“Not a Job, But a Mission”: Aiding Israel’s Youngest During Wartime
Even as she endures the war herself, Vered Atari draws strength from her work with Israeli children and youth.
By Vered Atari - Knowledge Management and Marketing Coordinator, JDC Ashalim | June 24, 2025
As Israel suffers through a devastating war, the country’s youngest generation has been made particularly vulnerable. Thankfully, they have Vered Atari, Knowledge Management and Marketing Coordinator at Ashalim, the JDC division focusing on Israeli children and youth at risk. In this reflection, Atari describes both the personal impact this war has had on her and her colleagues’ lives, and the sense of mission she brings to her work at JDC.
Night falls again, but the silence is deceptive. Just before exhaustion wins, another siren slices through the quiet, sharp and piercing like a knife. My body jumps, my mind weary from fear. I can’t seem to get used to the trembling.
The house feels emptier than ever. My youngest son is in the army, my son-in-law is deployed, and his wife remains home alone with the dog, who understands far more than he can express.
Every siren makes him cower, shaking in the corner, his eyes pleading for the comfort I cannot give. He doesn’t have words for his fear, but I see it in his wide, anxious gaze.
My middle son, trying to maintain some semblance of routine while working from home, has been overtaken by anxiety. He barely eats, his body weak from the lack of nourishment, his mind constantly spinning in unrest.
My mother’s once-strong shoulders are now fragile, her legs no longer able to carry her to safety. At 85, she is alone in an apartment with no shelter, trapped on the fourth floor. Each siren turns into a grueling journey for her. She makes it to the door, leans against the wall, waiting, shaking from fear.
And me: My body screams under the weight of the stress. The pain reminds me, again and again, of the unbearable tension, the crushing burden that settles on my shoulders and refuses to let go.
Every siren, every grim update, every moment where normal life crumbles under the pressure of war, seeps into my body, into my heart. I try to breathe, to take a deep breath and release it, but the air feels too heavy.
Impossible as this awful situation feels, I know I’m not helpless — nor, strange as it sounds, have I lost hope.
I’ve been proud to work at JDC for nearly 24 years. I began at ESHEL, where for 12 years I helped elderly Israelis live with dignity. Though I’ve moved on, my work continues there in a volunteer capacity through Cafe Europa, a JDC-developed social club for Holocaust survivors.
I’m proud that my full-time job is at Ashalim, where I help uplift Israeli children and youth at risk. Through a wide range of programs, Ashalim increases the odds that young Israelis from disadvantaged backgrounds will experience upward social mobility. Israel is only as strong as its youngest generation, and through Ashalim, we’re able to build a more resilient future for all Israelis.
In my role, I wear two hats: the first is information distribution, the second is marketing. Both aspects work together, however. This efficient workflow allows us to deliver vital guidance to families and children facing missile strikes, air-raid sirens, and constant fear.
None of this happened in a vacuum. Following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, I helped assemble an emergency information database for the Israeli Arab community. We brought together essential resources for crisis situations, as well as websites offering activities for children during emergencies. This database was distributed nationwide and now serves as an invaluable source of knowledge and assistance to many.
The most meaningful aspect of my work is the impact of information — knowing that everything we do ultimately reaches those in need of help. Every day, I encounter stories of people who need aid, guidance, or even just access to information. The ability to provide them with the tools to navigate challenges gives meaning to my profession and reminds me that it’s not just a job, but a mission.
JDC staff in Israel are experiencing this war in real time — we’re right here, alongside the people we’re helping. That’s why I manage a WhatsApp group with nearly 80 JDC employees, where we collaborate to help with any requests, whether for JDC employees or others in need.
JDC staff in Israel are experiencing this war in real time — we’re right here, alongside the people we’re helping.
All of us wait, together and alone. Waiting for the moment when our hearts will stop trembling. Waiting for the day when we can finally close our eyes and sleep, uninterrupted, unafraid. Waiting for peace, for a flicker of light at the end of this suffocating tunnel.
Until that day comes, I draw strength from this crucial, collective work.
Vered Atari serves as Knowledge Management and Marketing Coordinator at Ashalim, the JDC initiative in Israel focused on at-risk children and youth.
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