After months apart on reserve duty, married Israeli couples face a new challenge at home

Many Israeli couples are struggling to reconnect after prolonged separations due to reserve duty, according to a psychotherapist and recent studies. Partners returning from duty often exhibit quietness and unfamiliarity, while those at home, who managed everything alone, can feel unsettled. Research, including a 2024 study in Archives of Sexual Behavior and a 2026 study led by Kapel Lev Ari, R. et al., in Psychological Trauma, indicates that wartime stress reduces emotional closeness and that reunited couples operate in "two different emotional systems." Surprisingly, the at-home partner often shows higher levels of PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to chronic worry. The article suggests five strategies for rebuilding intimacy: lowering the bar for conversation, prioritizing nonsexual touch, acknowledging both partners' realities, scheduling micro-dates, and practicing self-compassion. The author emphasizes that reintegration is a process requiring slow, deliberate movement toward each other.