Filled with emotion and hope as the war ends and the hostages return home
Bar-Ilan University is looking ahead
After long months of fighting, anxiety, prolonged uncertainty, and loss, we have received the news of the agreement to end the war. We are witnessing the hostages returning to their homes and families, and those who were murdered being laid to rest. Even those who feel concern about the agreement, share in the great joy and deep emotion over the return of the hostages, and the homecoming of our soldiers, men and women alike.
This is a moment of hope, a first breath after a long period of pain, and a time filled with new possibilities for the future. We are deeply grateful to the security forces- among them many of our students- who have worked day and night to protect the security of our country and to remove the threats that loomed over us. Thanks to them, we can all gradually return to our daily lives. Yet we must not forget our responsibility and moral duty to remember and to support those wounded in body and soul, as well as the families who lost their loved ones. We send our wishes for a full and speedy recovery to all the wounded, and our deepest condolences to the bereaved families.
As individuals, families, and communities, we have all experienced a deep wound. Now, with the return of the hostages and with hope for the end of the war, this is the time to begin the process of healing.
Our Resilience Center and University Clinics offer students, faculty, and the broader public a range of therapeutic services-individual, couples, family, and group therapy-alongside workshops for stress reduction and the strengthening of personal and community resilience.
As a society, we face significant challenges: returning to routine after a long and difficult war; rebuilding our shared security, economic, and social future; supporting and assisting those affected by the war; and restoring our capacity for dialogue among diverse voices. Now is the time to secure Israel’s future generation—to promote recovery and renewal, ensuring the physical and emotional strength and prosperity of our nation.
At Bar-Ilan University, we will continue to do what we do best: live together in a diverse community founded on respect and solidarity; educate the next generation of leaders, innovators, scholars, and scientists; and, above all, continue to advance groundbreaking research in Israel and across the world.
Together with all the communities and peoples of Israel, we wish you all a year of peace, security, and healing.