Otzmama summer camp provides support for widowed mothers and young orphans

Widowed mothers and their young children came together this week for the summer Otzmama camp, a four-day IDF Widows & Orphans Organization (IDFWO) program providing therapeutic activities, psychosocial support and community for young children who have lost a parent and their widowed mothers.

Held from Aug. 16-19 at the Elma Hotel in Zichron Ya’akov, Otzmama is designed for orphaned children up to the age of 6 accompanied by their widowed mothers. The program, supported by IDF Widows & Orphans Canada, provides a safe and nurturing environment where children can participate in age-appropriate activities while their moms receive therapeutic support, guidance and opportunities to connect with other widowed mothers.

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This summer’s retreat combined therapeutic and recreational programming for both child and parent. Activities included movement and play therapy, art therapy, creative workshops, swimming, and magic and live performances, along with programming adapted for different age groups. The schedule also included activities specifically for babies and their mothers.

Moms were offered functional training, yoga, massage stations and evening activities without children. The four-day itinerary also included shared family programs and performances, in addition to time at the pool.

Ayelet Hariv, the widow of Maj. (res.) Aviram Hariv, said: “We came to a retreat that gave me quality time with my younger children without all the demands of having the older children around. The IDFWO team helped in every way so we could focus on being together without having to expend so much energy on managing everything and dealing with all the logistics that are always involved. From helping carry the suitcases to our rooms, which is a big deal when you’re handling everything on your own, to spending a few minutes with the children in the pool so you could take care of something urgent or just have a moment to breathe.”

She said that “one of the things I felt most strongly there was the lack of judgment. There was a sense that everyone understood and was there to lend a hand and give you some breathing room.”

Anat Tagner-Abramovich, director of program development and coordinator of Otzmama, said the moms and kids got the chance to spend “four days where they could simply be among people who understood what they were living through.”

She noted that the program brought together 92 mothers and more than 160 children, including babies just a few months old.

“For some of these families, we have been alongside them since pregnancy, and that is what this program represents: being part of their journey from the very beginning,” stated Tagner-Abramovich. “Everything throughout the retreat was carefully designed around the needs of young children, while allowing mothers and children to become part of a community of widows and orphans that will continue to be there as they grow.”

Otzmama takes place three times each year: summer, Passover and Chanukah. As participating children grow, they can continue into IDFWO’s Otzma community for orphans aged 6 to 18, which provides ongoing emotional support, mentorship, camps, educational programming and milestone experiences.

Otzma+ provides support for young adults aged 18 to 30, including academic scholarships, vocational training programs, healing retreats and guidance.

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