As a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas takes hold and more families hope for the return of their loved ones, an increasing amount of thought is going into how to best support those relatives, as well as those who have been held in the tunnels of Gaza.
Founded in spring 2024, Kamim is an organisation that aims to be part of that support network. The idea of the foundation, CEO Shay Shoham told Jewish News, is to provide the family members with “three pillars” of support. These revolve around getting them back into the workforce, providing mental healthcare and helping develop financial resilience. They are not building from scratch but instead “connecting or collaborating with existing organisations”.
One of the projects already up and running is telephone hotline. The intention is that it is not just to be used by the hostages’ immediate family, but also by more distant relatives who have been affected by the ordeal.
Noam Sagi is heavily involved in the foundation and has personal experience of why such work is required. His mother Ada was taken by Hamas on October 7 and held for 53 days. When she was in captivity “we were so focused on one thing,” he said. “You don’t breathe, you don’t sleep, you don’t eat.”
Photo: Omer Ga’ash
But there has been little support available after that initial traumatic phase is over. “After my mum came back and after the first phase of her rehabilitation, and just getting her back to where she can restart her life… We restarting our life as a family, and then we realise that there is no help at all,” said Sagi.
A psychologist, traumatologist and public speaker, he reflected that “it’s not easy to find yourself in a place where you need help yourself”.
Photo: Omer Ga’ash
Having become heavily involved with Kamim, Sagi co-hosted an event at the Omer Tiroche Gallery in London on Tuesday night, raising funds for the organisation. All the work in the exhibition was for sale, with the money going to the foundation.
One piece on display was by Idit Ohel, whose son Alon was kidnapped from a bomb shelter, having been at the Nova festival. She describes him as “a beautiful person… when he comes into a room, in minutes he is friends with people.”
Alon, a musician, remains in captivity and is not on the current list of 33 hostages set to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire.
Photo: Omer Ga’ash
His mother thinks Kamim is so important because, quite simply “we need the support”. She explained that it is designed to be a long-term partnership.
Much of the work in the exhibition reflected ideas of light, hope and freedom. Idit’s was a ceramic bowl with a dove flying out of it. She sees art as an escape. “Art as art is important, because through art, you can understand things,” she said, adding that art “helps me cope every day”.
The Kamim foundation is determined that she and other hostage families will not have to cope by themselves.
