IDF Orphans Find Solace and Community at Specialized Israeli Summer Camps
Since October 7, 2023, over a thousand children have lost parents in Israel's security forces. At specialized camps, these young orphans find a rare space to share their grief, bypass social pity, and feel like ordinary kids again.
Since October 7, 2023, 1,011 children have lost a parent in Israel's security forces. For these children, camps like "Otzma" provide a rare space where grief is universally understood, allowing them to feel like ordinary children again.
Finding Refuge in "Otzma"
At the "Otzma" camp, organized by the Organization of IDF Widows and Orphans, participants share a common reality. "Here we all know what it's like to live without a dad," they say in unison. When asked if the interviewer has a father and receiving an affirmative answer, one child quips, "So now you're the weird one," prompting laughter.
Growing Up Too Fast
The children bear the invisible weight of premature maturity. Fourteen-year-old Gaya learned to minimize her demands to ease her mother's burden. Thirteen-year-old Aviatar tries to step into his father's shoes, taking on household chores and acting as a pillar of responsibility. Yet, beneath the veneer of strength, the profound absence remains.
"I have so many years ahead of me to live without a dad, can you grasp that?" asks 8-year-old Noga. "In a second, my whole life changed. A second ago I had a dad, and now I don't."
Navigating Social Stigma and Pity
Returning to school brings its own challenges. Classrooms, once familiar, are now filled with awkward silences or misplaced pity. The children express frustration at being treated with kid gloves. "I hate it when people pity me," says Yaela Russo firmly, while her sister Alona adds, "If you see me crying, just hug me and say nothing. Don't call me a hero—I didn't choose this. My dad was the hero!"
Despite the daily struggles, camps like "Otzma"—where roughly 90% of the staff are themselves IDF orphans—offer a sanctuary of peer understanding. As department head Air Eliyahu notes, "A child is a child, not just an orphan. Here, surrounded by others who share their loss, they can finally just be children again."
