Chantal and Marc Belzberg, co-founders of the Israeli nonprofit OneFamily, were honored for 25 years of dedicated support to victims of terror and war during the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference held in New York on June 4, 2026. The award was presented by Inbar Ashkenazi, CEO of the Jerusalem Post, during a session that focused on the growing trauma and resilience challenges facing Israel.

OneFamily was established in the aftermath of the 2001 Sbarro bombing in Jerusalem, a tragic attack that inspired the Belzbergs to create what has since become a leading support network for bereaved families, wounded individuals, and survivors of terror and conflict across Israel. The organization emphasizes long-term healing, stressing that trauma does not conclude with the traditional shiva mourning period but requires ongoing community connection and tailored emotional assistance.

Speaking on the panel, Chantal Belzberg highlighted the risk that individuals may be overlooked amid large-scale national tragedies. “When the numbers are so big, and loss is on such a large scale, people tend to be forgotten within all the numbers,” she said, underscoring the importance of personalized care.

The discussion further reflected the shifting landscape of trauma in Israel following the October 7 attacks, which have intensified the emotional toll on the population. Marc Belzberg noted that more than 2,100 soldiers and civilians have died over the past two years alone, a figure comparable to Israel’s total terror-related fatalities over the previous 25 years. “Trauma is a mass problem in Israel,” he explained. “The emotional needs are far greater than any one organization can carry alone.”

The Belzbergs described OneFamily’s approach of connecting individuals who have experienced similar losses to create peer support networks. Through these connections, those affected are surrounded by others who understand their pain and share their experiences, enabling deeper empathy and healing.

Today, OneFamily serves as a vital resource for nearly every family in Israel touched by terror and war, offering a range of services including emotional counseling, rehabilitation, and financial assistance, often extending well beyond the period when public attention wanes.

During the session, Marc Belzberg introduced a new initiative aimed at supporting children of soldiers with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Building on OneFamily’s established youth movement for bereaved children, this program seeks to launch Israel’s first national peer community for young people coping with the invisible trauma of having a parent emotionally wounded by war. The initiative garnered significant interest, with over 500 registered participants at its inaugural event.

Chantal Belzberg expressed optimism about the organization’s ongoing impact. “What gives me hope,” she said, “is knowing that we can make a difference.”