In the weeks following October 7, communities across Israel gathered around tables. Some were formal: shiva visits, volunteer dinners, Shabbat programs. Others were spontaneous: neighbors sharing soup.
Mental Health First Aid Israel recognizes the therapeutic power of communal meals. Eating together activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" mode) and fosters connection without demanding conversation.
Volunteers are encouraged to organize or participate in communal eating—not as charity, but as shared humanity.
Around a table, grief becomes lighter, if only for an hour.
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