About Us
Atufim B’Ahava – ICF was established just days after the events of October 7th by Israeli business and hi-tech professionals, understanding that the hundreds of children and young adults orphaned that day would require long-term support — personal, professional, and financial — to rebuild their lives.
The organization currently supports approximately 600 children and young adults who lost one or both parents on that terrible day.
Many of them experienced deep trauma, the loss of additional family members, displacement from their homes, and significant harm to their sense of security, belonging, and stability. Most come from communities near the Gaza border, cities in the western Negev, and some are part of the Bedouin community.
Our Vision
To support every child on his path to a life that is as independent and fulfilling as possible, whilst recovering from the loss and trauma
Our Commitment
To provide every child with long-term, personally tailored support from early childhood till age 30
The Children, Young Adults, and Families We Support
We support children and young adults who lost one or both parents on October 7th, including their surviving parents, and guardians. They are toddlers, children, teenagers, and young adults living in the Gaza-border envelope and southern communities. We also stand by Bedouin families, families who experienced kidnapping and captivity, and families displaced from their homes. Each beneficiary has their own life story, circumstances, and needs — the path to recovery and building a future is personal and evolves over time.
Challenges and Responses
The intersection of loss and profound trauma creates complex challenges in rebuilding life after October 7th. Many of the children, young adults, and parents directly witnessed these horrifying events.
Our support systems are built around these core experiences and the space where they overlap.
Trauma directly impacts functioning and the ability to regain a routine. Many children, young adults, and parents struggle to return to educational frameworks, maintain steady employment, or keep a healthy daily schedule. Because this experience is deeply personal, everyone moves along their own path and pace of recovery.
Our response is individualized and tailored to each person.
Recovery is a long-term, non-linear journey. It is marked by fluctuations in daily functioning, communication, and emotional well-being.
Our support is rooted in a continuous, stable, and long-term presence.
An unprecedented scale of loss and trauma leaves families navigating complex bureaucratic systems. Affected civilians often face significant confusion when trying to exercise their rights and access resources across various organizations and institutions.
Our guidance is built on trust, streamlining rights access, and creating meaningful connections to external resources.
Personal trauma within an ongoing collective reality can continuously trigger overwhelming memories and emotions. This environment creates recurring challenges for personal healing and recovery.
We ensure deliberate recognition of meaningful personal dates, such as birthdays, holidays, and milestones, alongside national memorial days.
Diverse and unique reference groups have emerged within Israeli society following October 7th. This includes families of hostages, kinship caregivers, and families experiencing childbirth alongside loss.
We develop dedicated, tailored programs that address the distinct characteristics and needs of each group.
Our Courses of Action
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Financial Support:
A flexible, personally tailored basket of grants in the areas of rehabilitation and resilience, education, and significant life-cycle moments — from birthdays and holidays to graduations, weddings, and the birth of a first child.
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Dedicated Programs:
We develop and run programs based on the changing needs of our beneficiaries, including a transition-to-independence program for ages 17–18, a mentoring program for young adults aged 21+, and a financial guidance program for surviving parents.
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Personal and Professional Support:
Social workers accompany each beneficiary and their family every step of the way, offering ongoing contact, personal guidance, and support in accessing their rights.