"

Bat-El Lavran, coordinator of the Tirat Carmel unit of the "Volunteer Association"", she said that "the girls connected throughout the year with many children, youth, adults and the elderly as part of the activities in the morning and afternoon classes and the many projects in which they took part." According to her, "this activity connected them to the community in an extraordinary way. The place became a home for them, so the separation is challenging, but the tools they received in the workshop will help them do it in the best way possible."

"Volunteers are the pillar of national resilience"

Yaron Lutz, CEO of the Volunteer Association, He said, "In recent years, we have seen most clearly how national service volunteers are an integral part of the State of Israel's social security certificate. Our national resilience is measured by community resilience, the ability of the home front to stand firm, recover, and look forward with hope." Lutz added, "Our thousands of volunteers, some of whom are now completing two years of challenging work on the front lines, are the ones who built this resilience with their own hands, in kindergartens, schools, community centers, and by working with the elderly. They are the beautiful face of Israeli society, and we are proud of them and thank them for their historic contribution to the country's social security."