Women’s Spirit, an Israeli Amuta, offers women victims of violence – physical, sexual, mental and economic violence – the tools and support with which to become financially independent. Developed by our professional staff, the program is structured to provide each woman with her own individual program, suited to her unique circumstances and needs. We believe that in order for women to take control of their own lives, they must be able to financially support themselves and their children.  We involve the local community and businesses in the program through volunteering and by raising awareness to the needs of these women and we create social networks by women for women, which emphasize solidarity, sharing of knowledge and both financial and personal growth.

Take for example Efrat Revach, as a divorced mother of 4 she was overwhelmed and scared.  She felt alone, and unable to handle the responsibility of earning a living, paying the bills, being a mother a friend, and somehow building a career for herself.  One thing was clear to her – fear and feeling sorry for herself were not going to buy groceries.

“I was introduced to Ruach Nashit through my family social worker.  What is nice about Ruach Nashit is that they are concerned with the present and the future and are not hung up about the past.  The amuta helped me grow through empowerment and business skill workshops, and by providing me with a mentor.  Eventually, I joined a course on building my own business and received business mentoring and participated in a networking meeting for business women.

Efrat Revach – Food from the Heart is now off the ground and provides catering in private homes as well as offering prepared foods, cakes and other baked goods.  If I would have continued to pity myself I would never have gotten to where I am today – I often remind myself that adversity and even great adversity can be overcome, and that I can grow and even grown more”.

The program includes four outings – one during each season of the year. Through hikes and workshops, participants are exposed to the wondrous changes that occur in nature – the shedding of leaves in the autumn, the gushing waters of winter, the blossoming of flowers and plants every spring, and the nature that flourishes even in the heat of summer. Depending on the season of the year, participants have the opportunity to produce olive oil in LOTEM’s olive press, bake their own bread over an open fire, or make wine by treading on grapes in LOTEM’s accessible wine-press. Through active participation in both hikes and workshops, women and children are offered the opportunity to experience nature, while healing both their bodies and their souls.

Rachel Ziv, director of the Women’s Crisis Shelter in Haifa, wrote after the November outing, “I have no doubt that the women and children of our shelter gained much from their excursions with LOTEM, above and beyond what we originally thought they would gain. They gained mother-child quality time, familiarity and contact with nature – animal vegetable and mineral – the understanding that one may enjoy the world around them – trees, earth, water, air – which are free to all of us and that children love so much, and many positive experiences to refill their and their children’s drained batteries.”

On that last hike, one of the women closed her eyes, let the wind and the sun caress her face and said: “This is so good.” She kept that smile on her face the whole day, and took pictures of her children in every natural nook and cranny she could find, to save these moments of happiness for the rest of their lives.

An 11-year-old boy told me, every few minutes, “We should do this kind of stuff all the time!”, saying it from the bottom of his heart.

It is our belief that Mother Nature increases the quality of participants’ lives, providing mothers and children with the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company in the shelter that only nature can provide. Most of all, it helps mothers and children realize that the world around them, the source of fear and cynicism, can be a place of renewal, sustenance and trust.