Full Breakdown
Belev Echad Expands Peer-Led Care for Israel’s Wounded Soldiers
9/6/2026, 11:15:01 PM
A Community-Based Rehabilitation Model
Belev Echad, founded in 2010 by a Chabad couple, operates a “Bayit Cham” (warm home) in Kiryat Ono that provides free, round-the-clock services to wounded Israeli soldiers. Nearly all of its roughly 60 staff members—including the chief executive—are combat veterans, allowing the organization to deliver care that is both peer-led and deeply empathetic.
Surge in Demand After the Recent War
Before the latest conflict, the program supported about 370 veterans. In its aftermath, enrollment swelled to more than 2,500 active members, with 80–100 soldiers visiting daily. To accommodate this rise, Belev Echad opened a second Bayit Cham in Jerusalem, situated minutes from Shaare Zedek and Hadassah hospitals.
Holistic Services Beyond Physical Therapy
The 15,000-square-foot facilities feature heated hydrotherapy pools, ice baths, an MMA and fitness gym, and treatment rooms for acupuncture, reflexology, and psychotherapy. Programs also include financial-management courses, AI and technology workshops, English-language classes, and dedicated spaces for women and families. For veterans unable to travel, the organization dispatches 50–100 care packages each month containing food and household essentials. Medical second opinions are offered, and when necessary, the group arranges overseas surgeries, as illustrated by a spinal-fragment removal operation performed in New York for a paralyzed veteran.
Veteran Success Stories
Dvir Oded, who survived a sniper attack that left him paralyzed, received a second-opinion surgery abroad and later sent a video of himself standing and dancing with his children. Ohad Cohen, who struggled with severe emotional trauma, was paired with a trainer through the “Step by Step” program and completed an Ironman triathlon in Germany a year later. Both cases underscore the organization’s aim to support soldiers “for life,” helping them pursue marriage, education, employment, and parenthood.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We also support their partners and parents,” — Matan Eizenberg, staff member, Belev Echad
